An Interview with Faribault’s National Account Manager

What do olives, Dick Clark and a missed flight have in common?  This question doesn’t have a punch line; rather, they are all a part of Sonya Leitner’s rich and colorful career history.  We caught up with Faribault’s National Account Manager to talk passion and partnership and find out Sonya’s approach to selling a product she loves.

When Sonya reflects back, she recalls a drive to work at a young age, having obtained her work permit at age 15 so she could be employed at a small, family-owned Jewish deli in Birmingham, AL.  From there, Sonya was the smiling cashier at the local Winn Dixie, foreshadowing her path of working with national supermarket chains in her present role.  As a National Account Manager for Caves of Faribault, Sonya not only handles the national retailers, but also regional retailers, mom & pop stores, and distributors, too.  “That’s the great aspect of this role,” says Sonya.  “You get to experience all facets of the industry.”

And when it comes to the Food & Beverage industry, Sonya is no stranger.  Her career started with Restaurant Management & Development (RMD) in Louisville, KY, where as the Director of Marketing, Sonya grew their portfolio of restaurants from 4 to over 30.  She then crossed paths with none other than Dick Clark (yes, THAT Dick Clark), working as the National Marketing Director for American Bandstand Grills.  Sonya credits Clark as being “one of the nicest, most down to earth people” she’s ever met.

From there, Sonya’s career path took a leap from Marketing to Sales, and from Restaurant to Grocery.  She managed the frozen case at Schwan’s Consumer Brands in Cincinnati, OH, the store center at Pepsi Cola in Lexington, KY and the Deli at Food Match, importer of olives, artichokes and oils in High Point, NC.  “The end product for foods like olives is a direct result of the environment in which they are grown,” says Sonya, noting the similarities with cheese.  “How a cheese tastes is the result of its environment.  A cow’s diet and care affects the composition of the milk, and the way it is made and aged plays a role in its appearance, texture and flavor profile.”

For Sonya, it was her time in Deli that ultimately led her into the world of specialty cheese, having been with DCI for the last 14 years until her move to Prairie Farms this past May.  “I fell in love with specialty cheese and what it stands for, which is quality and passion from beginning to end,” says Sonya.  “When you talk about specialty cheese made in the USA, you don’t get much better than Prairie Farms products and the uniqueness of the Caves of Faribault.”

It’s not just the cheese that Sonya has a love for; it’s the people.  “I have to say the most rewarding part of this job has been the people I have met and the friends I have made,” she recalls.  “I have so much respect for the people in this industry.  Their passion, their drive and most of all, their love of cheese.  I think everyone oozes with desire to give consumers the best cheese possible.”

In order to deliver on that promise, Sonya has to intimately understand both the customers she’s selling to and the consumers at the end of the purchase chain.  “In Sales, the challenge is remembering it is not just about you, your product and the company you work for,” says Sonya.  “Believe me, you want as much of your product in a retailer or distributor as possible, but you have to be a true partner to them and do what is right for them and their customer.  You have to be willing to say, ‘Hey, this item just isn’t working; let’s delete it and try something else.’  That is what being a partner is all about.”

Consumer behavior is ever-evolving, too, and Sonya is mindful of the changes in how people shop.  “Shopping behavior has drastically changed,” notes Sonya.  “Now you can shop online, do store pickup or get a home delivery.  So with that, companies are forced to change the way they go to market and in turn, that forces us to be more creative in the way we sell to them.”

Sonya has big dreams for her future at Caves of Faribault, though she does recall her first day was more of a nightmare with a malfunctioning alarm clock resulting in a missed flight to meet the Caves of Faribault team.  Not to be deterred by this mishap, she hit the ground running on Day 2 and has already played an instrumental role in many current projects.  “I really want to make the Caves of Faribault and Prairie Farms brands household names across the USA,” says Sonya.  “The flavor of the product that only the caves can produce needs to be experienced by everyone.  We are the only company that can truly cave-age product in the USA.  My goal is to sell it to absolutely every retailer I can and make sure we have product sold in every state!”

So what’s Sonya’s favorite Caves of Faribault cheese she gets to sell?  “How can I name just one?” she laughs.  “AmaBlu, St. Pete’s Select, Cherubic Gouda, St. Helga’s Swiss…It’s impossible!  I have loved cheese all my life and how fortunate am I that I get to sell something I love?”