July 21, 2022
Bay Food Brokerage is proud to announce we’ve expanded our team by hiring Southeast CPG broker Tori Bodenhamer as an account executive. Tori has more than 15 years of experience in consumer packaged goods (CPG) sales and national account management. She’ll be based out of our Carolinas office in Lake Wylie, S.C., and lives in Winston-Salem, N.C.
In her new role as a Southeast CPG broker, Tori will focus on growing Bay Food Brokerage’s accounts with center store manufacturers. She will also collaborate with clients and teams at retailers throughout the Southeast – such as Harris Teeter, Southeastern Grocers, Ingles, Lowes Foods and The Fresh Market – working to grow sales and gain new placement of products.
“Tori’s been in this market for a long time and knows the retailers and their expectations,” said Gary Royal, vice president of sales at Bay Food Brokerage. “We’re confident she can help us grow our center store manufacturers in the Carolinas market. She’s hit the ground running.”
Prior to joining Bay Food Brokerage, Tori served as business development manager/key accounts manager for Ole Mexican Foods Inc. Prior to that, she was regional/national account manager for CJ Foods, the market leader in Korean frozen and shelf-stable food in the U.S. She also spent 17 years in the beer industry, working in marketing and account manager roles for various breweries.
Tori holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology with a criminal justice concentration. She also has a Masters Certificate in family life education and coaching. She earned both distinctions from North Carolina State University.
An active volunteer for Laurel Ridge Moravian Church Camp, Tori regularly serves as a camp counselor for kids. She is also a member of the Family Life Coaching Association, has volunteered for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and supports the Arts Council in Winston-Salem. She has also participated in many charitable events hosted by kickboxing gym RockBox.
“I’m excited to take this next step in my career as a Southeast CPG broker. It will allow me to deepen relationships with retailers I know, and I’ll get to work with them now on multiple accounts instead of only one,” Tori said. “We have a lot of opportunities in this market, and I’m looking forward to helping Bay Food expand its market share here.”
Get to Know Tori, Account Executive and Southeast CPG Broker
What are your hobbies?
I love kickboxing at RockBox, playing with my Bodie Boone (dog), and actively participating in my bonus kids’ recitals, soccer and basketball games. I love taking photos at their events, as well as watching and taking photos of my partner, Charlie, playing soccer. Charlie and I try to go out dancing as much as time and the events we attend allow. I have a love of music and dancing. I also love being in nature anytime I can, even if that means bringing my laptop outside into nature and working that way.
What is your favorite part of your job?
As a Southeast CPG broker, I love building relationships with our accounts and vendors. A big part of building relationships is through trust, and I am hopeful that my accounts and vendors will see me as a person of integrity when it comes to working with me and Bay Food Brokerage. I want to celebrate wins with our vendors. If you don’t ask, the answer is always a “no”…so, I just keep asking until we win!
What are some small things that make your day better?
Bodie (dog) and Gremlin (cat). They spend time with me in my home office. Charlie always makes me smile and laugh, as well.
What’s the first concert you attended?
Reba McEntire with Sawyer Brown and Brooks and Dunn. I will never forget Kix Brooks coming out into the audience and two-stepping with fans. It was crazy to watch. They are such a big act now that they couldn’t do that, but then they were just getting started.
What’s the best professional advice you’ve ever received?
Be patient. You normally get seven no’s before the yes happens.
Welcome to the Bay Food family, Tori! We can’t wait to see what you do as our newest Southeast CPG broker serving the Carolinas.