Ross Long

About Ross Long

With more than 25 years in the food industry I have had the opportunity to work in a wide variety of roles that built my skillset through genuine hands on experience. My first jobs were in restaurants, I gained great experience working on a small team at a bakery where we were expecting to get the job done independently. I began my retail experience in a store stocking groceries. Through passion to see a better food system and a strong work ethic I worked up to department manager and category manager through a big growth period at Earth Fare. I moved to the other side of the table and began my sales journey through outside sales for NS Sales, leading to Account Managing the South Region Whole Foods Account. Ready for a new challenge, I gained an in-depth understanding it transportation and distribution as a Sr Account Manager for Albert’s/UNFI Fresh. This was also a crash coarse in the sub segment of perishable distribution and procurement of meat and produce. My passion and thirst for making a positive impact on our food system lead me to Hickory Nut Gap where I found a community of people who are dedicated to changing the food system in a very authentic, hands on way. My past experiences me to bring extensive knowledge of the retail, brokerage, sales and distribution worlds to a growing, mission based company.

Experience

1. Senior Sales Manager

   Hickory Nut Gap

   Sep 2025 — Present · US

   Responsible for driving growth and success of Hickory Nut Gap business across the East Coast and beyond. Serves as a key connector between Sales, Marketing, Finance and Operations, ensuring seamless management of existing accounts while strategically onboarding new business, driving pricing and margin success for all facets of sales at HNG. Safeguard margins through price management, leverage analytics to inform strategy and provide critical support to the Head of Sales in scaling the department. By combining account leadership with data analytics, and cross functional collaboration, this position plays a vital role in achieving both short term sales objectives and long term growth.

Education

• UNC-Greensboro Distance Learning

  Liberal Arts

  2008 — 2008

• Guilford College

  Conflict Resolution Strategies, Social Problems

  2005 — 2005

• Appalachian State University

  Business Minor, Communications, Psycology, Music Industry Studies

  1997 — 2000

Skills

• Sales
• Forecasting
• Retail
• Grocery
• Trade Shows
• P
• Key Account Development
• Inventory Management
• Merchandising
• Food
• Spatial Analysis
• Customer Satisfaction
• Sales Operations
• Customer Service
• Marketing Strategy
• Management