Aleyda Ballesteros
Evergreen Park
Summary
Food Engineer with 15+ years of experience driving innovation, from R&D and new product launches to strategic sales and customer partnerships. Results-driven and curious, I thrive on turning ideas into action and tackling new challenges. A natural connector, I build strong relationships with key stakeholders to create opportunities, grow business, and deliver meaningful food experiences, chocolate lover included!
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Sales Manager
Barry Callebaut USA
10.2024 - Current
- Responsible for the targets for volume and margin across the East Coast territory, meeting strategic account objectives.
- Developed and executed strategic sales plans, programs, and forecasts to deliver growth; managed sales operating budgets to optimize volume and margin.
- Built and executed account plans to drive customer growth, strengthen supply relationships, and capture strategic business opportunities.
- Led new business development efforts, collaborating with customer R&D teams to co-create products and drive project success, resulting in measurable volume and margin growth.
- Fostered relationships with key stakeholders — procurement, R&D, QA, marketing — and established higher-level engagement to secure long-term partnerships.
- Directed sales forecasting activities to ensure KPI adherence and partnered with supply chain teams to support customer demand, footprint initiatives, and project execution.
R&D Sr. Customer Manager
Barry Callebaut USA
10.2021 - 10.2024
- Oversees all projects in the assigned product categories and manages other team members, ensuring proper workflow, and leading projects to their success criteria
- End-to-end product and process development program, product renovation, and Productivity strategic projects in the assigned product categories, achieving Organization thresholds
- Effectively collaborates with ingredient and equipment suppliers on creating compelling solutions for the business category
- Track new functional or other new ingredient and equipment options for unique finished product attributes, process efficiencies, and cost reduction opportunities
- Supports other R&D teams in innovation, process & product improvement projects, guide team members and rapport with key stakeholders for the best understanding of needs, and project requests are communicated clearly into a brief and Collaboration with cross-functional team members through the NPI process and leveraging internal capabilities
R&D Sr. Project Leader - North Latam
Barry Callebaut
09.2015 - 10.2021
- Development and Managing the Customer-driven New Products requests: Chocolates and Compounds (>50 NPDs) for most of America's countries focused on B2C and B2B
- Lead the Sustainable Certification Strategy (Cocoa Horizons and RSPO) of current Business to Customer Portfolio: SICAO chocolate brand
- Lead and manage Laboratory placed in Monterrey's facility on Laboratory Key Performance Indicators, management, and driving the individual development plans
- Budget administration: Capital Expenses and Operational Expenses
R&D Engineer - Wheat Pre Mixes
Gruma
12.2012 - 09.2015
- Wheat Pre Mixes formulation for Artisanal and Industrial sector. - Biscuit, Danish, Cakes, Tortilla, Donuts, Hot Cakes / Pancakes, Snacks, Cookies, Fried, Breading.
- Responsible of the Mexican Seasonal Breads like: Pan de Muerto and Rosca de Reyes.
- Identified and recommended enzymes and food additives to improve the performance in flour and in the final product.
- Experience with the Customer Service in the Mexican Retail Market.
- Collaboration with Venezuela's GRUMA R&D (MONACA) in projects for Industrial Frozen Dough to the US Retail Market - HEB and Fiesta Supermarket.
- Ensuring the readiness from lab to floor by measuring, testing and hands-on evaluation on finished products to assess conformance within specifications and customer expectations
R&D Engineer
Rozer Foods
04.2011 - 12.2012
- Worked successfully with diverse group of coworkers to accomplish goals and address issues related to our products and services.
- Delivered products to customer locations on time.
Education
Master in Engineering - Engineering And Productivity
ITESM - Campus Monterrey
Monterrey, Mexico05.2016
Food Engineer -
UANL - College of Agronomy
Monterrey, Mexico12.2011
Skills
- Project Management
- Client Rapport
- Resource Allocation
- Stakeholder Communications
- Client Relations
- Productivity Improvement
- Project Development
- Customer Targeting
Certification
- People Management - Harvard Business School Publishing, January 2023
- Finance Essentials - Harvard Business School Publishing, August 2020
- Marketing Analytics I and II - Darden School of Business: University of Virginia, November 2020, and April 2021
Languages
Spanish, English
Timeline
Sales Manager
Barry Callebaut USA
10.2024 - Current
R&D Sr. Customer Manager
Barry Callebaut USA
10.2021 - 10.2024
R&D Sr. Project Leader - North Latam
Barry Callebaut
09.2015 - 10.2021
R&D Engineer - Wheat Pre Mixes
Gruma
12.2012 - 09.2015
R&D Engineer
Rozer Foods
04.2011 - 12.2012
Master in Engineering - Engineering And Productivity
ITESM - Campus Monterrey
Food Engineer -
UANL - College of Agronomy
Similar Profiles
Tiki AndersonTiki Anderson
Forklift Operator at Barry Callebaut USA, LLCForklift Operator at Barry Callebaut USA, LLC
OLIVER HUBBEROLIVER HUBBER
Engineering Manager at Barry Callebaut USA LLCEngineering Manager at Barry Callebaut USA LLC
William L. BoisvineWilliam L. Boisvine
Welder / Fabricator / Assembler at Leader Evaporator Co. Inc. / H20 Innovation USA.Welder / Fabricator / Assembler at Leader Evaporator Co. Inc. / H20 Innovation USA.
Ashley NovickiAshley Novicki
Bartender at Coopers BarBartender at Coopers Bar
Imani BrownImani Brown
Intern at UIC CHAMPIONS NetworkIntern at UIC CHAMPIONS Network