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Why You Need to Host a Food Broker Partner Summit
“Forget champagne and caviar – Taste the world instead!”
Now, before you dive in headfirst like a kid in a candy store, remember this: when it comes to food brokers, there’s no one-size-fits-all. Just like how you’d pair wine with cheese (or was it cheese with wine?), you need to find a food broker that pairs well with your business.
Take your time to research and evaluate different options. Look into their track record, the types of clients they’ve worked with, and the results they’ve achieved (we will dive deeper into this later). Don’t hesitate to reach out and have conversations with potential brokers. Remember, this is your business we’re talking about – it deserves a food broker that’s as uniquely awesome as you are. So, take a taste of what’s out there, trust your instincts, and choose the one that resonates with you the most.
Here are all the different types of food brokers:
- Retail Food Brokers: These brokers work with manufacturers to get products onto the shelves of grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. They focus on consumer-packaged goods and ensure products are well-positioned and promoted in retail environments.
- Foodservice Brokers: Foodservice brokers collaborate with manufacturers to place products in restaurants, cafes, hotels, and other food establishments. They help connect food producers with chefs, menu planners, and foodservice operators.
- Specialty/Natural Food Brokers: These brokers specialize in niche or specialty foods, such as organic, gourmet, artisanal, or health-conscious products. They cater to specific markets seeking unique and high-quality offerings.
- Convenient Store Brokers: Focuses on helping manufacturers get their products into convenience stores. Convenience store brokers act as intermediaries between manufacturers and convenience store operators to facilitate the placement, promotion, and sales of products in these retail outlets.
- Ingredient Brokers: Ingredient brokers work with manufacturers of food ingredients, such as spices, flavorings, additives, and raw materials. They connect these ingredients to food producers who use them in their products.
- Ethnic Food Brokers: Focused on diverse cuisines, ethnic food brokers assist manufacturers in distributing products that cater to specific cultural or regional markets.
- Bakery and Snack Brokers: These brokers specialize in baked goods, snacks, and confectionery products. They help manufacturers place their products in retail and foodservice settings.
- Beverage Brokers: Beverage brokers assist in getting beverages, such as juices, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and specialty drinks, into various distribution channels.
- Frozen Food Brokers: These brokers concentrate on frozen food products, ensuring they reach both retail freezers and foodservice establishments.
- Seafood Brokers: Seafood brokers work with seafood producers to connect their products with restaurants, seafood markets, and retailers.
- Private Label Brokers: These brokers assist retailers or private-label brands in developing and sourcing their own branded products.
- Health and Wellness Brokers: Focused on health-conscious products, these brokers work with manufacturers of products catering to dietary restrictions, organic options, and other health-related trends.
- Import/Export Brokers: These brokers specialize in facilitating the import and export of food products between different countries, ensuring compliance with regulations and efficient cross-border trade.
- Bulk Ingredient Brokers: Specializing in bulk quantities, these brokers help manufacturers source large quantities of ingredients used in food production.
- Equipment and Supplies Brokers: These brokers connect food producers with equipment and supplies needed for food production, packaging, and processing.
Now, you may be thinking, “well this is overwhelming! How am I supposed to choose?” Great question. We will get in to this next (I promise!). Before we do, let’s go another step deeper on the different types of brokers.
Of the broker types listed above, there are different sizes within each to consider:
- National Brokers – Large, nationwide organizations that cover every market.
- Should I partner with them?: If you are looking for scale, minimal points of contact, information technology, and sheer size of sales force, then they may be a fit for you.
- Why shouldn’t I partner with them?: They will have a large clientele. Depending on the size of your current business, you may not get the specialized attention you are looking for. They may also have some markets that perform well and others that do not.
- Regional Brokers – Region specific organizations.
- Should I partner with them?: If you are looking for scale, minimal points of contact, and a medium size sales force all in one specific region, then they may be a fit for you.
- Why shouldn’t I partner with them?: They could have a large clientele. Depending on the size of your current business, you may not get the specialized attention you are looking for. If you are looking for coverage outside of their region, you will need to find other broker partners to support your business too.
- Local Market/Boutique Brokers – Organizations focused on one market only.
- Should I partner with them?: If you are looking for more individualized attention, entrepreneurial spirit and well plugged in to a specific market/state, then they may be a fit for you.
- Why shouldn’t I partner with them?: They could have a smaller team, less sophisticated information technology, and only facilitate in one market requiring you to hire other brokers elsewhere.
