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Company Perspectives

How Food Brokers Expand Your Business

Food Brokers Aren’t Just Nice to Have – They’re Decisive

Graphic depicting steadily rising sales over time.
W

hen navigating the food industry and other food-related areas, getting manufacturer products where they need to be, when they need to be there, isn't always so simple. Often, a retailer will reject a food product over miscommunication or poor negotiation. It's not always the product that's the issue, it's sometimes the lack of a consistent, executable pitch that kills the product's distribution.

Food brokers are excellent when it comes to getting products where they need to be.

They are also invaluable when it comes to expanding your business. They are experts at product placement processes – allowing sales, market growth, expansion into new regions and more. But how do food brokers expand business? And what makes a good food broker?

The Mark Of A Good Food Broker

Food brokers aren't just a good idea for your business, they're a necessary one. These professionals are there to make sure that distribution is smooth and effective as possible. They are there to ensure that products get where they should be, not just where they need to be. And they get there on time. When hiring a food broker, your sales should expand and consequently, your market share. If you're asking yourself "do food brokers expand business?" your answer would always be yes, at least if you hire a good one.

There are many aggregated components make a food broker a “good food broker.” One skill of a good food broker is that they will know how to properly plan. They'll also have efficient, well-developed techniques across well-defined product categories with which they work.  Not all food brokers work in all food arenas.  Your selected food broker should, of course, have contacts to help make connections, boost sales, and generally jumpstart expansion.

If you're asking yourself "do food brokers expand business?" your answer would always be yes, at least if you hire a good one.

Good food brokers will only be comfortable working with good manufacturers, which means to work with a good food broker, you'll have to make sure that your own business is organized.

Once your own business is in order, you'll probably find a food broker that is worth working with. Beyond that, a good food broker is effective in making new connections and managing new sales. A good broker will reach out to new markets venues and make the needed connections to get a foot in the door. Of course a food broker may not have every connection, but they should have the wherewithal to generate them if necessary. Of course, if using a professional who is just starting out, this may be more difficult. Ensure that your broker seems competent with a well-grounded portfolio before you sign on for any partnership.

It's All About Negotiations

Many of the duties that a food broker will manage deal with some form of negotiation. Make sure that any food broker you work with is an able negotiator. Hopefully this will be evident in their portfolio, but you can test this yourself. Present your broker a potential scenario and have them work through possible solutions with you. Demonstrating the experience, maturity and technical skill indicates they'll probably be able to handle actual situations in a similar fashion.

Negotiating is what helps get manufactured products in the hands of consumers. A food broker will be able to manage these negotiations and should be skilled enough to close deals and expand distribution. In addition to being professional,  skilled and educated, they should know your market well and should commit to testing the market to figure out where your products would do well. However, this is also often the duty of your marketing team, which should work with your food broker to allow the best markets to be targeted for successful distribution.

Not only will a food broker be able to enhance your current market, but they'll also be able to introduce and deploy your products into unrealized marketplaces.  They'll also give you peace of mind - knowing that your designs on business expansion are in the hands of a pro.

Realistic, But Passionate About Your Product

Your food broker should be realistic and should be able to give you a realistic trajectory. However, they should also be passionate and should be able to think big, allowing for expansion your expectations. A food broker should want to help you break into new markets and areas where you haven’t considered. They should be skilled and realistic, while still passionate and ready to take on the big jobs.

When you find a broker that embodies these qualities, your business has new potential. A broker who knows how to step beyond the routine and push for what is beyond is exactly what will help grow your business in new and exciting ways.

Hiring a good food broker isn't just a good idea, it's an idea that will help take your business to new levels. When you hire a food broker, you'll be hiring someone who is able to negotiate and manage your distribution and sales in new ways. You'll be hiring someone who is skilled in getting your products to the people who would want them most, and maybe even to the people who didn't even know they wanted them.

Takeaways

Food brokers are great for a business, and they're more likely to get your manufactured goods into new locations. New markets are more likely to work with a food broker over the main manufacturer, as they view them as trustworthy and knowledgeable. It's like having an agent, a big venue is more likely to work with an agent over the “movie-star” themselves. These professionals know what to say and what to do to get you the growth you need and deserve. This is why hiring a food broker is a great way to expand your business.

September 29, 2023