Food and Beverage Brokers

Guide to Food and Beverage Brokers

Locate the best food and beverage brokers for your professional needs
By Angela Roe

Food and beverage brokers who offer a variety of services will be more likely to benefit you. Some food service brokers are highly specialized and may not be able to meet all of your business needs. By looking for food brokers or beverage brokers who have a wide variety of products and services, you're more likely to be satisfied with their services long-term.

Evaluate your current food and beverage needs and how well those needs are being met. Consider what changes you'd like to see implemented and when you're comparing various food service brokers, utilize that information to help you find what you need and avoid paying for what you don't need or don't use. Remember to:

1. Take into account the challenges of perishable foods.

2. Use food brokers who work with qualified packers and suppliers.

3. Review the product lines offered through food service brokers.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know how retail food brokers handle perishable foods From fruits and vegetables to seafood and dairy products, perishable product lines require special handling and care to guarantee not only the quality you're after, but also the safety of those you serve. Make sure you consider the transportation methods and storage methods of the food service broker you're interested in utilizing.

I recommend:  Look for brokers who have a reputation for quality when handling perishable food items. Sunny Morning specializes in perishable foods. Prestige is just as well known for delivering exceptional perishable products.

Choose food brokers you can trust Whether you're dealing with national food brokers or international food brokers, make sure the suppliers and packers they depend upon are companies you're comfortable depending upon. Food broker jobs and the people that fill them change frequently. By choosing to work with familiar names, you know the quality and reliability of your services.

I recommend:  Feenix Brokerage Ltd. uses suppliers and packers with a reputation of quality and reliability such as Hickory Farms and Great Lakes Cheeses. CEB Co. works with Ben Franklin Foods and Carhill Meat Solutions, as well as other well known companies, assuring their customers of the quality of their products.

Consider the variety your food and beverage food broker offers There will be times when you want something special or unique and you don't' want to have to find a new broker to fill those needs. Look for food brokerage firms who have a wide variety in their product lines to help you meet your daily needs and your more unusual needs as well.

I recommend:  Both Scott Marketing Group and Food Sales Systems offer product lines that are designed to fit all of your business needs. From the unusual and exotic to the every day basics that provide comfort, both have product lines you can rely on for your needs. Their food broker jobs are filled with quality product lines in mind.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Consider working with food and beverage brokers who will purchase and remove your surplus products. Such services will allow you to recoup your money from unused products.