What Does A Food Broker Do (including Their Typical Day at Work)

Alyssa OmandacCareer, Overview

Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Food Brokers

Food Brokers make sure that your products end up on the shelves in grocery stores, and they sell your food products to distributors, food manufacturers, and other industries that buy food. They represent your brand and negotiate deals with distributors and other stores on your behalf.

Salary
$58000
Education
No degree required
Personality
Interest Match


A Food Broker is a professional who helps to get companies’ brands on the shelves in grocery stores. They work with you and the stores to make sure your products have visibility, and they help you achieve long-term success with your brand. They also show you how you fare against your competitors. They work with the grocery store and negotiate the price and the placement of your products.

What they do

Food Brokers make sure that your products end up on the shelves in grocery stores, and they sell your food products to distributors, food manufacturers, and other industries that buy food. They represent your brand and negotiate deals with distributors and other stores on your behalf.

Sell Food Products to Retailers

Food Brokers represent different food brands, and they work to sell them to grocery stores and other retailers. They negotiate for product placement as well as how much of the item the store will order. They work for manufacturers and others who produce foods to help get their products in the stores. Food Brokers deal with independent wholesalers, chain wholesalers, and retail stores.

Work with a Lot of Clients

Food Brokers usually broker deals for a lot of clients at the same time. They go into a wholesaler with a list of products, and they often use this as leverage to get all of the products in the store. These professionals are beneficial to both sides of the deal because it is easy for the food manufacturers and producers to get their food into stores, and it is easier for the stores to get their supplies from one source.

Help Create Displays

Food Brokers understand the importance of product placement, and they help stores with their displays. They also help with promotions and creating opportunities for brand recognition. They make sure that stores have enough inventory, and they help move the products around.

Keep Records and Create Reports

Food brokers need to keep accurate records of all of their deals so that they know what to work on. They can use this information to create reports for their clients and determine where they can include additional items.

What is the job like

Pros

You get to set your own schedule

Most of the time, Food Brokers are independent contractors, so they work for themselves. They can set their own schedule.

You don’t have to be stuck in an office

As a Food Broker you will spend much of your time on the road visiting stores and negotiating deals.

You get to use your creativity to create product displays

Food Brokers often help stores with product placement and product displays. You can set these displays up and help stores realize their potential.

You can help companies grow

Food Brokers have an opportunity to help a new company get their brand out in the stores and start getting them noticed and recognized.

Cons

You have to make sales

You have to make sales or you will lose your clients. You need to have a skill in knowing where to sell certain foods and convincing stores to buy your clients’ products.

You can work long hours

When you work as a Food Broker, you have to travel to different stores to sell products and food to them. You might end up working long hours.

Where they work

In the field
Grocery stores
Chain wholesalers
Food manufacturers


Food Brokers normally work in the field. They work in grocery stores and other places that buy food. Food Brokers might meet with clients and then they travel to stores and other places to sell the food. They can also work at chain wholesale businesses and other places that buy food products.

How to become one

Step 1: Get Your High School Diploma

Most Food Brokers have a high school diploma. Many have experience in the agricultural industry, and others have experience working in stores that sell food. This experience will help you to prepare for a job as a Food Broker.

Step 2: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in a Food Related Field

It isn’t a requirement to have a college degree, but it will help and make you a more desirable candidate if a lot of people apply for the job. You can earn a Bachelor’s Degree in a field related to food, or you can earn a degree in Finance or Business. This will help you with your negotiations with the stores because you will have a better understanding of business when you need to negotiate deals.

Step 3: Get Certified If Necessary

You can check with your state to find out what the certification requirements are for Food Brokers. There are certifications that you can voluntarily obtain, and this will help you to get more clients.

Step 4: Make a Business Plan

You should make a business plan that includes contracts and other documents to make sure that your business runs well. Then, you can get started finding clients and helping them get your food and other products sold.

Step 5: Start Getting Clients

Now you can start taking your clients products out and sell them to the stores in the area.

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Leader

People with this personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who want to be a Food Broker should have confidence and know their products. You will need to sell your clients’ products to stores, so you should be convincing when you connect with them. You should be polite by nature and be outgoing and friendly. You need to be organized and responsible because you are working for yourself and have to set your own schedule. You need to plan your schedule so that you have enough time to get your work done.

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