Startup CPG, the national community for emerging food and beverage entrepreneurs, has released a crowdsourced list of top CPG brokers specifically for food brands, with sortable data on their coverage areas, specialties, and contact info. This first-of-a-kind resource is brought to you with the help of our partners at Spacestation CPG, one of the leading brokers for early stage brands with especially strong relationships in the natural channel (the founders’ backgrounds are former Harmon’s buyers!)

Corey Jensen the Co-Founder at Spacestation CPG believes the database is a “huge value add. CPG brands now have a one-stop shop to find and research brokers, and it gives them the info to make an informed decision with confidence! This is clutch.”

Do you know a great broker that you’d like to see added to our list? To provide additional submissions to the database, please click here.

What is a CPG Broker?

CPG brokers are the intermediaries between brands and retailers. They often have relationships with retail buyers to get you meetings, stay on top of the category review calendars, and then help you pitch, negotiate, plan promos, and chase down chargebacks with retail partners.

What should you ask a potential CPG broker?

• Make sure your hearts and interests are aligned:

Your brand has a voice, a story. Nobody else can narrate it better than you. So, before you set out on a hunt to get the best brokers for you, check their area of specialty first and foremost, and see how passionate they are about your product.

• Ask for Stats, Not promises:

Ask whether they’ve worked with your direct competitors or similar stage businesses, and ask for stats, or references. What are their goals for your brand?

• Understand their business

Understand how they are resourced – who are the members of their team, and what do they focus on? What will the first 90 days look like? Who are the retailers where they have the strongest relationships?

How much do they charge? There are varying models that can be straight commission (e.g., 5%), or for smaller brands, you may be facing a retainer of a few thousand dollars (or even up to 15k) per month. Make sure to explore your alternatives (including hiring your own team, or planning to do that down the road.)

CPG Brokers: What not to expect:

Hiring a CPG broker doesn’t simply mean that your sales are going to skyrocket overnight. It’s more like organic growth, and it should be because you want sustainable progress. They do have relationships, but rely on your presence and partnership.

How to access the database?

The list is available for free, along with Startup CPG’s other resource lists:

Access the database here