How to Become a Grocery Broker

Grocery brokers engage in marketing.

A grocery broker is also known as a food broker, food marketing specialist, or food sales manager. Grocery brokers represent food manufacturers and producers by marketing their goods to grocery stores. Grocery stores rely on brokers for information about new products, maintaining inventory levels, and negotiating the best prices for inventory. Brokers must generate sales leads, promote new products, arrange and maintain store displays, and stay informed about stock levels. Accordingly, good customer service and sales skills are needed to be successful in this field. If you want to become a grocery broker, there are various steps you need to follow. Your experience and education will determine the best way to pursue this career. You need some experience in sales and marketing. Also, some brokerage companies require you to have a sales or marketing degree.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• College degree (optional)
• Sales or marketing experience
• Job websites
• Resume

Become A Grocery Broker With A College Degree

1. Obtain a college degree in sales or marketing. A grocery broker must promote products and increase sales over time. A degree in sales or marketing will help you understand how to do this. Also, you should apply for sales internships, which are jobs offered to college students to gain experience. Check with the student career office at your college to find out what internships are available.

2. Join a networking group for grocery brokers. You will need contacts before and after you graduate from college. The National Association for Retail Marketing Services (NARMS), provides a database of recruiters in the food industry, and a job bank. The Independent Food Brokers of America is a division of NARMS. Becoming a member of groups like NARMS will help you build personal relationships and contacts in the food marketing industry.

3. Apply for jobs on career websites devoted to the food industry. Try searching on foodbrokerjobs.com, careersinfood.com, and foodmanagementsearch.com. These websites will help you narrow your job search, and find a grocery broker job in your chosen location.

Become A Grocery Broker Without A College Degree

1. Get food and sales experience. Apply for positions related to grocery brokerage, or food sales, such as a food service worker, merchandiser, or vendor. This will help you help you understand the grocery industry, and give you direct access to food brokers who visit grocery stores on a regular basis. Use this opportunity to speak directly with brokers about how to do what they do.

2. Find mentors in the industry. Mentors are people that will guide you and nurture your career endeavors. They will help you establish contacts, obtain references, and increase your knowledge about being a grocery broker. Call an independent food broker company such as Sysco. Ask to speak with a sales person. Let the sales person know you are doing research on how to become a food broker. Inquire about how to get a position and the qualifications needed. Use the conversation as a tool to express your desire to become a broker and obtain information about where to apply.

3. Search for grocery broker assistant positions. These positions usually have less qualifications than an actual broker position. You can use the experience you gain as an assistant to advance. Try searching on hotjobs.com, or monster.com by typing "food broker assistant" in the search box. You can do this on any job-search website.

References

• Careers In Grocery: Brokers
• State University: Grocery Broker Job Description
• National Association for Retail Marketing Services