Turning Authorization into Retail Performance

After more than 30 years in the food brokerage business, one thing has become clear, having a great product is only the starting point. The brands that succeed at retail are the ones that can consistently execute across sales, distribution, merchandising, pricing and retailer relationships.

At Seidman Food Brokerage, our perspective has been shaped by working closely with both sides of the equation. We represent brands, but we also have to understand how retailers think and operate. Our job is to connect those two perspectives and turn a brand’s potential into actual retail performance.

For specialty and natural brands, one of the biggest challenges today is simply earning attention. Retailers have more products, more data and more demands on their shelves than ever before. A product may have strong consumer appeal, but that does not necessarily translate into sustainable retail sales. Brands need to understand where they fit within a category, what makes them meaningfully different and how to support the retailer after the initial authorization.

That is where a broker can add real value. We look at the entire path from authorization to execution. Sometimes a brand needs more sales attention. Sometimes the issue is distribution, merchandising, pricing or simply making sure the retailer understands the product and its consumer. We try to identify the actual constraint rather than assuming every problem can be solved by making more sales calls.


The industry is also becoming more data-driven. Retailers increasingly expect brands and their partners to demonstrate that products are performing and that the space they occupy is justified. At the same time, consumer preferences continue to evolve quickly. Health and wellness remain important, but consumers are also looking for convenience, value, clean labels, better-for-you indulgence and products that fit their individual lifestyles. Brokers have to keep up with those shifts while still understanding the fundamentals of retail.

I don’t think our future is necessarily about becoming a larger sales organization. The opportunity is to become a better business partner. Brands increasingly need someone who can help them interpret retailer expectations, identify opportunities, solve problems and execute consistently in the market.

For Seidman, that means staying close to our retailers and close to the brands we represent. Our greatest opportunity is to combine those relationships with practical retail knowledge and disciplined execution. We don't need to pretend we can control every variable. We need to be very good at the variables we can influence and make our brands better partners for the retailers we serve.