The short answer: Sell direct while you prove the item in a few accounts, use an independent rep to open doors in one channel or region, and bring in a broker once you have sales proof and need coverage across many doors. Vet partners on real category relationships and manage them with a monthly scorecard.
Sooner or later every growing brand asks the same question: who should be in the room with the buyer? You, a rep, or a broker?
There is no single right answer. The right choice depends on how many accounts you are chasing, which channels they sit in, how proven your item is, and how much you can spend before the sales show up.
Three ways to get in front of buyers
Selling direct. You or your team pitch buyers, handle follow-up, manage promotions, and chase problems. You keep control and learn the most. The cost is your time, travel, and the accounts you cannot reach.
Independent sales reps. A rep, or a small rep group, carries a few complementary lines and calls on buyers in a channel or territory. Reps are mostly about opening doors and keeping relationships warm. They usually do not run store-level execution, and they may not handle the back-office work that comes after the yes.
Food and CPG brokers. A broker is a larger organization that represents many brands to retailers. Beyond the buyer meeting, many brokers offer category analysis, help with retailer paperwork and item setup, promotion planning, deduction support, and retail coverage teams that visit stores. Scope varies widely from broker to broker, so never assume a service is included.
When each makes sense, by stage and channel
Early stage, a few accounts. Direct is usually right. You need to hear buyer objections yourself, and you need to fix your pricing, pack, and pitch before you pay someone else to repeat it. Independent and natural channels, specialty shops, and local chains often reward founders who show up in person.
Growing, one channel or region at a time. An independent rep can help when you have a target list in a channel you do not know, such as convenience, specialty, gyms and studios, or a regional grocery cluster. The rep’s network matters more than size.
Proven velocity, chasing larger chains. Brokers earn their keep when you have sales data that shows the item moves, enough supply to fill bigger orders, and a budget for the trade and marketing support chains expect. Large chains often work with brokers they know, and the work after the authorization, such as item setup, promotion calendars, and store checks, adds up fast.
Mixing is normal. Many brands sell direct to a few key accounts, use a rep in one channel, and add a broker for a specific retailer or region. Just make sure the contracts do not overlap and no two partners think they own the same account.
Our founder spent years on the brand side as a brand manager at Dial, working on Twenty Mule Team Borax and other small laundry brands, so he has seen how the choice of sales partner shapes what a small brand can get done at retail.
How they get paid
Most reps and brokers are paid on commission, a percentage of sales into the accounts they cover. Commission ranges vary by channel, category, account size, and the scope of work, so get quotes from several partners and compare what each includes rather than chasing the lowest rate.
Watch for these:
- Retainers. Some brokers charge a monthly retainer, especially for new brands with little volume. A retainer can be fair when real work is done before sales arrive. Tie it to deliverables and a date when it ends or converts to commission only.
- What commission is calculated on. Gross or net sales, before or after deductions, promotions, and returns. The difference can be large.
- Retail coverage fees. Store visits and resets may be billed separately from commission. Ask for the price per visit and how visits are proven.
- Slotting and fee pitfalls. A partner who pushes you into paying slotting or new item fees to win a slot is spending your money, not theirs. Make sure every fee, promotion, and free fill commitment is approved by you in writing. We cover how those costs add up in Trade Spend Is Not Marketing: How Promo Dollars Quietly Kill Your Margin.
How to vet a rep or broker
Treat it like a hire. Ask for proof, not promises.
- Retailer relationships in your category. Which buyers do they see, how often, and in which categories? A strong relationship in frozen does not help a supplement brand.
- Current lines and conflicts. Ask for their full line list. A direct competitor in their book is a conflict. Complementary lines that call on the same buyer can help.
- References from brands. Talk to brands they represent now and brands that left. Ask what got done, what did not, and how fast problems were raised.
- Reporting cadence. Ask to see a sample report. You want regular updates on calls made, items presented, buyer feedback, authorizations, store issues, and next steps.
- Who does the work. Find out who will actually call on your accounts, and how many brands that person covers.
- Fit with your stage. Ask how they handle small brands and what they expect from you in volume, marketing, and trade support.
If you want help building your vetting list or comparing two proposals, Grab 15 minutes with us →
Contract terms to watch
- Exclusivity. Limit it to the accounts or channels the partner will actually work. Broad exclusivity blocks you from using anyone else where they are not active.
- Territory. Name the accounts, channels, and regions in writing. Spell out what happens with accounts you already sell direct.
- Termination notice. Keep the notice period reasonable and make sure either side can end the deal without cause.
- Commission tail. Many contracts pay commission for a period after termination on accounts the partner opened. Keep the tail limited, define which accounts it covers, and avoid open ended tails.
- Performance milestones. Tie the deal to specific goals, such as presentations made, authorizations won, or stores selling by a set date, with the right to exit if they are missed.
- Fees and approvals. Require your written approval for any retainer change, coverage fee, slotting, or promotion commitment.
Have a lawyer review the contract before you sign. These terms are where small brands get stuck.
Red flags
- They promise authorizations before seeing your sales data, pricing, or margins.
- They want a large retainer with no deliverables or end date.
- They carry a direct competitor and call it no problem.
- They will not share a line list or references from brands that left.
- They push slotting or deep promotions as the first move.
- They ask for national exclusivity when they work only a few accounts.
- Reports are vague, late, or only show up when you ask.
Manage them once signed
A signed contract is the start. Partners carry many lines, and the brands that get attention are the ones that stay organized and easy to sell.
Build a scorecard. One page, updated monthly: accounts called on, items presented, authorizations won, stores selling against stores authorized, velocity trends, open issues, deductions, and actions due from each side.
Hold a monthly review. Same time, same agenda. Go through the scorecard, agree on the next month’s priorities, and write down who owns each action.
Give them what they need. Current sell sheets, pricing, samples, sales data, and a clear promotion plan. A partner cannot sell what they do not understand.
Watch the first 90 days on shelf. New authorizations live or die on what happens after the item ships. We walk through that in The First 90 Days on Shelf: What Buyers Watch Before They Reorder.
A quick word of caution. These are top-line evaluation points, not a full due diligence checklist. If you are seriously evaluating a retail broker, rep, or distributor, talk to a professional before you sign. If it is not us, find someone you truly trust.
What to do this week
First, write down your stage honestly: how many accounts you sell, what your sales data shows, and how much you can spend on trade and coverage.
Second, list the channels and accounts you want in the next year, and mark which you can reach yourself.
Third, for the rest, draft your vetting questions and contract must haves from the lists above before you talk to anyone.
The answer to reps, brokers, or direct usually changes by channel and store type. A specialty account and a large grocery chain need different partners, different pitches, and often a different hero item. Map your channels and store types first, then pick who sells you into each one. We cover that thinking in Not All Shelves Are Equal: How Store Type Decides Your Hero SKU and Your Price.
To talk through who should sell you into retail, grab 15 minutes with us.
