For the most part, the brokers will probably find a start-up business long before it goes looking for them. Although there is every reason to be cautious when entering into any business transaction, don’t ever hesitate to listen to a broker’s offer – it just might be the best one you are going to get that day.

In the market place, brokers provide a necessary service. Essentially, they are the professional go-betweens that move product from the producer to the processor and on to the retailer. Brokers also tend to stand at the intersection through which all types of market knowledge passes daily. Consider a broker as a source of knowledge and opportunity.

There will be days when you are going to need to move product and a broker is the only one bidding. Also understand that many of the markets that you might want to enter may only purchase through brokers. A broker could be the most economical ticket into the plane, train, cruise or casino business.

Of course, brokers get paid for what they do. Pay is their reward for the risk they take when they stand between buyer and seller as the one with the least control but the greatest responsibility for everyone’s performance.

As in any business or service, there are good brokers and some that aren’t so good. Remember the final decision is yours on whether or not you want to participate in a broker’s program. The only difficulty you are likely to encounter with a broker is if you enter into an agreement that you do not fully understand or have not asked for clarification of all the details. As with any contract, you should have it reviewed by your legal counsel before signing if there is any part you do not understand or are concerned with. Know who is supposed to perform what, when they are supposed to perform it, and who is responsible for picking up the pieces if somebody drops the ball. Know it and be comfortable with it before you sign.

The following pages show a listing of the products offered to the market place by one Eastern U.S. broker. A study of the company’s ad copy and product listing will illustrate how doing business with a broker might benefit a start-up company by putting its products on a much larger “menu.” It just could be that someone who started out shopping through this broker’s list for a special imported meat product might find out about one of your products and give it a try.

There are also a few good ideas planted in the copy – ideas that could surely take root in other locales.

(Note: The name of this brokerage company has been changed to avoid any type of endorsement. The information is presented purely as an example of how others are selling product and why a broker may be a good person to get to know.)

Chester White Company, Inc. was founded on September 25, 1950. We are soon to celebrate our 50th birthday and our company continues to grow and prosper. Auntie Bea once had a vision to start a Food Brokerage Company specializing in Dairy, Deli, Meats and Provisions. As part of her vision came a commitment not to stray from the core business at which her company would become specialists. This has not changed.

There are many food brokers in this market and in markets across the country who claim to specialize in these areas but if you take a close look, most of them have bakery lines, or grocery lines, or frozen food lines. Some of them even have product lines which are non-foods. Worse yet, there are even some food brokers who service their refrigerated principals with just a “perishables division.”

At Chester White Company, perishables is what we are all about. We do not handle any products which do not fall in to the Dairy, Deli, Meat & Provisions format. This is not what we are all about. This is not where our interests lie. This is not an area we have expertise in. We are the fresh and processed meat and cheese folks.

It is our goal as a company to become the standard by which our customers and packers alike judge every other sales and marketing effort they come in contact with. We will constantly strive to meet and exceed all expectations regarding customer service, follow-up and professionalism.

Because we specialize, Chester White Company has the luxury of being able to choose the very best packers to represent. Each packer knows that they are being represented by a company who understands their business inside and out. We feel we are privileged to sell only the very finest products in a category. This works out well for all parties involved.

The real winner is our valued customer base. A customer can call this office and talk to a live person from 6:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Even though our office hours are from 8:30 to 5:00, there is always someone here a little early or a little late to personally handle a question comment or an order. Our staff is highly trained and boasts of years of experience in the meat business. Several members of our company have been food industry professionals for well over 40 years.

Any one who answers the phone in our office is qualified to take and process an order or obtain information requested by packers and customers alike. Our commitment to quality products and services extends to everything we do.

If, in the unlikely event a customer has a problem with one of our products, we guarantee that the problem will be taken care of, in person, within 24 hours of our office being contacted. In other words, by simply dialing our toll free number, the problem goes away. We guarantee it.

By sticking to our core business, the business we know best, we have grown and prospered over the past 50 years in to a brokerage company most respected for quality products, quality people, professionalism, expertise and work ethic.