If you’re a manufacturer looking to grow in retail, you’ve probably come across the terms “Food Broker” and “CPG Broker.” They’re often used interchangeably, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing. Understanding the difference helps you find the right sales partner and get your product in front of the right buyers.
What Is a Food Broker?
A food broker specializes in products within the food and beverage industry — canned goods, frozen meals, snacks, dairy, and fresh produce.
They represent brands to grocery retailers, wholesalers, and distributors, helping products gain shelf space and stay competitive in crowded categories.
Food brokers live and breathe grocery. Their strength lies in relationships with category managers and buyers for supermarket and foodservice channels. If your product is edible, a food broker knows how to position it — from planograms to promotions.
Learn more about how
Sales Brokerage Services help brands navigate grocery retail and category resets.
What Is a CPG Broker?
A CPG broker (Consumer Packaged Goods broker) works with a broader range of products — not just food. That includes household goods, cleaning supplies, paper products, personal care, pet food, and beverages.
While food is one part of the CPG world, the category expands into almost everything sold in a package. A CPG broker’s expertise crosses multiple aisles, often representing several non-competing categories at once.
Their focus is the same as a food broker’s — sales representation, retail placement, and execution — but they handle a wider market scope.
Where the Lines Overlap
In practice, most food brokers are also CPG brokers. Over time, many started in food and expanded into related consumer categories. A broker who once focused on grocery may now also represent personal care or pet brands, because retailers manage these categories in similar ways.
For example:
- A broker with deep connections at Kroger or H-E-B might represent both snack foods and household cleaners.
- A pet food brand may benefit from a CPG broker, not a food-only broker, because pet food is classified as a CPG product.
So if you’re a food brand, either search term — “food broker” or “CPG broker” — will likely lead to qualified partners. The distinction comes down to how broad your product portfolio is and which channels you’re targeting.
Which One Do You Need?
Ask yourself:
- Does your product belong strictly to the food and beverage aisle? → A Food Broker fits best.
- Are you expanding into multiple categories, like household, health, or pet? → A CPG Broker is the better choice.
- Are you planning to grow regionally or nationally? → You’ll need a partner like High Point Sales & Marketing, who understands how to represent across categories and scale your retail presence.
The Bottom Line
A food broker specializes in food.
A CPG broker represents everything consumers buy, eat, or use.
The right one depends on your category — but both play the same role: connecting your product with the right buyers and helping you win at retail.
“Food brokers get your product into grocery carts.
CPG brokers get your brand across the store.”
Ready to Grow?
Whether you sell snacks, supplements, or household products, High Point Sales and Marketing provides sales representation, retail execution, and growth strategies designed to get your brand noticed — and purchased.
Contact High Point Sales & Marketing to discuss which brokerage model fits your brand and how to start expanding your retail footprint.
