Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
SPECIALTY FOOD BROKERS
Mean Annual Sales: $2,724,000 Mean Number of SKUs: 2,650
NUMBER OF SKUs CURRENTLY REPRESENTED
More than 5,000 20% 20% 2,001–5,000 500 or less 501–1,000 8% 28% 24% 1,001–2,000 %BUB NBZ OPU TVN UP
Source: Mintel EVF UP SPVOEJOH
The broker network is quite diverse, comprising both small street brokers as well as those who operate nationally and represent thousands of specialty food products.
THE BROKER VIEWPOINT:
CHANNELS SERVICED AND FASTEST-GROWING CHANNELS
Specialty Food Stores
Natural Supermarkets (e.g.,Whole Foods Market)
Conventional Supermarkets (e.g., Kroger, Safeway)
Foodservice (e.g., restaurants, cafés, school/office cafeterias)
Mass Merchandisers (e.g., Target, Walmart)
Other .VMUJQMF BOTXFST BDDFQUFE
Stores/ Channels Serviced in 2011 %
84 68 48 36 24 40
Fastest- growing Store/
Channel % 16 28 8 4 20 24 4PVSDF .JOUFM
Brokers often service multiple channels, as evidenced by the overlap in sales. The largest channel is specialty food stores, which are called on by 84 percent of brokers. They see natural supermarkets as the fastest-growing channel.
WHAT ARE THE INFLUENTIAL PRODUCT CLAIMS?
Interests Consumers Most Today Will Grow the Most in the Next Three Years
68% Local*
All Natural Organic
Sustainable Eco-Friendly Fair Trade
.VMUJQMF BOTXFST BDDFQUFE 4PVSDF .JOUFM
20%
36% 36%
32% 12% 16% w-PDBMw JT EFmOFE BT XJUIJO NJMFT EJTUBODF GSPN PQFSBUPS
Brokers believe that Local interests consumers the most today and will also grow the most in the next three years. Interest in All Natural and Organic may fade, they believe.
14A [ 5)& 45"5& 0' 5)& 41&$*"-5: '00% */%6453: Source: Mintel
The broker community had a good year, with 84 percent reporting sales increases. Despite the challenges posed by consolidation, only 8 percent of brokers had a down year.
40% 56% 40% 52% 60%
DOLLAR SALES CHANGE IN THE PAST YEAR
2011 %
Up 1–9% Up 10–19% Up 20% or more Unchanged Down 1–9% Down 10–19% Down 20% or more
28 32 24 8 8 - -