It’s important to know that not every CPG broker is the same if you’re a food manufacturer looking for one. They can vary widely in a number of ways. There are things like how long the business has been around, the quality of service they offer, and even their core values.
Choosing a CPG broker to act as your liaison to retailers is a big decision. You want to be sure that their services will work and that their overall approach fits well with your goals.
When you’re considering which CPG broker to hire for your brand, here are 10 questions to ask. Their answers will help you decide whether or not they will be the right partner for your needs.
Getting hired as a food broker can be competitive You’ll need to demonstrate your sales skills, industry knowledge, and ability to build strong relationships. That’s why the interview is so crucial
In this comprehensive guide I’ll share 30 common food broker interview questions, example answers and tips to help you craft winning responses. With preparation and practice, you’ll be ready to impress hiring managers and land the job.
Why Do You Want to Be a Food Broker?
This is often one of the first questions asked in an interview. It allows the interviewer to understand your motivations and passion for the role.
In your response convey your enthusiasm for the food industry and interest in the unique responsibilities of a broker. Highlight how your skills, experience and personality make you well-suited for the job. For example
“I’m excited by the dynamic nature of food brokerage and the opportunity to facilitate mutually beneficial relationships between manufacturers and buyers. My background in sales has honed my ability to negotiate win-win deals while my passion for food drives me to stay on top of the latest trends and innovations.”
What Makes You Qualified to Be a Food Broker?
This question allows you to highlight your most relevant qualifications. Focus on your food industry experience, sales skills, business development expertise, negotiation abilities, and relationship-building strengths.
For instance:
“With over 5 years of experience in food sales and marketing, I’ve cultivated strong relationships with buyers and suppliers across the industry. I also have a proven track record of leveraging market research insights to grow sales and profits. My negotiation skills have enabled me to broker profitable deals that benefit both manufacturers and retailers.”
Why Do You Want to Work Here Specifically?
Research the company beforehand so you can speak knowledgeably about why you want to work there. Mention factors like their reputation, values, culture, clients, specialty areas, and industry leadership. Demonstrate how your goals align with the company.
“I’m drawn to your company’s commitment to bringing innovative specialty food products to market. Your focus on small-batch, artisanal items aligns perfectly with my passion for discovering the next big food trend. I’d love to leverage my industry relationships to help grow your portfolio of distinctive products.”
What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
Highlight strengths like salesmanship, negotiation tactics, market knowledge, relationship-building, and communication skills. For weaknesses, choose attributes that aren’t core to the broker role. Frame them as areas you’re actively improving through steps like added training.
“Some of my key strengths are the ability to identify win-win scenarios through creative negotiating, a natural drive to go above and beyond for my clients, and the capacity to build genuine relationships that foster trust and loyalty. In terms of weaknesses, public speaking has always been a challenge for me. However, I’ve been taking courses to improve my presentation skills.”
Why Do You Want to Leave Your Current Job?
Avoid badmouthing your present employer. Instead, share that you’re looking for greater challenges, specialization, leadership opportunities, or chances to innovate. You can say:
“I’ve learned a lot in my current job, but I’m ready to take on more responsibility and complexity. I know my skills are a great match for the intricacies and relationship-building aspects of food brokerage. This role represents the next logical step in my career progression.”
What Are Your Salary Expectations?
Do your research beforehand on typical broker salaries. Provide a reasonable range based on your experience level and the position responsibilities. You can say something like:
“Based on my background and qualifications, I’m targeting a salary in the range of $60,000 to $75,000. However, I’m open to discussing compensation packages that include performance bonuses or commissions that reward success.”
How Do You Stay Updated on Food Trends?
Highlight proactive efforts to stay knowledgeable, like reading industry publications, attending trade shows, networking with chefs/buyers, following food blogs/magazines, and leveraging social media. Emphasize why trend awareness matters in your role.
“Staying tapped into the latest food trends is critical for identifying potential new products, understanding what consumers want, and advising clients on positioning and promotions. I make it a priority to follow key industry thought leaders on social media, regularly read food magazines like Food & Wine, and chat with restauranteurs to get their insights on emerging trends.”
How Do You Build Strong Client Relationships?
Share your relationship-building skills like active listening, delivering on promises, being responsive, asking thoughtful questions, and providing value-added ideas or information.
“Trust and reliability are foundational when building client relationships in this industry. I focus on truly understanding each client’s needs, challenges, and goals. Whether it’s checking in often, resolving problems quickly, or connecting them with potential new products or suppliers, I aim to consistently add value.”
How Would You Handle a Difficult Client?
Highlight empathy, patience, and commitment to understanding the underlying issues. Share how you would communicate to resolve problems and strengthen the relationship.
“When dealing with a difficult client, I try to get insight into the root causes of their frustration. Approaching them with empathy rather than judgment or defensiveness often opens the door to productive conversations. My aim is to get to the heart of their concerns so I can improve their experience and rebuild trust.”
What Are Your Favorite Food Trends Right Now?
Discuss 2-3 current food trends, demonstrating your passion and knowledge of the industry. Back up why you find them exciting based on consumer demand, product uniqueness, health benefits, or growth potential.
“Some of the trends I’m most enthusiastic about right now are alternative meat products, plant-based everything, and sustainably-sourced seafood. These items tap into consumers’ desires for healthier, eco-conscious options. And the innovations happening in these spaces are really accelerating their appeal and accessibility.”
How Do You Prioritize When Juggling Multiple Projects?
Highlight your organizational abilities, time management skills, and capacity to pivot based on shifting priorities. Give an example.
“In a fast-paced broker role, the ability to multitask and reprioritize is essential. I use tools like project management software and daily to-do lists to stay on top of deadlines and tasks. When inevitable curveballs arise, I reassess all projects based on factors like urgency, potential revenue impact, and client satisfaction.”
Why Should We Hire You?
Summarize your strongest qualifications and what sets you apart from other candidates. Be specific about what you can contribute. Share your passion for the company and the role.
“With my seven years of food brokerage experience, proven sales results, and deep industry relationships, I know I can make an immediate impact if hired. What sets me apart is my combination of negotiation skills, market knowledge, and genuine enthusiasm for connecting buyers and sellers. I’ll leverage every connection and pour my passion into growing your client base and portfolio.”
How Do You Handle Stress?
Share healthy stress management strategies like exercise, meditation, talking to mentors, delegating, planning ahead, and maintaining work-life balance. Demonstrate self-awareness and commitment to wellbeing.
“The broker role brings daily stresses, like sales pressures, shifting priorities, and relationship challenges. To manage stress, I focus on proper work-life balance by setting boundaries and taking breaks. I also build in daily downtime for exercise and reflection. Maintaining an optimistic perspective helps me handle daily hurdles while keeping sight of big-picture goals.”
What Are Your Career Goals?
Align your goals with the broker role and growth potential at the company. Share your aim to develop deeper food industry expertise, expand your client portfolio, take on more responsibility, and boost sales.
“My career goals align well with the opportunities of this broker role. I hope to leverage your extensive industry connections to build an impressive portfolio of clients and become a trusted advisor to them. I also have aims to grow into leadership positions where I can mentor fellow brokers and help strategize our growth across segments and regions.”
How Would You Handle an Unsatisfied Client?
Demonstrate empathy, accountability, and commitment to making things right. Share how you would diagnose issues, communicate solutions, and follow up to ensure satisfaction.
“If a client is unsatisfied, my first step is active listening to fully understand their concerns. I would take responsibility for any mistakes made and immediately discuss potential solutions to remedy the situation. Follow-up is critical, so I would check in often to ensure their needs are met and satisfaction is restored.”
Where Do You See This Industry in 5 Years?
Demonstrate you’re tuned into key trends shaping the food industry like organic/natural foods, meal kits, online grocery delivery, blockchain supply chain tech, etc. Share opportunities and challenges ahead.
“In the next 5 years, I foresee continued expansion of online grocery services, more regional and niche food brands, and innovations in blockchain and food tracking. There are exciting opportunities to provide personalized meal solutions but also challenges in the shifting retail landscape and logistics space. Staying nimble as brokers will be key.”
How Do You Plan to Grow Our Client Base?
Share proactive approaches like utilizing your current client network, asking for introductions and referrals, attending industry
Do you have relationships with the retailers we want to target?
If you want to hire a CPG broker, make sure they have good relationships with the people who work at the stores you want to sell to. This could include people from corporate headquarters, category managers, and other stores that decide whether to carry your product or not. CPG brokers with these relationships bring a great deal of value to their clients. Here, they talk about how quickly they can set up meetings and give information about what products the store wants.
Do you buy any syndicated data?
Syndicated data offers insight into how clients’ products are performing compared to competitors, up-and-coming categories and more. This information is not only educational for the CPG broker’s team. It also makes them a better partner when their clients are developing products and formulating sales strategies. For instance, at Bay Food Brokerage, we partner with SPINS to get big data and analytics for the natural, organic and specialty products industry.
FOOD & BEVERAGE Interview Questions & Answers! (Food & Beverage Assistant, Host & Manager Interview)
FAQ
What does a broker do in the food industry?
Why use a food broker?
What is an example of a food broker?
Why do you want to be a broker?
How do you answer a food service interview question?
Describe your experience with stocking supplies and restocking shelves. This question allows employers to gauge your experience with the more mundane tasks of the food service industry. It also gives them an idea of how well you will be able to work with the rest of the team to ensure the food service area is functioning properly.
What skills do food service workers need?
Food service workers need to be able to think on their feet and handle any situation that comes their way. This question helps employers determine whether you have the ability to think quickly and solve problems in a professional manner. It also helps them understand how you handle customer service and how you prioritize customer satisfaction.
How do you write a food safety interview?
Start by emphasizing that you understand the importance of providing safe meals for customers with allergies or dietary restrictions. Show your interviewer that you’re knowledgeable about food safety and allergen protocols, and explain how you would handle a situation where a customer has an allergy or dietary restriction.
What do food service workers do?
This question is all about accuracy and efficiency. Food service workers are often responsible for taking payments, making change, and accurately recording transactions. This question is meant to gauge a candidate’s comfort level with handling money and the attention to detail they bring to the job. How to Answer:
