STAR FOODSERVICE GROUP
Farmland Broker of the Year

By Michael Walsh

Star Food Service was awarded Broker of the Year by Farmland foods, marking a rare time in Farmlands long history that this kind of credit was given to a first year brokerage firm. In the words of the Sales Manager of Farmland Pork Products, Eldon Riley, "The meat business must be customer driven to be successful in the next ten years. At Farmland we do whatever it takes to help move the product, sometimes putting up table tents or even handing out buttons. This is the attitude Star Brokerage takes, they feel responsible for and own their customers and work to help the customers sell and use the products. It's refreshing to be with a broker who understands the center of the plate and is committed o doing it the right way by working the line, educating the distributors and end users. This is done using focused sales reps and calling on the end users, instead of trying to sell the product with smoke and mirrors."

The Star Brokerage company, although new, was put together by a very experienced team of sales professionals who have created one of the youngest companies to grow this quickly in the history of the brokerage business. The Managing Partners of Star Brokerage; Michael Barbera, Dana Huie, and Bill Nicholas were responsible for putting together a sales team, using a methodically deliberate plan to use only seasoned sales people. "Because when you think of the brokerage business your salesperson has to understand how to use the products, because every concept for a restaurant will have a different application for the products. This new generation of brokers really have to know their products and the sales reps have to be able to tailor a plan for multiple uses of the products and we looked for people who understood the value-added education of the product. Almost everything we sell has a value-added component," said Michael Barbera.

The brokerage business is changing with food service, developing an even more specific language requiring a brokerage company to have established relationships in the business, if you don't you can't get to the buyer.

Star brokerage is able to make use of the years of relationships that the partners have built up in the food service industry creating value, by bringing new ideas that are functionally compatible with the operator. Star understands there are no short cuts to being successful in the brokerage business. "We have made a huge investment in the right people and the right equipment. The biggest part of the business is about sales people. These sales people are the owners." Unlike many brokers, whose best sales people are promoted into the office, at Star Foodservice the partners are on the street, on the road, calling on customers, using the most advanced communications techniques; email systems, secure radio and mobile phones. They also invested in the most advanced computer systems for customer tracking, menu strategies, and analysis. Their sales reps are equipped with the most comprehensive marketing department in the business and are extremely focused on utilizing the merchandising and marketing materials their principals provide.

"We will figure food costs and develop concepts with the customers, by using a network of test kitchens throughout Northern California & Nevada, which saves the end users both travel time and money. According to co-founder Bill Nicholas, Star has three customers; the manufacturer, operator and the distributor. The secrets are they do a lot of end user work. Putting intense focus on product development, and calling on the customers to communicate multiple uses for the product.

The brokerage business has certainly entered a new arena, rich in technology, and Star Foodservice Group intends to stay on the cutting edge of product education and development continuing to focus their efforts onto their sales representatives.