In the ever-shifting landscape of brand licensing, one brand licensing agency has consistently risen above the fray: Broad Street Licensing Group. 

As titans clash and trends come and go, this boutique agency has remained a steadfast beacon in the industry, particularly in the realm of food and beverage brand licensing.

With an uncanny knack for identifying the next big licensing opportunity and a track record of successful partnerships, Broad Street has carved out a reputation as the go-to experts for brands, restaurant brands, food & beverage manufacturers, and retailers looking to make their mark in the culinary retail world.

How did Broad Street become such a big player in the food and beverage space?

Peter Cross: You know, it’s been quite a journey for us at Broad Street Licensing Group. We’ve been in the food and beverage game since day one, back when Carole Francesca founded the agency in 1997. It’s funny to think about it now, but our very first client was actually Unilever; talk about starting with a bang! We cut our teeth working with some of their most beloved brands — Popsicle, Good Humor, and Klondike — and helped Unilever branch out into the candy category with Creamsicle and Popsicle confections. We also cooked up some pretty cool lifestyle programs for kids and adults that got people talking about those brands and really pushed engagement with their consumers. That first big project was like a crash course in food and beverage licensing. It taught us so much and really set the tone for everything we’ve done ever since. Over the last 30 years, we’ve had the chance to work with all sorts of food and beverage clients, from big household names to up-and-coming brands and manufacturers.

I guess you could say we found our niche early on and just kept running with it. That’s really how we’ve grown into the player we are today in the food and beverage space. It’s been a wild ride, but we wouldn’t have it any other way!

How Broad Street Became a Top Agency for CPG

What specific expertise does the team have that has allowed Broad Street to grow in that space so quickly and become one of the sector’s largest licensing agencies?

Peter Cross: Food and beverage has always been our focus and passion. For almost 30 years, we’ve had this laser-focused vision; we work exclusively with food, restaurant, and beverage brands. That’s our bread and butter (pun totally intended)! We’re not your average brand licensing agency: we think of ourselves more like a global brand extension powerhouse. Our mission has been to create relationships that people recognize and love, strengthening the connection between big-name food and beverage brands, manufacturers, and consumers – both loyal fans and newcomers alike.

Over the years we’ve built an incredible team who are not just experienced, but enthusiasts. We genuinely get excited about our clients’ successes. We’re the kind of folks who dream big and aren’t satisfied with “good enough.” That attitude has paid off – being ranked as a top 20 brand licensing agency by License Global for 13 years in a row, and many of our programs have either won or been nominated for some pretty fancy industry awards. But here’s the thing – we’re not resting on our laurels. Awards are nice, but what really drives us is the effectiveness of our work.

Broad Street: “We’re Your Brand’s Biggest Fan”

It sounds like Broad Street does a lot more than just negotiating licensing deals for your clients. Can you describe the other functions and/or skills Broad Street is bringing to the table for its customers?

Peter Cross: You know, we’re not just deal-makers; we’re more like your brand’s biggest fan and most strategic ally rolled into one. We’re a full-service agency, and from the moment we shake hands with a new client, we’re all in. We’re not just sitting back and waiting for licensing opportunities to fall into our laps. We’re diving headfirst into their world, becoming practically an extension of their team.

Think of us as brand strategists with a licensing twist. We’re constantly brainstorming and planning the best paths forward. Our goal? To make the biggest splash possible for our clients’ brands. We don’t just partner our clients with anyone who comes knocking. We’re out there scouting for the perfect partners that will make our clients’ licensing programs truly shine.

It’s not about quantity; it’s all about quality and fit. Our goal is to take all the heavy lifting off our clients’ plates. The last thing they need is to worry about the nitty-gritty of licensing programs. That’s where we come in. We handle everything: from the initial strategy sessions to partner scouting, from negotiations to program management. This frees up our clients to focus on what they do best – running their core business.

Cross: Relationships Are the ‘Secret Sauce’ in Licensing

Correct me if I’m wrong, but it appears your work with manufacturers grew quite quickly during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic. How did it come about that you focused on manufacturing during the pandemic?

Peter Cross: You know, our work with manufacturers actually goes back for the last 20 years; we didn’t just jump on that bandwagon during the pandemic. In fact, let me tell you a story that might surprise you. Our first manufacturing client was BIC, the #1 lighter and stationery brand in the US. They came to us looking for help to put brands on their lighters. Talk about an unexpected twist, right?

At the time, we were this small agency laser-focused on food and beverage. So, when BIC chose us to represent them, we were really excited to be working on the opposite side of the street, so to speak.

Since then, we’ve worked with all sorts of manufacturers, and each one brings something unique to the table. We’ve done seasonings and spices with OWS Foods, frozen seafood with SeaPak, appetizers with Farm Rich, and that’s just scratching the surface!

Passion, Persistence & Personality the Key to Success

Can you give us a short update on the Royalty Report and how that program is going? What does that program do for Broad Street, and also for existing or potential clients?

Peter Cross: We just wrapped up Season 2 a few months back, and guess what? We’re already gearing up for Season 3! Talk about keeping the ball rolling!

You know, this show has been like our secret weapon. It’s doing something pretty incredible, bringing this behind-the-scenes world of licensing into the spotlight. And we’re not just talking dry business stuff here. We’re showcasing the fun, quirky, personality-packed side of licensing that most folks never get to see.

For Broad Street, it’s been a game-changer. It’s like we’ve turned up the volume on our agency’s visibility. People are starting to recognize us, understand what we do, and guess what? It’s leading to some pretty cool conversations and opportunities. It’s like we planted a seed with the show, and now we’re watching it grow.

At Broad Street, we work hard, but we play hard too. We’ve always known how to have a good time, and now the whole world gets to see it. “Hey, look! The licensing world isn’t all stuffy boardrooms and PowerPoint presentations. We know how to have fun too!”

Visit Broad Street Licensing Group at www.bslg.com