How do I sell to co-ops, packers, processors and agribusinesses with long buying committees?
One co-op, packer or processor can reach hundreds of farms or greenhouses. Expect a long process with many people involved.
- Who decides at a co-op or packer?
- How long do deals take?
- How do we get a pilot?
Map the buying committee: management, agronomy or grower services, IT, procurement and sometimes the board. Tie your value to their goals: member or grower services, supply consistency, food safety and traceability, or sustainability reporting. Propose a pilot with a group of growers, measure results and plan for procurement and security review. Track deals in a CRM pipeline.
Committee map
| Role | Cares about |
|---|---|
| Management | Grower or member value |
| Grower services | Results in the field or greenhouse |
| Food safety and quality | Traceability, records |
| IT | Security and integration |
| Procurement | Terms and price |
How we look at it at ShoutEx
We build account plans, pilot proposals and pipelines. Deal pipeline setup covers stages.
- One contact only.
- Value for growers but not the buyer.
- No pilot plan.
- Surprised by procurement.
- Committee mapped.
- Value for the buyer.
- Structured pilot.
- Pipeline tracked.
What farmers and ag sources say
Here is what people in agribusiness say.
Programs that shape agribusiness priorities.
Read the page →Community summaries describe recurring themes in public threads, not individual posts. Vendor pages describe vendor claims, so test them on your own calls.
Read next
Go deeper in the ShoutEx guides, or check the sources behind this answer.
We'll build account plans and pipelines.
Book a call →Follow-up questions
How long do these deals take?
Often a year or more.
Do greenhouse marketers buy tech for growers?
Some do, for traceability and supply planning.
Do we need certifications?
Ask early. Data and security questions are common.