How to Choose the Best PR Agency for Your Food or Beverage Brand
What to look for, questions to ask, and red flags to avoid when hiring a food and beverage PR agency.
When you’re ready to grow your food or beverage brand, partnering with the right PR agency can be a game-changer. From securing media coverage to building brand awareness, the right partner will help you cut through the noise in a crowded market. But how do you know which agency is the right fit for your needs?
What to Look For in the Best Food and Beverage PR Agency for You
Not all PR firms specialize in consumer packaged goods or hospitality. Choosing one with industry expertise will save time and ensure they already understand your audience. Look for:
Category experience — Ask if they’ve worked with brands similar to yours (natural snacks, craft beverages, wine and spirits, etc… you want someone who already “gets” it--your distribution networks, legal boundaries, possible new marketing channels, etc).
Strong media relationships — Do they have connections with national outlets like Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, regional expertise like The San Francscisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, or The New York Times, new media (Substacks, podcasts, newsletters), like What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking or trade publications like Beverage Industry News?
Integrated capabilities — Beyond PR, can they support influencer partnerships, brand collaborations, digital marketing, and brand strategy? Can they provide resources that help your sales team, to boot?
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Smart Questions to Ask Before You Hire
When interviewing agencies, ask:
How do you measure PR success for food and beverage brands? (See Sprout Social’s guide for examples of measurement frameworks.)
Can you share case studies or results from past clients? Can you share results from client work, preferably similar to brands like mine?
What’s your process for onboarding and strategy development?
These questions will help you see whether their approach aligns with your business goals.
Ready to Find Your Fit?
Ultimately, a good PR partner should feel like an extension of your team, not just a vendor.
Choosing the best PR agency for your CPG, food or beverage brand comes down to expertise, trust, and alignment with your vision. If you’re ready to explore how PR can help your brand stand out, book a discovery call with The James Collective today—or contact our team to start the conversation.