To the food broker with a retail merchandising force, the outstanding single fact which affects his day-to-day operation is the following: that an increasingly larger percentage of retail food sales passes through the hands of fewer, and very much larger, retail outlets. And nothing in the current picture points to the possibility of a reversal of this trend. Neither the growing prevalence of mergers in the field, the thorny problem of trading stamps, nor the ever present problem of markups and profits has so significant a bearing on the retail operations of the food broker as the fact first cited. With the retail food business thus undergoing dynamic and rapid change, it is essential for a food brokerage firm to take stock from time to time of the final outlets through which the products it represents move directly from store shelves to pantry shelves in order to maintain proper retail coverage. Our own retail service currently accounts for a full third of our total expense. It is the service which is most directly responsible, together with the promotional and advertising programs of our principals, for moving our brands into consumer hands. Retail sales costs continue to increase, and show no sign of taking a downward turn. It should be a matter of concern to make this increased expense at least commensurately