842 agencies indexed·Latest entry: 17 July 2026
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Media Buying for Food & Beverage · 9 agencies

Media Buying agencies for Food & Beverage.

Media Buying is the discipline of planning and purchasing paid media across channels (TV, OOH, print, radio, cinema, digital, programmatic, retail media) on behalf of an advertiser. It is distinct from PPC (search), Paid Social (Meta/TikTok/LinkedIn), and Programmatic (DSP-led automated buying), all of which usually sit inside a fuller media plan rather than alongside it. This page shows every agency on AgencyIndex offering media buying for Food & Beverage.

At a glance
  • 9 UK agencies offering media buying for Food & Beverage
  • Part of the Media Buying service set
  • Indexed for Food & Beverage
  • Reviewed 17 May 2026
Showing 1-9 of 9 media buying agencies for Food & BeverageAll Media Buying agencies
Hello Starling logo
Hello Starling
Independent·Cardiff·11-50 Employees·Verified

Hello Starling is a Cardiff-based media planning and buying agency that prioritises result-driven strategies. Uniquely identified by its dedication to delivering quantifiable results for its clients, Hello Starling utilises data-led insights to customise campaigns for optimal engagement and influence. With a diversity of media specialities, encompassing TV, cinema, radio, outdoor, press, digital,

Leopard Co logo
Leopard Co
Independent·Birmingham·11-50 Employees·Verified

We are Leopard Co! A new agency with a 20-year history created through two award-winning marketing communications consultancies - Big Cat and spottydog communications - joining forces. Now together, we offer clients a full service marketing agency with specialist skills across the marketing communications mix.

UM logo
UM
Network·London·51-200 Employees

UM UK, a London-based agency, provides a holistic suite of media and marketing solutions designed to future-proof business operations. With expertise in harnessing cutting-edge business analytics and real-time insights, they drive growth and enrich the customer experience through content and connections deeply anchored in cultural understanding. Distinctive for their commitment to diversity, fairn

Zenith logo
Zenith
Network·London·1000+ Employees

Zenith is a London-based agency providing a robust array of advertising and marketing solutions. As an integral part of our services, we specialise in media planning and procurement, online marketing, and data analytics, all designed to enhance brand communication strategies. Our distinctive advantage at Zenith is our dedication to utilising data-led insights to craft innovative and high-impact ma

OMD logo
OMD
Network·London·1000+ Employees

OMD is a London-based agency delivering a broad range of media services, with a focus on harnessing data-driven insights to expedite superior decision-making for clients. Their key services encompass digital, data, and content capabilities, all anchored by their bespoke Act Fast Framework, designed for rapid adaptation in response to market fluctuations. OMD sets itself apart with a human-centred

Digitas logo
Digitas
Network·London·501-1000 Employees

Digitas, a London-based agency, specialises in a comprehensive suite of digital marketing solutions, concentrating on forging impactful relationships via inventive campaigns and platforms. Their core services encompass campaign creation, app development, and digital strategy, as illustrated by projects such as the OREO Press Play campaign and the Official Glastonbury 2022 App. Digitas' distinctive

Spark Foundry logo
Spark Foundry
Network·London·1000+ Employees

Spark Foundry, a London-based agency, delivers an extensive assortment of media and marketing solutions, tailored to expedite business expansion. They specialise in areas such as media strategising and procurement, data and technological innovation, analytics and insights, e-commerce, CRM, consumer marketing, and marketplace intelligence. Spark Foundry's unique selling point is their proficiency i

Saatchi & Saatchi logo
Saatchi & Saatchi
Network·London·201-500 Employees

Saatchi & Saatchi, a prominent agency based in London, specialises in providing inventive marketing and advertising services. They excel in crafting compelling campaigns for renowned brands such as Waitrose, John Lewis, and EE, with a primary focus on narrative-driven consumer engagement. The agency's unique selling point centres on their dedication to inclusivity within the industry, demonstrated

Essence Global logo
Essence Global
Network·London·501-1000 Employees

Essence Global, a London-based agency, provides data-informed, digital-centric media solutions. Recognised for its proficiency in leveraging analytics and technology, the agency excels in crafting bespoke advertising strategies across diverse platforms. Essence Global aids brands in enhancing their media investment for optimal efficiency and significant impact. Serving a broad spectrum of sectors,

Editor's note

AgencyIndex tracks 9 media buying agencies for Food & Beverage. The list above is filtered to that intersection and ordered with verified and featured listings first.

For the wider editor's view on media buying agencies in the UK, see the media buying service brief. For context on Food & Beverage as a sector, see the Food & Beverage industry brief. The pricing, timeline and red-flag notes below apply to media buying as a discipline; they do not change materially for Food & Beverage.

Typical cost
£5,000-100,000+/mo
retainer, or 5-20% of media spend

Independent media agencies: SME cross-channel £2,000-7,500/mo · mid-market £7,500-20,000/mo · larger accounts £15,000-30,000+/mo. Holding-group networks: meaningful retained support £10,000-30,000+/mo · multi-channel enterprise £25,000-100,000+/mo. Commission models: typically 5-15% of spend on larger or execution-led accounts, 10-20% on smaller accounts. Hybrid (base retainer plus % above a threshold) is now the most common 2026 model. Trading desk / execution-only fees usually layered on top.

Realistic timeline
4-12 weeks
brief to launch, then always-on

1-3wk brief, audience and KPI definition, initial channel hypothesis · 1-2wk plan refinement and stakeholder approval · 1-3wk trading and setup (IOs, programmatic builds, tracking, creative trafficking) · launch within days of final sign-off. First pacing read 1-2 weeks post-launch, first formal optimisation report 2-4 weeks in. Always-on cadence: daily delivery checks, weekly optimisation, monthly business review, quarterly planning reset. Complex enterprise or multi-channel launches run 8-12+ weeks.

Red flags
7 to watch
in any pitch
  • · Will not state in writing whether the agency acts as agent or principal on each channel, or refuses to disclose principal-trading margin
  • · No AVB / rebate / vendor incentive clause in the contract, or wording that lets the agency retain undisclosed media-owner rebates
  • · No audit rights for the advertiser, including no access to invoices, supply-path data, or holding-company-level rebate records
  • · Digital supply chain (DSP, SSP, data, verification, trading desk fees) not separated from media cost in reporting
  • · Reluctant to commit to ISBA Framework Agreement principles or IPA contract recommendations as a baseline
  • · Pure percentage-of-spend pricing with no flat-fee or hybrid option, and no commitment to outcome metrics alongside delivery
  • · Trading desk or proprietary inventory recommended as default without an independent benchmark
Frequently asked

What brands ask about media buying agencies.

The 5 questions our editors get most often, answered honestly. These apply to media buying as a discipline across every industry.

Curated by humans

Pricing splits by agency type. Independent media agencies typically charge £2,000-7,500 a month for SME cross-channel work, £7,500-20,000 for mid-market, and £15,000-30,000+ for larger accounts. Big-six holding-group networks (GroupM, Publicis Media, OMG, IPG Mediabrands, dentsu, Havas Media) start at £10,000-30,000 a month for retained support, with multi-channel enterprise mandates at £25,000-100,000+. Commission models run 5-15% of spend on larger accounts and 10-20% on smaller ones. Hybrid retainers (base fee plus % above a threshold) are now the most common 2026 model.