@spark309,
The "middle man" should have a deal that is better than if the buyer goes "direct" with the manufacturer. Plus, there advantages - service, guarantees, delivery, quantity concerns, and other factors that need to be factored.
I used to sell gourmet candy that came from the West coast manufacturer. As a broker, we had access to small-batch orders availability. Otherwise, if the stornote wanted to order the candy, they had to order it in huge amounts. While the per unit cost was slightly higher, it was better to order from the salesperson/broker.
But to answer your question, the answer is yes, if the manufacturer does not have a distribution contract in place with a broker.