His company, C. Broberg & Søn, founded by his father in 1805, was the largest importer of coffee to the Nordic countries in the 1860s and early 1870s but collapsed during the coffee crisis of 1874 as a result of high-risk, speculative transactions undertaken by his son.

It was initially involved in the import of exotic fruit and other colonial goods from Asia but would later specialize in the lucrative coffee trade.

[2] On 1 January 1836, Broberg became a partner in the family firm which now changed its name to Chr.

He brought the coffee home in his own fleet of merchant ships and became one of the largest ship-owners in Denmark of his time.

Broberg hurried back to Copenhagen but was unable to prevent the loss of almost his entire fortune.

Broberg was a driving force behind the appointment of Carl Frederik Tietgen to bank manager and later secured him extensive freedom of action.

He was instead reelected in the 3rd constituency in the by-election in July 1854, but left the office in May 1856 after being elected to Rigsrådet (Privy Council) in February that same year.

[1] Broberg married Ida Frederikke Gotschalk (1814–1877), daughter of merchant and Consul-General Frederik Gotschalk (1786–1869) and Marie Frederikke Kierulf (1791–1870), on 21 November 1835 in St. Peter's Church in Copenhagen.