I don't have a college degree. I like to say, though, that I have a degree from the University of the Street, School of Hard Knocks :).
Seriously, I learned a lot from reading Business Week, Forbes and Fortune over the years, and some things just seemed to make sense to me.
My simple understanding of business developed accordingly. I discovered that you can make more money by: selling more goods, raising your prices, or cutting your costs. Do all 3 and your profits really rise.
Selling more goods can be broken down 4 ways:
You can sell existing products to existing customers
You can sell existing products to new customers
You can sell new products to existing customers
You can sell new products to new customers
Now, the question is, if I already spend 50% of my time trying to sell existing products to existing customers, and another 50% of my time trying to sell existing products to new customers, it doesn't leave a whole lot of time to sell new products to either existing or new customers...
See the dilema? :)
Does anyone have a day stretcher? :)
Showing posts with label Natural Value. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Natural Value. Show all posts
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Off to Expo East
Hello. I am off to Expo East. We are in Booth 2934. I hope to see our East Coast customers there.
Monday, September 14, 2009
From a consumer in Arizona
Your flaky tuna (small purple can) cat food is getting hard to find! My
cats have the jones for some, and I haven't been able to get any. I'm in
north AZ and my two local stores both say that you're showing out of stock.
Any word on when you might be shipping some? The last time it got this
scarce was when the Chinese melamine was on a killing spree.
Kitty
We wrote back to Kitty telling her we had 1700 cases in the
warehouse and asked where she wanted them sent to.
cats have the jones for some, and I haven't been able to get any. I'm in
north AZ and my two local stores both say that you're showing out of stock.
Any word on when you might be shipping some? The last time it got this
scarce was when the Chinese melamine was on a killing spree.
Kitty
We wrote back to Kitty telling her we had 1700 cases in the
warehouse and asked where she wanted them sent to.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Show Deals!!!
When we first started in business, and we exhibited at trade shows, some retailers would come up to our booth and ask us what our show deal was.
My response was, "we sell the same quality natural and organic products as the big brands at everyday prices that are 40% to 50% less than our competition."
"That's nice," was sometimes the response. "So what's the show deal?"
Eventually I offered the following hypothetical example:
"If we normally sell a product for $10 a case everyday...
"We'll offer it to you at $11.11 and give you 10% off.
"If 10% isn't enough of a promotion, we can sell it to you for $12.50, and give you 20% off.
"We could even sell it to you for $13.33 a case, and give you 25% off.
"And my final offer: $14.28 and we'll give you 30% off.
"Which deal would you like?" :)
The reaction was divided into 2 categories...most retailers caught on...but some would actually choose 1 of the above scenarios as "the best."
Amazing, isn't it.
Anyway, I had to post this as I prepare to publish our show deals for Expo East. I finally gave up trying to explain that manufacturers raise their prices so they can deal back...
My response was, "we sell the same quality natural and organic products as the big brands at everyday prices that are 40% to 50% less than our competition."
"That's nice," was sometimes the response. "So what's the show deal?"
Eventually I offered the following hypothetical example:
"If we normally sell a product for $10 a case everyday...
"We'll offer it to you at $11.11 and give you 10% off.
"If 10% isn't enough of a promotion, we can sell it to you for $12.50, and give you 20% off.
"We could even sell it to you for $13.33 a case, and give you 25% off.
"And my final offer: $14.28 and we'll give you 30% off.
"Which deal would you like?" :)
The reaction was divided into 2 categories...most retailers caught on...but some would actually choose 1 of the above scenarios as "the best."
Amazing, isn't it.
Anyway, I had to post this as I prepare to publish our show deals for Expo East. I finally gave up trying to explain that manufacturers raise their prices so they can deal back...
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Primo-Popcorn.com reviews our Natural Value 100% Organic Popcorn
Natural Value, A Product That Lives Up To It’s Name!
Picking up the bag in the market is when this company “had me”. The graphics clearly tell what’s inside, but it was the feel of the bag that convinced me to try Natural Value 100% Organic Popcorn. This bag is much thicker than different brands of popcorn with poly-bags, ensuring that the correct amount of moisture remains inside each kernel. Customers of premium products expect resealable bags and Nature Value comes through in this department as well.
The popcorn kernels are large, producing very large flakes. Natural Value appears to have gone after the all around popcorn when it comes to taste. Both their yellow and white varieties have earthy, balanced aromas and tastes that you come to expect from quality organic popcorn. For general snacking or for recipes, this popcorn does it all!
Natural Value popcorn is certified organic and kosher and is GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) free! They mean it when they say “natural”!
Another thing I like about Natural Value is their commitment to fair trade and manufacturing entirely in the United States. The company’s mission statement tells us, “We pick a manufacturer, pay them a fair price, and then stick with them. We don’t shop around for packers just to save a few cents and we aren’t moving our manufacturing business to China.”
In an era when the Food and Drug Administration has a harder and harder time protecting the American food supply, I think it’s important to patronize companies that are committed to ethical policies and practices. If you’re looking for different brands of popcorn, Natural Value is a must try that you can feel great about serving to your family! This is Primo Popcorn!
Picking up the bag in the market is when this company “had me”. The graphics clearly tell what’s inside, but it was the feel of the bag that convinced me to try Natural Value 100% Organic Popcorn. This bag is much thicker than different brands of popcorn with poly-bags, ensuring that the correct amount of moisture remains inside each kernel. Customers of premium products expect resealable bags and Nature Value comes through in this department as well.
The popcorn kernels are large, producing very large flakes. Natural Value appears to have gone after the all around popcorn when it comes to taste. Both their yellow and white varieties have earthy, balanced aromas and tastes that you come to expect from quality organic popcorn. For general snacking or for recipes, this popcorn does it all!
Natural Value popcorn is certified organic and kosher and is GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) free! They mean it when they say “natural”!
Another thing I like about Natural Value is their commitment to fair trade and manufacturing entirely in the United States. The company’s mission statement tells us, “We pick a manufacturer, pay them a fair price, and then stick with them. We don’t shop around for packers just to save a few cents and we aren’t moving our manufacturing business to China.”
In an era when the Food and Drug Administration has a harder and harder time protecting the American food supply, I think it’s important to patronize companies that are committed to ethical policies and practices. If you’re looking for different brands of popcorn, Natural Value is a must try that you can feel great about serving to your family! This is Primo Popcorn!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
We've Eliminated the Plastic Scoop...
...from our 11 lb Natural Value Detergent Powder. (We never had one in the 5 lb Detergent Powder).
When we first started producing the detergent, our supplier suggested we include a plastic scoop, and we did.
About a month ago, a consumer wrote in and asked why we were still putting a plastic scoop in our detergent box. I wrote back that we had been doing it for years and years, and really hadn't thought about it...but now that they brought it up, we would discontinue doing that.
So the plastic scoop is gone!
When we first started producing the detergent, our supplier suggested we include a plastic scoop, and we did.
About a month ago, a consumer wrote in and asked why we were still putting a plastic scoop in our detergent box. I wrote back that we had been doing it for years and years, and really hadn't thought about it...but now that they brought it up, we would discontinue doing that.
So the plastic scoop is gone!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Shrinking Package Sizes
In the last year, lots of manufacturers have shrunk their package sizes in lieu of raising prices.
We've noticed that 4 packs bathroom tissue seems to be one of those pack sizes that shrinks...a lot.
Our 4 pack regular rolls have been 250 count sheets for quite some time. Our competitor's sheet counts have dropped to the 180's and 170's. Same with our "double rolls" - we remain at 400 sheets per roll...but apparently, the new "standard" is 352 sheets per roll. Who chose that number, anyway?
Same thing has happened with canned tuna. We are still at 6oz cans. Many of our competitors have gone to 5oz cans for the same price.
And Organic pasta! Our Organic pasta has always been in 1 lb packages - just like our biggest competitor. Now they have downsized to 12 oz, 10 oz and even 9oz packages. We're keeping our pasta in 1 lb packages.
We're looking at producing Organic Macaroni and Cheese. The standard used to be 7 1/2 ounces - 6 ounces of pasta and 1 1/2 ounces of cheese. Now the whole package is 6 oz.
Are consumers fooled by these downsized packages? I don't think so.
We're going to keep doing what we're doing, and not downsize our packages, as long as we can.
We've noticed that 4 packs bathroom tissue seems to be one of those pack sizes that shrinks...a lot.
Our 4 pack regular rolls have been 250 count sheets for quite some time. Our competitor's sheet counts have dropped to the 180's and 170's. Same with our "double rolls" - we remain at 400 sheets per roll...but apparently, the new "standard" is 352 sheets per roll. Who chose that number, anyway?
Same thing has happened with canned tuna. We are still at 6oz cans. Many of our competitors have gone to 5oz cans for the same price.
And Organic pasta! Our Organic pasta has always been in 1 lb packages - just like our biggest competitor. Now they have downsized to 12 oz, 10 oz and even 9oz packages. We're keeping our pasta in 1 lb packages.
We're looking at producing Organic Macaroni and Cheese. The standard used to be 7 1/2 ounces - 6 ounces of pasta and 1 1/2 ounces of cheese. Now the whole package is 6 oz.
Are consumers fooled by these downsized packages? I don't think so.
We're going to keep doing what we're doing, and not downsize our packages, as long as we can.
Monday, August 10, 2009
What happened to the Walnut Scrubber Sponge?
Years ago, we started working with this family business that produced scrubber sponges. We then worked with them to develop a scrubber made from walnut shells - which we thought would be just as abrasive, yet more environmentally friendly, as nylon. We were right. Our test kitchen (read:home kitchen) results showed the walnut scrubbers lasted as long as the nylon scrubbers.
Unfortunately, the company making our scrubbers got bought out, and the new company decided that they weren't interested in the "niche business" of making a walnut scrubber, so for now, they have been discontinued.
We are working with a new supplier to develop a walnut scrubber. and have received a few samples that we are using, and have sent out to some folks to try. We hope to have them back on the market shortly.
Unfortunately, the company making our scrubbers got bought out, and the new company decided that they weren't interested in the "niche business" of making a walnut scrubber, so for now, they have been discontinued.
We are working with a new supplier to develop a walnut scrubber. and have received a few samples that we are using, and have sent out to some folks to try. We hope to have them back on the market shortly.
Lidia, one of our product testers, using our new Walnut Scrubber Sponge
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