All new items must be submitted to the regional office(s). Products that fall outside the above categories are handled differently in the different regions. Please request information regarding how to present these types of products, when contacting our regional offices. To be considered, all products must meet our Quality Standards.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company-info/information-potential-vendors

4 Ways to Get Your Product on the Shelves at Whole Foods

by Lambeth Hochwald October 9, 2012

To some entrepreneurs, the ultimate accomplishment is snagging a spot on the shelves of Whole Foods Market. But before you book your meeting with a store rep, you need to be sure your product fits the chain’s demanding quality standards and the needs of its customers. ”The Whole Foods shopper is slightly different in that he or she is driven more by health and taste than by price,” says Phil Lempert, a food analyst and trend watcher known as the Supermarket Guru. “You don’t want to force-fit your product into Whole Foods if it isn’t quite right.”  So what’s an entrepreneur to do to crack this market? First, it’s important to understand that Whole Foods is decentralized.

The company is organized by regions–11 in the U.S. and one in the U.K.–and each one has autonomous purchasing teams for all product categories. At the same time, decisions are also made on the local level. So, a single supermarket in the chain of 332 worldwide can opt to stock your line. “There are many paths to getting your product into our stores,” says Jeremia McElwee, executive Whole Body (supplements and personal care products) coordinator at Whole Foods in Austin, Texas.

Here are four strategies that can help you make the cut and grow your business:

Know What Makes Whole Foods–and Your Product–Distinctive. If you think you’re ready for your Whole Foods debut, first visit the company’s website, which lists acceptable and unacceptable ingredients, quality standards and other important guidelines. “If your product doesn’t fit, go back to the drawing board,” McElwee says. If it does, make sure it meets one more requirement: distinctiveness. Whole Foods isn’t looking for me-too products, McElwee says. For example, an existing Whole Foods vendor found a source for fair-trade cacao from a small tribe in Panama. “This company is going to be making chocolate bars and supplements using this super high-end antioxidant,” McElwee says. “This was such a compelling story–it’s a functional food, it’s fair-trade, and we had nothing like it in the stores so it made sense to launch this line of products nationally.”

Pitch Your Local Whole Foods Store First.

But don’t count on that kind of national launch. When Irene Costello, cofounder of Boston-based Effie’s Homemade decided to try to expand the company’s crackers and biscuits beyond specialty food stores, she and her partner first approached the local Brighton, Mass., Whole Foods store. “We had an untried, untested product line so we had to prove ourselves,” she says. ”We did demos at this store and met the marketing manager. She liked us and loved our first product, the oatcakes. She got behind the brand.” Once Effie’s established a track record in Whole Foods’ North Atlantic region and the brand won some industry awards, Costello decided to gauge interest in stocking the line at more Whole Foods stores. Today, Effie’s products are available at 93 stores in five regions.

Study Store Layouts.

Before you meet with a local Whole Foods buyer, study the store aisle-by-aisle so you know exactly where you think your product should be stocked. “Think of the store in real estate terms and sketch out whether your product is meant as a quick counter pickup or whether it’s strictly a grocery or bakery item,” says Mitchell Merrick, vice president of domestic sales at Jessie Steele, a whimsical apron and kitchen goods company based in Berkeley, Calif. “Tell your rep where you could see your product in the store. You want to lead the horse to water so to speak.” Initially, Jessie Steele items were stocked only in the Whole Body department with personal care products, but the company eventually got them in the grocery aisles of some Whole Foods stores, too. The products are now stocked in about 30 stores in the Pacific Northwest and North Atlantic regions.

Build Buzz at Farmers’ Markets.

While you’re getting your Whole Foods paperwork in order, sell your wares at your area farmers’ markets. That’s where many Whole Foods buyers browse regularly, looking for regional artisanal goods. That was the lucky discovery of Chris Buskirk, cofounder of Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Gina’s Homemade, a line of soft Italian cheeses and biscotti. “When we started selling at farmers’ markets, we didn’t know there was any likelihood of the Whole Foods buyers seeing us there,” he says. “We were primarily interested in developing a brand identity and getting our product in front of people who cared about food.” After a few months working the farmers’ markets, Buskirk started calling his local Whole Foods without getting a response. After several attempts, he finally reached a buyer, who knew about the company both because of the farmers’ markets and because Whole Foods customers were coming in and asking for Gina’s Homemade. “Happily, our line got approved on the spot” after a tasting, Buskirk says. Gina’s Homemade is now available at the seven Whole Foods stores in Arizona, as well as the two in southern Nevada.

About Whole Foods Market

Purchasing

Whole Foods Market has opened wine and beer shops to cater to their upmarket brand. Above, the imported beer case at a Whole Foods beer shop.

Whole Foods Market purchases products for retail sale from local, regional, and international wholesale suppliers and vendors. The majority of purchasing occurs at the regional and national levels to negotiate volume discounts with major vendors and distributors. Regional and store buyers are focused on local products and any unique products necessary to ensure a neighborhood market feel in the stores. Whole Foods says that the company is committed to buying from local producers that meet its quality standards while also increasingly focusing more of their purchasing on producer- and manufacture-direct programs. Some regions have an employee known as a “forager”, whose sole duty is to source local products for each store.

Product quality

Whole Foods Market only sells products that meet its self-created quality standards for being “natural”, which the store defines as: minimally processed foods that are free of hydrogenated fats as well as artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives, and many others as listed on their online “Unacceptable Food Ingredients” list. Whole Foods Market has also announced that it does not intend to sell meat or milk from cloned animals or their offspring, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ruled them safe to eat. The company also sells many USDA-certified organic foods and products that aim to be environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible. Stores do not carry foie gras or eggs from hens confined to battery cages due to animal cruelty concerns, as a result of successful advocacy by animal welfare groups. The Whole Foods Market website details the company’s criteria for selling food, dietary supplements, and personal care products.[5According to CNN, the extent of Whole Foods Market’s nutritional screening is it “doesn’t carry any food containing trans fats or artificial coloring”.
Whole Foods offers a vast selection of cheese and specialty items from around the world.

Until June 2011, body care products sold at Whole Foods Market could be marketed as organic even if they contained ingredients not listed by the USDA as acceptable for use in organic food. “Products made using petroleum-derived and other synthetic or chemical ingredients, prohibited in organic foods, can be found among the organic shampoos and lotions made by Avalon, Nature’s Gate, Jason Natural Cosmetics, Kiss My Face and other brands”, said Urvashi Rangan, an environmental health scientist at Consumer Reports. This is because the federal guidelines that regulate organic food labeling do not apply to cosmetics. Starting in June 2011, personal care products sold at Whole Foods Market were required to follow the same USDA National Organic Program standards for organic food. This required products labeled “Organic” to contain 95 percent or more certified organic ingredients.
Preparing to break open a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at Whole Foods Market in Overland Park, Kansas

Whole Foods Market has been criticized that its products may not be as progressive as they are touted to be. Author Michael Pollan has contended that the supermarket chain has done well in expanding the organic market, but has done so at the cost of local foods, regional producers, and distributors. Parts of the debate have taken place publicly through a series of letters between Pollan and Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey.

Ronnie Cummins, national director of the United States Organic Consumers Association, said that Whole Foods Market simply uses the term natural as a marketing tool. Cummins concluded that “Whole Foods Market now is a big-box retailer – and it’s much more concerned about competing with the other big boxes than issues of ethics and sustainability.”Similarly, researcher Stacy Mitchell of the New Rules Project argues that the corporation’s aggressive marketing of local food is more hype than substance.

In a Wall Street Journal article in August 2009, John Mackey acknowledged that his company had lost touch with its natural food roots and would attempt to reconnect with the idea that health was affected by the quality of food consumed. He said “We sell a bunch of junk”. He stated that the company would focus more on health education in its stores.

By Jake Mayer

Private Label Trends

The beverage industry is turning over a new leaf as trends support brisk growth and
reveal hot opportunities for private label. While newsworthy trends are beginning to
unfold, savvy sellers explore the impact these changes have on consumer behavior
in concurrence with their marketing strategy and product offering. Small and mid-
size business is no longer using other brands, entering the market is their own
propriety brand that defies tradition and repositions with a premium image and
product.

Private label is upscaling in both perception and practice as black tea fires up to
green chai spice. Originally perceived as an affordable substitute to the national
brand, the generic brand is stepping aside to the new concept in private label – the
premium private label brand. Premium, specialty and gourmet product sales are
surging as the seller’s own brand evolves and expands into new market segments
building company and product awareness.

As demographics and culture change, so does market demand for new satisfying
beverage offerings complimenting lifestyles of comfort, pleasure and luxury.
Consumers are snubbing their nose to commodity tea; they desire high quality,
tempting flavors brewed from the finest ingredients. Major health and wellness
trends are driving sales of private label brands as consumers seek healthy
alternatives to traditional products, switching to natural, organic and nutritious
beverages such as specialty fruit, herbal and green teas.

Distribution channels are opening up in the service sector as private label is no
longer a marketing success used exclusively by retailers. Businesses, from high-end
hospitality to professional services, are serving up signature brand beverages to
enhance the client experience while at the same time build company recognition.
Generic private label brands are becoming a popular pick in international markets
with the premium private label brand soon to follow, and there is room to grow.
Marketplace dynamics indicate there has never been a better time for small and
mid-size business to consider the power of private label to market, sell and profit
on their own brand products.

Private Label, A Phenomenon All of Its Own
Traditionally, private label went hand in hand with generic household staples
including tea and coffee. The term “private label” was used interchangeably with
“generic brand.” Consumers have long expressed favorable views to generic brands,
as an AC Nielsen study supports, citing private label brands as an extremely good
value for the money and a good alternative to national brands. Large discounters
had the economy of scale advantage, marketing generic label by employing a low
price, high volume system to generate profits. Of course this made it difficult, if
impossible, for smaller firms to compete.
The exciting, really pioneering news in the survey is consumers are now seeing
private label to be higher priced and of equal or higher quality in comparison with
other brands, unlocking opportunities for small business. Sellers are now
successfully fighting fierce competition, armed with a proven small business
marketing tactic; pull in profits with smaller sales volumes by offering a high price,
high quality, unique brand through the support of a private label wholesale partner.

A Healthy Future for Private Label
Demographic and cultural trends favor propriety bands, positively impacting the
growth and earning potential of exclusive brand offerings. Inspired by volumes of
medical information and continuing scientific research major trends in health and
wellness are here to stay. As the 80 million baby boomers age, over half who have
reached 50, they are becoming more health conscious and it is not just the baby
boomer. A recent survey shows 72% of all adults feel they should be making
healthier choices. In response, retailers are rolling out new natural and organic
lines, made from pure health promoting ingredients, a popular choice being green
tea rich in antioxidants. Looking for ways to de-stress and relax naturally
consumers are also adding chamomile and other herbal teas to their list of favorites.

The U.S. Census Bureau predicts an increase in diversity in the United States with
high growth rates in Asian and Hispanic populations, interestingly, they share a
cultural attribute – loyalty. Using private label, a seller can gain trust and loyalty
with a quality product specialized to a specific ethnic group. These niche markets
are typically geographically concentrated making small and regional firms a good
fit. Serving consumers directly on a day to day basis in their local establishments
allows a business to understanding their patrons’ cultural needs and desires. Small
business should pay close attention to the unfilled requests of up and coming ethnic
markets as their national competitors are. Last year Celestial Seasonings introduced
new teas to the Hispanic community focusing on flavors and herbs of chamomile,
linden and other ingredients popular among the group.

The US economy is also showing signs of healthy, yet stable economic growth, with
long-term prospects remaining favorable. The growing number of living
comfortable, affluent American consumers represents a niche market that is
insensitive to price, and have unfulfilled needs for high quality, unique products and
services. These consumers are responsible for a large percentage of premium,
specialty and gourmet purchases. Asians, who enjoy their ceremonies of tea, will
also influence the market. A highly educated and a wealthy group, research shows
Asian-American households have the highest median income, $59,000, in the five
major racial/ethnic groups with the white, non-Hispanic category closely following.

Private Label Anytime, Anyplace
The service industry is driving private label brands into non-traditional avenues and
leaving their mark. Distinguished food service and hospitality companies are putting
their own name on the beverages they serve giving their patrons a taste of
something only offered at their establishment. Beyond hospitality, other service
industries are joining the trend, personal, entertainment, business and professional
services to name a few. Serving signature brands build and reinforce their business
image and ambience, in addition to enhancing their client experience. Many of
these service companies are adding on profits centers, complimenting the core
business through direct sales of their carte items.

Afternoon tea has become tea anytime, anyplace and anyway, as the opportunities
are endless. Teahouses are evolving into bubble tea cafes serving a frothy hot or
cold beverage made from tea, milk, sugar and tapioca balls, alluring the younger
crowd. The over 21 age group is sipping up creative and flavorful cocktails of tea,
liquor and ice at trendy tea bars and lounges. What these entrepreneurs have in
common is the ability to introduce their own brand that set them apart from their
competitors, with the support of a private label wholesaler.

In the beverage industry distinct trends are pouring out opportunities with
consumers ready to taste. Changes in consumer perception, demographics, lifestyle
and culture lay the foundation for a unique offering of products and services. To
capitalize on these trends sellers are no longer stocking standard off-the-shelf
brands. Instead they are formulating a custom blend of product, label and package
to create their own exclusive brand, satisfying the unfulfilled needs of changing
consumer tastes. Private label is a powerful ingredient in their recipe for success.
Trends and marketplace dynamics point out now is the time for small and mid-size
business in all industries to consider the power of private label to leave their mark.

Jake Mayer is the owner of Lapis Teahouse, a manufacturer of http://www.lapisteahouse.com private label tea and custom blend herbal products
that works with both large and small companies. He can be contacted to build your
brand at jake@lapisteahouse.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Growth-in-Store:-Serving-Up-Opportunities-for-Private-Label&id=96067

Growth in Store: Serving Up Opportunities for Private Label

“The beverage industry has proven to be the cornerstone of the functional food revolution. Beverages are ideal platforms to deliver health [and] wellness, and in most cases [they] provide both experiential and convenient benefits to consumers,” says Peter Leighton, a recognized leader in both established corporate and start-up ventures with a focus in consumer products, biotechnology, nutraceuticals, functional foods and human nutrition, and subject-matter expert consulting through Zintro.com.

The bottled water industry, specifically, makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy. A 2009 study sponsored by the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) found that the industry contributes just under one percent of GDP, or $129.1 billion in output, including salaries and benefits, federal, state and local taxes and state sales taxes on the consumer side.

Bottled water sales slumped in 2008 and 2009 during economic low points but rebounded in 2010. Reports indicate a 4.5 percent increase in sales between 2009 and 2010.

Purified tap water makes up 59% of bottled water available, according to Unesco. The remaining 41% of bottled water is comprised of spring water and mineral water. Purified water comes from public sources, and is sometimes put through additional purification processes before being bottled and sold to the public.

Spring water is water collected from an underground spring flowing to the surface of the ground. Interestingly, you may have purchased two different brands of bottled spring water that have actually come from the same spring. Mineral water also comes from underground, and contains a consistent level of minerals and other elements. Bottled mineral water has not been purified, processed, or added to in any way.

Artesian water does not make up much of the bottled water on the market. It’s worth mentioning, however, because Fiji water, found to have high levels of bacteria in one study, is Artesian water. Artesian water comes from a well that taps an aquifer. Fiji water, according to New York magazine, comes from tropical rain.

Major beverage brands have taken advantage of the bottled water trend and have developed their own brands of bottled water. Aquafina, picked frequently by critics as the best flavored water, is owned by Pepsi. Coca-Cola owns Dasani water, and Dr. Pepper/7 Up has its own brand of bottled water, known as Deja Blue. Nestlé, although not specifically a beverage brand, markets several popular brands of bottled water, including Deer Park and Poland Spring.

Why Choose Bottled Water?

There’s no disagreement among experts that water, in general, is good for the body. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services recommended Americans drink more water in their 2010 dietary guidelines, and according to BottledWater.org (The official website for the International Bottled Water Association):

“Water is the single most abundant substance in the human body, making up to 60 percent of an adult’s weight and up to 80 percent of an infant’s weight.
A person can live several days without food, but just a few days without

water. Like air, water is essential to life.
Because water is so important, health and nutrition experts recommend

drinking at least two liters of water each day. This makes bottled water a

convenient way to help ensure that enough water is consumed at home,

work or wherever a person may be.”

According to Mike Brunett, former VP of Manufacturing for Coca-Cola Refreshments in its largest division in the U.S., “The bottled water category (now largely supplied from municipal sources or private wells) is the only category within the multiple beverage category that competes with a free and at face value, equivalent product for a consumer (e.g. tap water). The fundamental difference that has attracted consumers into the bottled water category and away from tap water boils down to two differences though: taste and convenience. Consumers have voted over the past 20 years using these two differentiators and consequently the bottled water category has grown in per capita consumption in the early 1990s from 9.0 gallons to now a figure north of 30 gallons.” Brunett, who offers consultations as a subject-matter expert through Zintro.com, currently owns Manufacturing Solutions, LLC.

A 2011 report issued by the IBWA says that consumers choose bottled water for taste, convenience and quality. Most Americans who consume bottled water also consume tap water, depending on the circumstances, suggesting that bottled water’s primary appeal may be convenience. Bottled water is considered more portable than tap; while the same convenience can be obtained by filling an empty bottle with tap water, most consumers don’t take the time to complete this added step.

Further, bottled water is a safe alternative when public water sources are compromised due to natural disasters and has been credited with coming to the aid in crisis situations. In developing countries, public water sources are rarely safe, and bottled water is often the only safe supply of drinking water available. U.S. consumers consistently report the belief that bottled water is safer and often have strong loyalties to their favorite brands, much like the enthusiasm for certain brands of carbonated beverages.

Bottled Water vs. Tap: A Healthy Alternative, or Consumer Psychology?

When asked, most consumers will say they choose bottled water for its taste, but in blind taste tests, tap water consistently ranks average or better compared to the top bottled water brands tested. PsychCentral.com discusses results of a number of blind taste tests, all of which have similar results: Consumers can’t tell the difference between bottled water and tap when they’re not identifiable through packaging. Further, hosts of Penn & Teller: Bullshit pulled off an interesting guise by having a water sommelier hand out water menus at an upscale Southern California restaurant. Patrons were willing to pay $7 per bottle for what they thought were fancy brands, oblivious to the fact that each and every premium bottle had been filled with the restaurant’s own tap water from the kitchen.

Results are quite different when consumers can identify what they’re supposed to be drinking. Consistently, tasters will choose bottled brands over tap if they’re not blind to the source. PsychCentral.com attributes this phenomenon to something akin to self-actualization: Consumers think bottled water tasted better, because it’s supposed to taste better.

In the consumer’s eye, bottled water is perceived as a healthy alternative to municipal water sources. Expert analysis has found higher levels of bacteria in some bottled water brands in a direct comparison to tap. However, the IBWA maintains a firm stance that the bottled water industry is heavily regulated and all bottled water must comply with strict state and federal regulations. According to the IBWA, bottled water undergoes a multi-barrier approach to ensure safety and minimize contamination, including one or more of the following:

Source protection
Source monitoring
Reverse osmosis
Distillation
Micro-filtration
Carbon filtration
Ozonation
Ultraviolet (UV) light

A 2010 study undertaken by researchers from Ccrest Laboratories in Canada evaluated microbiologic levels of samples from various supermarket brands of bottled water and found that 70% of the bottled water samples exceeded heterotrophic bacteria recommendations from the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), which suggests levels of less than 500 colony-forming units (cfu) per millimeter in drinking water. A number of the samples tested were found to contain heterotrophic bacteria levels at 100 times the recommended limits.

While some tests indicate that bottled water contains higher levels of bacteria than tap water, most test results show that there is no difference between the two in terms of health or safety. Tap water is, however, held to stricter testing regulations than bottled water. Scientific American reported that while tap water must be tested more than 100 times each month for coliform bacteria, bottled water plants are only required to test for this bacteria once per week.

A mere 30% of bottled water is regulated by the FDA, however, bottled water manufacturers are required to clearly label the bottle with the water source. If the bottle says that the water comes from a municipal source or from a community water system, the water is simply tap water in a bottle. Some brands do put the water through additional purification processes, although some do not.

Despite many brands being purified tap water, bottled water is significantly more expensive than tap. Fine Living.com reports that bottled water was a $22 billion industry in 2007, with Americans spending about $10,000 per minute on what they believe is the best tasting and healthiest water available. Prices range from 79 cents per gallon to more than $6.82 per gallon, which is up to 10,000 times more expensive than tap water.

According to other experts, the relative health or safety of a given brand of bottled water depends on its source and how committed the company is to safety. James B., a Zintro subject-matter expert with more than 15 years in the premium beverages industry (including beer, spirits, wine, water and soft drinks), says, “Bottled water can be completely different from tap water, everything depends on what brand/source we’re talking about! Bottled water can come from a municipal source but there are restrictions. The main difference between two waters is the components like Na+, Mg2+, SO3…and the fact that a specific water can content a low level of minerals.”

But are we wasting our time and energy trying to end the debate of bottled water versus tap in terms of health? Mike Brunett, subject-matter expert for Zintro.com, thinks so: “The matter of tap or bottled water being healthier or safer (although a lightning rod issue for the last two decades) is in many ways, misguided energy. Notwithstanding a ‘boil water order’ issued from a municipality, both public and bottled water are safe alternatives for hydration. The issue at play however is not a matter of food safety but one of taste and portability. It is difficult to take your kitchen sink to the beach. Conversely, a chilled bottle of water in a convenience store point of sale, offers immediate value for healthful hydration to a consumer.”

In essence, any water from a credible source is worth drinking and is a healthier alternative to sugary or carbonated beverages, whether you choose bottled water for convenience or taste preferences, or you prefer to transport municipal water in a reusable water bottle.

Ecological Impact of the Bottled Water Industry

The IBWA reports that the bottled water industry maintains a strong commitment to environmental protection, stating that bottled water waste contributes to about .33 percent of the country’s total waste. The rate of recycling of the PET plastic used in most water bottles is also on the rise, with about 31 percent of PET plastic being recycled. This rate has doubled during the five-year period between 2004 and 2009. In comparison, about seven percent of total plastic waste is recycled.

One area of growing concern to consumers is the use of BPA (bisphenol-A) plastic that is frequently used for products like baby bottles and in other hard, clear plastics meant for reuse. The primary issue surrounding BPA is the possibility that the plastic could leech harmful chemicals into foods and beverages, although this has not been proven conclusively.

The soft, disposable plastics typically used for bottled water don’t usually contain BPA; instead, they’re often made with PET plastics, which don’t pose the same concerns as BPA. Zintro expert Mike Brunett says, “Although the evidence on bisphenol A migration is yet to be conclusive and further studies have had variable results regarding the safety of BPA consumption, the industry has recognized this as a consumer concern. One of the larger players in this category has recently switched plastics material from polycarbonate, (the perceived underlying culprit to BPA) to PET plastic. Time and more studies will be needed and although the science may never be fulfilled here, consumer preference and market movement may be the ultimate forces that change the landscape in this area.”

Beyond BPA, the primary ecological concern surrounding bottled water is landfill waste contribution. Brunett elaborates:

“Unfortunately, there is no greater iconic symbol for unsustainability than an empty bottle of water seen as litter. This is in large part, a double-edged sword the category faces due to its widespread consumer popularity/growth, smaller usage of the larger reusable home and office containers and the fact that in the U.S., recycling has not achieved critical scale yet. Regardless of these dynamics, the larger companies in this category do understand the vital importance of providing sustainable alternatives in their packaging. This is illustrated through:

Reduction of mass in packaging where over the last 10 – 15 years, 50-60% reductions in plastics weight have occurred across the major players (e.g. Pepsi-Cola, Coca-Cola and Nestlé Waters North America).
Support of Extended Producer Responsibilities (EPR) for recycling (Nestlé Waters North America).
Recycled content where the major players have implemented or have committed to immediate to short term recycled content levels anywhere from 10 – 25% in their containers (e.g. Pepsi-Cola, Coca-Cola and Nestlé Waters North America).
The use of bio-based resins from renewable feedstock (i.e. sugar cane and switch grass) exemplified by Coca-Cola’s newest PlantBottle® launch in early 2011 that uses 30% PET from renewable plant feedstock. Pepsi-Cola subsequently announced the launching of a 100% plant feedstock bio-based bottle.

“Given the more recent consumer scrutiny over the sustainable nature of bottled water, the industry has responded in hyper-drive and on multiple fronts to demonstrate their corporate commitments to improve their sustainability and reduce their carbon footprint. These measures have included:

Stated water use ratios in corporate websites that range in the 1.5 – 1.6 liters of total water used for every liter of finished product produced (Nestlé Waters N.A. and Coca-Cola). Pepsi-Cola reported a 19.5% reduction in water use intensity against 2006.
Reduction in carbon footprints (i.e. Coca-Cola Enterprises has committed to “Reduce the overall carbon footprint of our business operations by 15 percent by 2020, as compared to our 2007 baseline” from its 2009 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CRS) report). Pepsi-Cola has also committed to a 25% reduction in greenhouse gases (GHG) in U.S. operations in their 2010 annual report and Nestlé Waters North America reports a 12% overall reduction in GHG from 2006 through 2009 from their website.
Significant reduction in mass of primary and secondary packaging materials coupled with furthered movement into higher levels of recycled content in PET (rPET).”

Raghavendran Badrinath, subject-matter expert at Zintro.com and Director and Owner at Vincent, a Real Estate and Food and Beverage research and consulting firm founded in 1994, notes that the ecological responsibility technically falls into the hands of the consumer. While manufacturers can make efforts to produce packaging that is environmentally-friendly in terms of using recycled materials, it’s ultimately up to the consumer how he or she disposes of an empty water bottle.

Enhanced Beverages: Super Water?

If standard bottled water is a safe and convenient alternative to municipal tap sources, what about the vitamin-enhanced “super” waters we now see populating the shelves of grocery stores across the country? Are these vitamin-enhanced waters better for the body or the brain than plain bottled or tap water?

Again, the answer lies in consumer choice: These enhanced beverages often offer value-added vitamins and minerals, although not such that cannot be obtained through another source, such as healthful foods. That said, critics have attacked the enhanced-beverage industry with research demonstrating the sugar content of these beverages is often akin to their less-healthy counterparts: Carbonated soft drinks.

Consumers, whether the result of advertising or personal choice, sway a different direction, demonstrating a strong preference for plain water’s flavored counterparts.

Further complicating matters is, of course, the individual brand. Zintro.com expert Mike Brunett says, “Glacéau’s smartwater® has no sweeteners – it is a vapor distilled water product with a special formula of minerals added to the base water. Glacéau’s vitaminwater® on the other hand is sweetened with crystalized fructose and sucrose while the zero calorie ‘vitaminwater® ZERO’ has no artificial sweeteners, but is instead sweetened with Truvia and fructose, a natural fruit sugar. The amount of fructose used does not hit the radar though to even register one gram of sugar on the nutrition facts label.”

Andrew Phillips, subject-matter expert for Zintro.com with more than 15 years experience as a GM and Vice President in the value-added food business, says of the difference between enhanced waters and carbonated soft drinks, “There is usually a significant reduction in the sugar content and type of sweetener (HFCS versus pure), and yes, reduced sodium, the addition of nutraceuticals for whatever product position is desired, will always trump [carbonated soft drinks].”

In comparison to sports drinks, such as Gatorade©, Phillips says, “Usually a sports drink is heavy in sodium and potassium, and pretty much belly-wash (cheap to make). The ingredients in a vitamin-enhanced beverage are usually more expensive, since you are loading up the blenders, losing a lot in processing and the retention of the formula over shelf life due to the packaging medium.”

Peter Leighton, Zintro.com subject-matter expert, notes, “One segment of the functional beverage category is vitamin-enhanced and zero-calorie beverages. Developing these products requires substantial expertise in terms of formulation, nutritional science, regulatory review, manufacturing and marketing [and] distribution. As companies look to deliver healthier products, and products which provide greater functional benefits, the market has proliferated with these types of beverages. In fact, much of the beverage industry growth is driven by these products. Yet a vitamin-water or zero-calorie beverage may not be much healthier than a carbonated soft drink. The use of certain sweeteners, artificial ingredients and other active constituents can negatively affect the profile of the product. However, consumers usually perceive these products to have an added health benefit. The ability to deliver clinically proven health benefits is often harder to do in reality, and in many cases the addition of bioactive compounds requires significant research, formulation work and often a specific regulatory designation (which brings additional legal requirements).”

Top Ways To Market Your New Product Line

By Chris A. Harmen

Consistently winning market share in any industry means constantly staying ahead of the competition with both product and service offerings. Today’s industry giants can quickly become yesterday’s news if they fail to stay cutting-edge and relevant with their targeted audience. Product and service complacency can prove a quick route to becoming out of touch and obsolete.

Creating New Offerings Is Only Part Of The Equation For Success

Of course, updating your business’ service capabilities and product lines is only part of the overall equation for success; in order to truly best leverage a new offering, business owners in every industry must also successfully unveil and market their wares as well. Sound easy enough? Yes and no; oftentimes, the promotional strategies surrounding new items prove more challenging then actually developing new offerings. Many business owners focus on only one promotional resource to broadcast their capabilities to the consuming masses and miss out on extensive components of their targeted audience. The best way to execute a full and all-encompassing promotional campaign is by tapping into a diverse range of marketing resources available.

Trade Show Displays And Other Useful Marketing Resources

If you’re looking to create a cohesive marketing plan for your business’ new line of products or additional service capabilities, read on. Understanding some of the most potent promotional resources available can help ensure that you strategize an effective approach that helps your business successfully reach a targeted demographic. When creating your campaign, consider implementing:

Trade Show Displays: Trade show displays offer an ideal opportunity for business owners to have live, face-to-face encounters with a large venue of participants, making them a perfect resource for organizations looking to unveil their latest and greatest offerings. Before an event, be sure to work with a professional design partner to update your trade show displays with recent merchandise graphics, images and slogans to grab the attention of the attending crowd. Additionally, always bring free samples and conduct live demonstrations within your trade show displays to give passersby an up-close and personal look at what your latest innovation has to offer.

Social Media Marketing: Social media marketing has proven itself an invaluable resource for businesses in every vertical and with good reason; connecting with consumers through their personal network pages helps prospective clients feel a deeper connection with organizations, making them more likely to purchase from companies they perceive as “friends.” Using this powerful promotional resource is a great way to announce new services and products. Not only should your business use its social media pages once your offerings are available, but you should also strategize “sneak peek” announcements well before the merchandise is available to help create buzz and interest well in advance.

Online Marketing Campaigns: Social media pages aren’t the only online marketing resources to consider. Many savvy organizations create entire SEO campaigns based solely around a new product line or service. Blogging, creating optimized press releases and even updating information on your website are just some of the ways your organization can tap into the many marketing results of online promotion and ensure that your targeted audience is clamoring to see your latest innovations.

Skyline Cleveland designs and distributes industry-leading trade show displays in Cleveland to help clients stop convention traffic in its tracks. When you’re ready to command venue attention, Skyline Cleveland is ready to help. Visit Skyline’s website today to get more information on designing your customized exhibit!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_A._Harmen
http://EzineArticles.com/?Top-Ways-To-Market-Your-New-Product-Line&id=7688630

Marketing Bottled Water For Success

By Cheryl Rivera

Weak economies are causing consumers to tighten up on luxury spending. Families are reconsidering what is and is not essential regarding purchases that meet basic needs, but also provide some comfort at the level they are accustomed to living. Some items being considered, and reconsidered, are those that meet a basic requirement but also raise the standard of living. Food is necessary, but eating out nightly is not. Shelter is necessary, but a family of 3 living in a 4,000 square foot home is probably not. Water is necessary, but purchasing bottled water is not. As consumers consider their options for acquiring water, from the tap, bottled, delivered, filtered, and other options such as vitamin enriched and flavored, the future of the bottled water industry may be on treacherous ground. Considering the improvements made to reduce the negative impact bottles make on the environment, and the vitamin-enriched and flavored options, the bottled water industry will likely be productive for the next five years.

One of the biggest hurdles that bottled water companies need to overcome is the physical impact their bottles make on the environment. Even the most environmentally unaware consumer has reason to wonder how long the bottles sit in landfills. An abundance of commercials on behalf of the major competitors for bottled water, being city purified tap water, faucter filters and filter pitchers such as the Brita water filters, has informed most consumers that the bottles their water comes in stays in landfills for decades. In a world focused on a depleted ozone layer, global warming, and increasing natural disasters, environmental concerns take the forefront in many decisions.

Marketers for bottled water companies can easily target the availability of recycling of their bottles. Additionally, alternatives to the plastic bottle can be considered, including glass bottles, or bottles manufactured from recycled materials, in an effort to appease the environmentally conscious. In fact, it has been shown that water requires little industrial intervention before bottling, unlike sodas which involve a combination of various chemicals and resulting in by-product emissions. Therefore, when compared to other prepared and packaged beverages, bottled water has the lightest environment impact, second to tap water which involves no bottling function. (PR Newswire, 2010, 1)

In fact, sports drinks and sodas “produce nearly 50% more carbon dioxide emissions per serving than bottled water” and “juice, beer, and milk produce nearly three times as many carbon dioxide emissions per serving as bottled water.” (PR Newswire, 2010, 4) Marketing for bottled water over the next five years should not only focus on these findings, but also offer recycling options through water bottlers so they can take a proactive approach to utilizing recycled materials in their product. This will enhance bottled water as an environmentally sound option for those who enjoy the convenience of the packaging over hauling around a filtration system.

In organizational markets, bottled water faces other hurdles as restaurants make their own attempts to offer environmentally friendly options. Some restaurants are publicizing that they will no longer serve bottled water to reduce the waste their restaurant sends to landfills. (Levin, 2009). Of course that results in offering their guests tap water, and expecting them to pay for it, albeit at reduced prices from the bottled option. Some have chosen to spread the cost of filters over their other offerings so they do not charge specifically for the tap water. Others have added their own flavorings to give it more value. (Levin, 2009) In the end though, customers are still aware that they are drinking the same water in the restaurant that they get out of their faucet at home, but being charged for it. Bottled water marketers may struggle if this practice catches on and spreads, however it appears to be in trial stages for now. As the bottle water companies increase recycling options or use more biodegradable containers for their products, this small hurdle in organizational markets could easily be overcome.

Even in a struggling economy, consumers like their flavored drinks. In an increasingly athletic and health-conscious society, water is gaining an edge by offering the vitamin-enriched and flavored options. After a trip to the gym, consumers are opting for this healthier option over sports drinks that are filled with sugar and chemicals. (Scott, 2009, 10) Even for the consumer who opts for filtered tap water, even the most advanced filtration systems do not yet offer the benefits of added electrolytes and vitamins that are depleted during a vigorous workout. Bottled water has the advantage in this area and sales are growing for this segment of the market in particular. (Scott, 2009, 13) Marketers can capitalize on this advantage and continue to offer options and benefits that the filtration systems do not currently have, including adding fluoride supplements. By the time filtration systems come out with packets of powder mixtures to add the vitamins, the bottled water companies can maximize their advantage and strengthen their position in the industry for another five years.

The bottled water industry must overcome several obstacles to continue to grow in the current weakened economy. With continued success in reducing the bottle-waste in landfills by utilizing recycling options and creating containers from biodegradable materials, one of the largest obstacles can be overcome. The convenience and transportability of water bottles, particularly in crisis and global emergency situations when water is scarce or filtration simply will not do the job, (Gross, 2008) will continue to be a wealth of viable material for marketers to promote their products. Vitamin enhancements and flavored water offer alternatives to sports drinks and support healthy lifestyles. These factors are also great promotions for the bottled water industry. By addressing the environmental impact and the negative public image the plastic bottles currently have, marketers for the bottled water companies should have an easy time of sustaining current growth of their companies and possibly seeing enhancement within the next five years as technological advancement give rise to more options that keep consumers and their planet safe, chemical-free, and purely watered.

Article by: Cheryl H. Rivera

REFERENCES

Anonymous. (February 2010). Bottled Water Shown to have lightest Environmental footprint among packaged drinks; New study finds; Nestle Waters North America Releases first Comprehensive, peer-reviewed scientific evaluation to examine carbon footprints of packaged beverages. PR Newswire. Retrieved 2/12/2010 from Proquest database.

Gross, Z (2008) Water Issues Loom Large. The Brandon Sun, December 14, 2008.. Retrieved 2/12/2010 from Proquest database.

Levin, A. (Oct 2009). Water Ways. Restaurants & Institutions, 119 (10) p33. Retrieved 2/12/2010 from Proquest database.

Scott, S (Oct 2009). Spending declines drag down bottled water. Beverage Industry, 100 (10) p 14-18. Retrieved 2/12/2010 from Proquest database.

http://www.brita.com Brita Water Filtration System

CHERYL H. RIVERA, author and owner of website http://www.RestaurantReferral.com has worked extensively in the private sector. I have over a decade of service to the federal government, lived in Bolivia for 3 years, and traveled through parts of South America and much of North America.

E-Cigs: Growing in Popularity

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E-cigarettes: Could they change the tobacco industry forever? After losing market share, Big Tobacco is going into the e-cig business

By Carmel Lobello | April 26, 2013

Sales in cigarettes dropped 6.2 percent in the first quarter of 2012 — a jump from the 3 percent to 4 percent declines they’ve seen in recent years. Meanwhile, sales of e-cigarettes — those battery-powered tubes you see people puffing indoors — have doubled. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2011, 21 percent of smokers had tried e-cigs, up from 10 percent in 2010. And after making $500 million last year, retail sales of e-cigs are expected to balloon to $1 billion in 2013, says the Wall Street Journal.

- Carmel Lobello is the business editor at TheWeek.com.

Future Looks Bright for Packaged Sweet Snacks

By: Dara Chadwick January/February 2011

Route Type City, State Price Financing Net Income Status
Mission Foods Charlotte, NC $69,000 ? $64,324 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Havelock, NC $149,000 $99,000 $60,808 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Clinton, OK $15,000 $10,000 $21,216 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Lawton, OK $15,000 $10,000 $29,120 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Pauls Valley, OK $23,000 $18,000 $39,520 Active
Snyder’s – Lance East Lawton, OK $55,000 $50,000 $33,800 Active
Snyder’s – Lance The Villages, FL $120,000 $61,000 $60,233 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Tampa, FL $155,000 $94,000 $65,553 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Jupiter, FL $199,000 $115,000 $65,473 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Lehighton, PA $192,000 $119,000 $67,788 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Columbus, OH $99,000 $60,000 $47,632 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Crown Point, IN $139,000 $86,000 $65,575 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Beaumont, TX $75,000 $35,000 $42,276 Active
Snyder’s – Lance Corpus Christ, TX $139,000 $103,000 $87,754 Active
Coffee – Cookie – Ice Cream Routes For Sale!

Route Type City, State Price Financing Net Income Status Route Details
Pepperidge Farm Cookies Tampa, FL $339,000 $275,000 $77,293 Active
Vending Machine Routes For Sale!

Route Type City, State Price Financing Net Income Status
Soda & Snack Vending Wilmington, NC $25,000 ? $10,430 Active
FedEx Routes For Sale!

Route Type City, State Price Financing Net Income Status
FedEx Ground (LX/PD) Milwaukee, WI $149,000 ? 92,042 Active
FedEx Ground Key Largo, FL $529,000 ? $168,201 Active
FedEx Ground Pinellas County, FL $700,000 ? $195,326 Active
FedEx Home Delivery Little Rock, AR $329,000 ? $93,775 Active

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