[vendtalk] SODA MACHINES (John Gordon)

Tue Oct 16 14:16:25 UTC 2012

I am jumping into this in the middle, I understand. However I could tell you how 
we approach many of these issues here in Illinois. Our managers are given the 
choice on whether or not they would like to use equipment provided by the 
bottlers or request beverage machines through the State Licensing Agency. We do 
this so that we are not subjected to outlandish prices and regulations set forth 
by the bottlers. 

Many of the soft drink companies reap the benefits from our own disorganization 
and being such a fragmented group. For many years there have been two consumer 
organizations that represent Randolph Sheppard managers across the country 
however I believe the current goal and trend that we are seeing is to merge both 
organizations under the NFB/National Association of Blind Merchants (NABM) 
umbrella. 

We are already seeing tremendous benefits to this as some of the larger and more 
active Randolph Sheppard states like Oklahoma and Illinois have recently 
switched their allegiance to NABM. In fact as of January 1, 2012 RSVA no longer 
has a contract with Pepsi and many of the managers across the country have moved 
there purchasing over into AmeriSource and are receiving quarterly rebates based 
on their own purchases with checks delivered direct to the manager each quarter.

I do agree with Mr. Worley in that now that we are seeing more managers across 
the country moving under one umbrella we will force the bottlers to recognize us 
in a very strong way. Perhaps under your own leadership you might look at 
starting up a NABM affiliate in Florida and then sit back and watch great things 
happen as they can assist you with ongoing training, advocacy, along with the 
expertise of Mr. Terry Smith who now heads up the Blind Entrepreneurial 
Initiative (BEI).

Those are some of my thoughts and feel free to reach out in any way.
 Thank you, 
John Gordon
Chairman; Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors
53 W. Jackson Blvd. Suite 502
Chicago, IL 60604
(312)663-3007

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Today's Topics:

  1. Re: SODA MACHINES (Dennis Horn)
  2. Re: SODA MACHINES (Rhonda Hutson)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2012 17:30:17 -0400
From: "Dennis Horn" <dhorn12 at cfl.rr.com>
To: "'Vendor Talk Mailing List'" <vendtalk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [vendtalk] SODA MACHINES
Message-ID: <65.2D.11677.3BE2B705 at cdptpa-omtalb.mail.rr.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="us-ascii"

The blind vendors in Florida, when they were under the control of
Tallahassee, were perceived by Coke & Pepsi as a single buying unit.  We
received prices in line with being one of the largest wholesales soda
purchases in the sate.  Since we became independent contractors, Coke has
been able to exploit the fact we are all small vendors.  They are
automatically raising prices at least 3% /year regardless of their cost
increases.  We threatened, they called our bluff, and they won.  Because of
this our prices will soon be in line with small third party vendors
throughout the state.  The vendors have become a paper tiger when it comes
to any meaningful negotiations with Coke and Pepsi, which follows Coke.    

The reason for my first message is to find if any states buy their own soda
machines in order to enable vendors to legitimately buy from other sources.
I would appreciate any information or opinion regarding this alternative.  

National contracts are done by both Coke and Pepsi.  The RSVA is working
with Pepsi for rebates, so the door is open there.  Coke just granted a
national buying contract to a friend of mine in Florida who buys 10% of what
the vendors do.  He is only in Florida and we are in all the states.  

Independence is great but, unless a means of addressing our wholesale price
vulnerability is found, it may make the program less enticing to operators.
Right now I hear complaints from vendors not making enough money.  But they
will not participate in any concerted effort to bargain with any wholesaler.
They are independent, which I applaud.  Sometimes, however, I think they are
cutting their nose off despite their face.

I brought up a national contract years ago and was told it was in the
process and would soon be done.  Nothing ever materialized.  

I know this will be difficult.  I have grown my own business outside of the
program in order to partake, in a meaningful way, rebates and those
discounts achieved with greater purchases.  I don't have an answer.  But, in
my mind, the only means of making this program what it has the potential to
be, is pursuing national contracts.

Dennis Horn

-----Original Message-----
From: vendtalk [mailto:vendtalk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of mazher
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2012 9:30 AM
To: 'Vendor Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [vendtalk] SODA MACHINES

Whatever has gone before is water under the bridge.  I think we all have a
shared interest in putting our collective buying power to work.  The trick
of course is to come up with an end result that has some real tangible
benefit for the individual vendor.  Far too often in the past, the benefits
of partnership have been too elusive and indirect.  This looks like a doable
and worthwhile initiative.  Let's give it a collective push to see what we
can score.  If I can lend a hand, please contact me at the email address
below.

Mazher at comcast.net
Phone: (202) 415-9450.
Chair, Policy Sub Committee
DC Randolph Sheppard Vending Facility Program

-----Original Message-----
From: vendtalk [mailto:vendtalk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kevan
Worley
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2012 5:43 PM
To: Vendor Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [vendtalk] SODA MACHINES

There are plenty of long winded reasons why it hasn't been done. However, I
believe there are exciting things to come in this area. Nicky Gacos,
President, NABM, is working at a high level with Coke and Pepsi, as well as
some other possible partners to create a national buying program. It is
heavy lifting, but if anyone can do it he can. Many states have worked with
both Pepsi and Coke to get a pretty low, competitive wholesale price. Most
states, I think, get their machines directly from the soft drink companies,
but some also buy some of those machines. If you'd like to work with our
leadership team on this effort, let's do it. I hope that's a short winded
response. I wish it was a better one.

Kevan Worley
Executive Director
National Association of Blind Merchants
kevanworley at blindmerchants.org 
866-543-6808

Buy your amazing Vacation Travel Raffle tickets now!
http://www.nfbco.org/vacation-travel-raffle 

-----Original Message-----
From: vendtalk [mailto:vendtalk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dennis Horn
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 10:04 PM
To: 'Vendor Talk Mailing List'
Subject: [vendtalk] SODA MACHINES

Are there any states that buy their own soda/pop/beverage machines?    In
Florida we are all third party vendors which puts us at a decided
disadvantage when it comes to bargaining.  
Also, what about a national contract with Coke/Pepsi/Dr pepper Snapple 7 Up?
Any ideas?
Please no long winded reasons why it can't be done.

Thanks,

Dennis Horn

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------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2012 17:01:11 -0500
From: "Rhonda Hutson" <rhondahutson3 at gmail.com>
To: "Vendor Talk Mailing List" <vendtalk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [vendtalk] SODA MACHINES
Message-ID: <88E0766D9E044B8FAA6F85CEDE952C9D at RhondaHP>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
    reply-type=original

Oklahoma has a majority of their state owned machines but we do have some 
pepsi and coke machines where our agency could not afford to get them for 
us.

Rhonda Hutson
918-962-5445 Home
918-774-3213 Cell
rhondahutson3 at gmail.com
Order Corinthia Falls by Kim Hutson!
www.kimhutson.com/
-----Original Message----- 
From: Dennis Horn
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2012 4:30 PM
To: 'Vendor Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [vendtalk] SODA MACHINES

The blind vendors in Florida, when they were under the control of
Tallahassee, were perceived by Coke & Pepsi as a single buying unit.  We
received prices in line with being one of the largest wholesales soda
purchases in the sate.  Since we became independent contractors, Coke has
been able to exploit the fact we are all small vendors.  They are
automatically raising prices at least 3% /year regardless of their cost
increases.  We threatened, they called our bluff, and they won.  Because of
this our prices will soon be in line with small third party vendors
throughout the state.  The vendors have become a paper tiger when it comes
to any meaningful negotiations with Coke and Pepsi, which follows Coke.

The reason for my first message is to find if any states buy their own soda
machines in order to enable vendors to legitimately buy from other sources.
I would appreciate any information or opinion regarding this alternative.

National contracts are done by both Coke and Pepsi.  The RSVA is working
with Pepsi for rebates, so the door is open there.  Coke just granted a
national buying contract to a friend of mine in Florida who buys 10% of what
the vendors do.  He is only in Florida and we are in all the states.

Independence is great but, unless a means of addressing our wholesale price
vulnerability is found, it may make the program less enticing to operators.
Right now I hear complaints from vendors not making enough money.  But they
will not participate in any concerted effort to bargain with any wholesaler.
They are independent, which I applaud.  Sometimes, however, I think they are
cutting their nose off despite their face.

I brought up a national contract years ago and was told it was in the
process and would soon be done.  Nothing ever materialized.

I know this will be difficult.  I have grown my own business outside of the
program in order to partake, in a meaningful way, rebates and those
discounts achieved with greater purchases.  I don't have an answer.  But, in
my mind, the only means of making this program what it has the potential to
be, is pursuing national contracts.

Dennis Horn

-----Original Message-----
From: vendtalk [mailto:vendtalk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of mazher
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2012 9:30 AM
To: 'Vendor Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [vendtalk] SODA MACHINES

Whatever has gone before is water under the bridge.  I think we all have a
shared interest in putting our collective buying power to work.  The trick
of course is to come up with an end result that has some real tangible
benefit for the individual vendor.  Far too often in the past, the benefits
of partnership have been too elusive and indirect.  This looks like a doable
and worthwhile initiative.  Let's give it a collective push to see what we
can score.  If I can lend a hand, please contact me at the email address
below.

Mazher at comcast.net
Phone: (202) 415-9450.
Chair, Policy Sub Committee
DC Randolph Sheppard Vending Facility Program

-----Original Message-----
From: vendtalk [mailto:vendtalk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kevan
Worley
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2012 5:43 PM
To: Vendor Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [vendtalk] SODA MACHINES

There are plenty of long winded reasons why it hasn't been done. However, I
believe there are exciting things to come in this area. Nicky Gacos,
President, NABM, is working at a high level with Coke and Pepsi, as well as
some other possible partners to create a national buying program. It is
heavy lifting, but if anyone can do it he can. Many states have worked with
both Pepsi and Coke to get a pretty low, competitive wholesale price. Most
states, I think, get their machines directly from the soft drink companies,
but some also buy some of those machines. If you'd like to work with our
leadership team on this effort, let's do it. I hope that's a short winded
response. I wish it was a better one.

Kevan Worley
Executive Director
National Association of Blind Merchants
kevanworley at blindmerchants.org
866-543-6808

Buy your amazing Vacation Travel Raffle tickets now!
http://www.nfbco.org/vacation-travel-raffle

-----Original Message-----
From: vendtalk [mailto:vendtalk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dennis Horn
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 10:04 PM
To: 'Vendor Talk Mailing List'
Subject: [vendtalk] SODA MACHINES

Are there any states that buy their own soda/pop/beverage machines?    In
Florida we are all third party vendors which puts us at a decided
disadvantage when it comes to bargaining.
Also, what about a national contract with Coke/Pepsi/Dr pepper Snapple 7 Up?
Any ideas?
Please no long winded reasons why it can't be done.

Thanks,

Dennis Horn

_______________________________________________
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To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
vendtalk:
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chants.org

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