Ohio Grocery Bakeries Battle It Out Over … Killer Brownies |  |
- Ohio Grocery Bakeries Battle It Out Over … Killer Brownies
- Apple Mac Pro Delivery Could Take Months
- 3 Key Business Marketing Trends for 2014
| Ohio Grocery Bakeries Battle It Out Over … Killer Brownies Posted: 24 Dec 2013 12:30 PM PST
Well, it wasn’t much of a battle really. In fact, as it turned out, the whole thing was handled quite amicably. And that’s what impressed us about this story. It’s about business owners getting together and resolving an issue quickly and professionally – before it got out of hand. So let us tell you the story of how three independent grocery store chains settled a dispute over a beloved confection — “Killer Brownies.” Killer Brownies, pictured above, are a gooey confection that includes caramel and nuts in the brownies. The story starts years ago. Rick Vernon and Larry Uhl, co-owners of West Point Market in Akron, Ohio, had been selling the succulent treats exclusively in Northeast Ohio for years. Baked fresh in their upscale grocery’s bakery, the brownies were made from a special recipe passed down by Vernon’s dad Russ. He’s the former owner of the market and is now in retirement. The elder Vernon had actually gotten the recipe from yet another independent grocery store owner, Larry Ehlers of Larry's Market in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. Ehlers, who reportedly had adapted the recipe from a Betty Crocker cake mix box, was a friend of Vernon’s and gave permission to use the recipe. (At this point Larry’s Market steps out of the picture.) Back in Northeast Ohio, Killer Brownies became associated with the West Point Market over the years — so much so that the market’s loyalty program is actually called “Brownie Points.” Because of the iconic brownies’ close connection with their store, the owners of West Point were surprised when a competitor, Buehler's Fresh Foods stores, started selling the same brownies — under the same name — in local stores. Buehler’s, which is based closer to central Ohio, also has stores in Northeast Ohio within local shopping distance of West Point Market. Bakery Spat Over Killer Brownies?How did this dispute happen? Well, it wasn’t a matter of corporate espionage like you hear about in the big business world. In fact, it just boiled down to a simple misunderstanding — and a licensing arrangement that included exclusive geographical rights. You see, years ago Russ Vernon of West Point Market had provided the rights to the recipe to his friends, the Mayne family, with the understanding that they NOT market them in Northeast Ohio. The Maynes own and operate the Dorothy Lane Markets of Dayton, which is about 200 miles away in southwestern Ohio. Are you still with me? Let me recap the geography for you. The recipe started on the back of a cake mix box. It was adapted in Wisconsin by one grocery store owner. Then it was shared to another in Akron, Ohio. From there the recipe made its way to Dayton in southwestern Ohio — all except for the rights to market the brownies in Northeast Ohio, those being retained by the Akron store. Now that you have the geography down, let’s get back to our story. Down in Dayton, the Maynes got a bright idea. Why not license the brownies nationally and potentially serve an even larger customer base? And that’s how Killer Brownies eventually made their way back up through central Ohio to some stores in Northeast Ohio. Unfortunately, through an oversight, Dorothy Lane Markets entered into a licensing arrangement with Buehler’s without realizing that some of its stores were also located in an area competitive to West Point Market. That meant that Killer Brownies were now being sold competitively against West Point Market, in its exclusive Northeast Ohio territory. Norman Mayne, CEO of Dorothy Lane Markets, told the Akron Beacon Journal, ”We made a terrible, terrible mistake and it's 100 percent my fault.” While the resulting mess-up might have resulted in an ugly legal battle if unreasonable minds had been involved, it was settled simply enough by these small and midsize business owners. Buehler’s has been cooperative about it, despite the effort and expense of licensing and marketing the brownies for a short time. "It was an honest mistake. Because of that, we will not be selling the Killer Brownies," Bob Buehler told the Akron Beacon Journal. Buehler’s Fresh Foods decided to pull the product from their stores, website and Facebook page. But they are considering perhaps altering the recipe and offering the brownies later under a different name. However, dispute solved — all before Christmas. One business lesson remains: geographic licensing rights can be a tricky thing. This Recipe’s a KillerFinally, if you won’t be in Dayton or Akron any time soon, here’s the recipe for Killer Brownies for you to try at home:
This is the West Point Market recipe as published in the Akron Beacon Journal. You can get the mixing and baking instructions here. (We won’t give you the calorie count as it would probably spoil your enjoyment.) Enjoy, and Happy Holidays! Image: Killer Brownies from West Point Market website The post Ohio Grocery Bakeries Battle It Out Over … Killer Brownies appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Apple Mac Pro Delivery Could Take Months Posted: 24 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST
With it’s high price tag and touted high-powered features, the new Mac Pro isn’t for every business user. But reports now indicate those who have ordered the desktop or plan to will probably wait months to receive it. Speculations on the reasons include the fact that the Mac Pro is the first Apple product to be assembled in the U.S. in a decade, which may have caused some delay. The highly anticipated cylindrically-shaped Apple desktop starting at $2,999 was previewed as early as October. Mac Pro Delay May Stretch to MarchThe Apple Store now gives February as the earliest shipping time for the computers, which went on sale recently on the website. But some customers have received shipping quotes as far away as March, reports 9to5 Mac. The tech site also says most Apple retail stores are only taking orders for the computer at this point. Speculation is that customers paying $500 per year for a Joint Venture membership entitling them to special perks at the retail locations may be responsible. These customers may have already snatched up most of initial allocations for the brick and mortar stores. New Apple Desktop Could be Worth the WaitOf course, if all of Apple’s claims and those of early reviewers are true, the desktop could be worth the wait. At least that’s true for the special niche of professional business users at which the new computer is targeted. An official announcement on the Apple website, says the computer possesses:
Earlier this year in an official release announcing the new Apple Pro, Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing Philip Schiller explained:
What’s the overall conclusion? Some customers may certainly be annoyed by the delay. But for Apple’s core customer base, including the niche user for which this device was created, a shortage of product will only strengthen the demand. Image: Apple Inc. The post Apple Mac Pro Delivery Could Take Months appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| 3 Key Business Marketing Trends for 2014 Posted: 24 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST
What business trends are on the foreseeable horizon heading into the new year? Let’s jump in and explore what I feel are the top three listed below. 2014 Business Marketing Trends#3 Social MediaA couple years ago this was #1. For a variety of reasons, however, the shine of social media has lost a bit of its luster. This past year both Forbes and USAToday reported how social media isn't working for small businesses in pieces titled, "Why Small Businesses Are Losing On Social Media" and "Study: Social Media a Bust for Small Businesses." Both were in response to a 2013 survey released from Manta research revealing that over 60% of small businesses reported they don't see any ROI (return on investment) on their social-media activities. That's a big number and a strong indication that while many may have been partying with social media these past couple years, a lot of those folks are now feeling a hangover. It's seems that the people making the most measurable money on social media are the folks charging you to tell you how to do it. That said, social media certainly isn't going away and it will continue to be an important element of a business marketing plan. In 2014, it just won't have the lure it's had in past few years. #2 MobileWhile everyone has a cell phone, not everyone has a smart phone. And, certainly, not everyone has a tablet. But in 2014 more people will have both. Which is why more businesses will be conforming to a mobile market in 2014. It's also the reason web designers are experiencing their biggest spike in business since 1997. It's called responsive web design which means that the site design will look as good on a mobile device as it does on a desktop or laptop. At this point, most don't. In 2014, they'd better. Also, more and more business is being done remotely and virtually requiring more and better mobile devices. Lastly, mobile towers are expanding and networks are getting better and faster every day. 1# Online VideoYou'd think that something that's been around forever would be fading away. The opposite has happened with video. There are multiple reasons for this, The continuing serge in video-friendly mobile devises, the fact the Google has made video much more search friendly, and the simple fact that video is the most engaging of all media. The explosion of Web video has spawned new monikers like "Explainer video." That term didn't even exist a couple years ago and it's now one of the fastest growing searches on Google. You've heard the saying, "You can never be too thin or too rich." For 2014, add, "or have too much video." Trends Photo via Shutterstock The post 3 Key Business Marketing Trends for 2014 appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
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