Quote:
Originally Posted by bigbottom
Greg for a man that has so much to say, it seem you spend very little time in the field selling. Yes, we launched an energy drink, from start to finish, it took 6 months, trademark formula to production of the first 1600 cases, we only spent 25k and it is on an alternative market, online, vending and private label. Only 120 mg of caffeine for a 12 oz package. The fact is this Greg if you are not Red bull, Monster, Coke, Pepsi or Cadbury which are throwing Hugh dollars to conquer and divide the shelf you are just another sucker company paying to play in the up and down the street convenience and grocery trade. Any one can give it away the real deal is getting a store to pay for it!!!! I am not trying to be a domes day speculator, but the facts are obvious, to me that is on the street everyday talking the talk and walking the walk, not glued to the board speculating on the trends. The information I deliver here is direct from the retailers, direct from the distributors I sub with and work with. Yes the margins are great, but the exposure to taking on a pallet of energy that will sit and cost 3000.00 and then going into an account that tells you it does not sell, and if you don't take it back, swap it out or relive them of the lost financial burden will not buy your items that do sell.
Do yourself a favor and get Google news on energy drinks, you will see first hand across the country and across the board there is a rumbling to the negative effects of this categories excessiveness in becoming the next great thing. Time will show you that what I say is factual, and it is not merely my words it is the words and print I have reiterated to this board from the news wires and hundreds of papers that are spewing the negative news.
I think I saw you have something to do with redline, they are scared for their proverbial lives, they are ready and willing to throw minuscule money at a school were three kids took ill  if and when one drops dead it's over and it will only be a matter of time, cause speed kills, to much of a good thing is just that too much. 25k is that what a child's life is worth? you tell me Greg is it? |
Nice rebuttal, however, I must take exception to the fact that it is accurate.
First off, I am past the point of being in the street selling my drink. With that being said I applaud the frontline guys that do. That is where I got my start.
2nd, With only 120mgs of caffeine I hope you really made your drink different than all the rest. What type of innovation did you put into it? What have you offered the customer that they are willing to "try" your drink over their regular choice? What type of price point do you have? Have you successfully hit your targeted demographics? Did you use the right message to get the attention of your target audience?
3rd- You have already set yourself up for failure if you have the notion you can't be successful going up against the big guys. Sure they have tons of cash for marketing, but you have the ability to make quick decisions and act on them without having to form a committee to set an appointment to have a meeting about what to change in your ingredient profile or marketing approach.
4th- YES, You were being a doomsday speculator. Like I said, perhaps you need to take a new approach. Sure ED sales are not 75%, 50% over last year. There has to be a leveling out sometime, however, sales growth is still in the doublke digits......Please tell me when soda last experienced double digit growth.
5th-Are you telling me that a $3k pallet to a distributor is out of line? Surely a distributor has at least 98-140( depenind on pallet size qauntity and weight) accounts he can sell one case to.
6th- I have read several stories about energy drink abuse and not being used as directed. You can bring up that lame a$$ excuse about kids drinking it, however, Redline specifically calls for noone under the age of 18 to use its products as well as only drinking half a can to assess tolerance. Are you telling me that every kid out there obeys the rules? I will sit here and tell you when I was 15 I could get beer, liqour, weed, just about anything I wanted. The news stories are sensationalized for you so that you will buy their newspaper or watch their program. Of course I understand the sensitive nature of too much caffeine in the hands of children, look around this board and you will see where I over and over talk about the issue of kids and energy drinks.
Lastly- You are correct, you did read where I had somehting to do with Redline, however, the relationship is over. Yet, this does not mean that I do not agree with Mr. Owoc's and his decision to make a donation to the Broward county School district after 3 kids fell ill after drinkng a redline.( Thier story is suspect to begin with, 3 kids taking a sip or two of a redline would garner them each less caffeine than what is in a Pepsi!) Mr. Owoc and Redline have always taken the high road and let all its consumers know of the potency of the product as well as its recommeded age restrictions.
Your last question is redundant and therefore I will not even address it. It is assinine.