OK, I will just lay it all out for everyone...

I operate a new business in MN (Rochester area) selling ice cream products. I have a huge desire to sell cream soda, root beer, and perhaps orange soda, but I would prefer not to sell A&W and Sunkist, if I can help it. (Nothing against them, I just want to differentiate myself.)

Right now I am looking at selling Dad's Root Beer, Orange Crush, and no cream soda as of yet. I am not married to (nor have I bought) any of the aforementioned brands.

I obviously have no clue about the business. If I could even be referred to a post that could help me with that, it would be great.

Otherwise, the products I am interested in (so far) are:

Millstream Root Beer and Cream Soda
Point Premium Root Beer (Stevens Point, WI)
Shasta Creme Soda (probably nostalgia, but I'm interested nonetheless).
Dad's Cream Soda.
Spring Grove Cream Soda and Root Beer.
Hires Root Beer and/or Cream Soda (does this actually exist?)
Thomas Kemper (all of them).

I plan to check in the Luverne, MN Pamida for Frostie Root Beer...I saw it there at a very reasonable price last time I traveled...

Thank you for your time,

-ImN

Hi,
I can offer this obvious advice to you.
My parents were in the retail T-Shirt business for
just about 30 years. When they started their business, they did not know what was hot and what was hot for "transfers" or t-shirt styles.

So long story short, we took a road trip to Florida to meet a man known as "Big Daddy Rat" of the Rat's Hole company. This man and his business of T-shirts and auto/motorcycle events was one of the founding forefathers of T-shirt as they were know to be in the early 1970's.

He told my parents to look at the walls of his shop. The walls were covered with "transfers" of all kind of pictures, some were funny,some were cute and some were a little over the edge.

He said do not limit your business to what you like or find acceptable. You will need to choose styles of T-shirts and Transfers that go against your notion of good taste. Yet those that go against your taste often become your hottest sellers.

This advice that Big Daddy Rat shared with us made my parents vary successful. It was a lesson that opened their eyes.

Now my advice to you is to think about what your market enjoys and do not limit your pop/soda selection to brands that sound good or fancy.
Most people take comfort in buying the good old familiar pop/soda brands from an ice cream product(cart/shop) business,IMO.

Zabe

[ 05-28-2005, 11:53 AM: Message edited by: Mr Zabe ]

I have three suggestions for you:

Dr. Browns Root Beer, Cream Soda, and Orange Soda.

I don't know how pricey that might be, though.

Well you can't go wrong with Spring Grove products, very tasty, although I have not had them since the new owner took over I hope that nothing has changed. I know a small coffee shop up here in Cambridge that sells products from Real Soda in glass bottles they seem to do well. Also for orange may I suggest Moxie Orange Cream soda from Monarch Beverages, there is also Dad's Red Cream soda available.

You might consider Sprecher sodas. They make the flavors you are looking for and have a distributor in Rochester.
http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/sprechers/

Hires cream soda exists, and it's very good but hard to find. Cro-Pac in Worcester MA cans it. I'm partial to Hires root beer also.

If you really want to differentiate your products I'd stay away from cans/PET and go with something in glass. Frostop is an excellent root beer, another rare one but it's made in 16oz bottles in Michigan. As well as many Crush flavors. Hot ginger ales like Blenheim, Red Rock or Pangleheimers would be something else that you don't find in many stores, also in glass.

First you must find someone in or who was in this same kind of business.Are you doing this for fun or profit?Can you afford the start up cost and loss of money if it fails.I'm not dashing you dream.Just go slow and ask quetions.As for flavors of drinks.wow! lots to choose .Go to stores and try some .Also liquor stores sell lots of different rootbeers,cola, lime,and cherry drinks.Good luck

I don't know if a supplier is close to you but Nehi
Grape and Orange are exceptional products with a great old name.

Frostie makes a real ggod root beer. Our blue cream soda will really catch your eye. We also have a orange that we get great comments on.

Go with glass. It will give your place a more retro/upscale feel.

But you'll also have to find something that can be affordably shipped to your area. If it is an unfamiliar brand, be prepared to give away plenty of samples. You might also want to try incorporating the sodas in your ice cream offerings, ie. a root beer float, an orange cream float, and so on.

Going with one name across the board will probably win you support from the distributor.

I agree with Turtleboy, Sprecher might be a good fit for you. If you plan to use it in bulk, they do sell it in half and quarter barrels.

http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/sprsoda.html