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Summit, ABX Earn Rave Reviews
AWMA distributor members and top executives of some 33 supplier companies met face-to-face in a series of private meetings Wednesday during the AWMA Business Exchange (ABX), which continues today in Atlanta as the annual AWMA Summit draws to a conclusion.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for distributors and suppliers to sit down together and discuss common concerns and prepare for the future," said AWMA President & CEO Scott Ramminger.
The ABX caps a four-day event that featured a full day of educational sessions Tuesday, largely devoted to the overall issue of profitability. "This is the best Summit we’ve ever had," Ramminger said. "They just keep getting better."
As Chad Gummer, Gummer Wholesale, Inc., Heath, Ohio, paused for lunch yesterday after a series of business exchange meetings with suppliers, he expressed appreciation for the high quality of Tuesday’s presentations. "The focus on foodservice was a positive thing," he said, "because it demonstrates that there are other opportunities for us to make a profit and new directions to consider."
Vendors and distributors alike said their ABX discussions were once again proving to be highly successful.
"I think this is an absolutely invaluable opportunity for the regional distributors to meet face-to-face with top level people from the manufactures and get a better understanding of what they need from us to help make their products and brands more successful," said Keith Canning, Pine State Trading Co., Augusta, Maine. "We can discuss current trends and our company’s performance and plan for 2008 so we can fix shortcomings and set goals and objectives for next year. It’s been great."
"This has been fantastic," said Ed Chrupcala, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company. "We have had great forward-looking discussions, focusing on how we can plan for growth. I’m happy that we decided to bring two teams and take two rooms so we can meet with everyone who wants to meet with us."
A number of additional companies ran two suites during the ABX, including Altadis U.S.A., Dot Foods, Inc., The Hershey Company, Innovative Candy Concepts, Mars Snackfood/Sell-Thru Services; Philip Morris USA, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and Swisher International, Inc.
"This has allowed us to have outstanding conversations regarding both inventory and promotional issues," said Howard Stroud, GSC Enterprises, Inc., Sulphur Springs, Texas. "This venue allows us to resolve problems. Whatever they are, they get resolved. Things get taken care of. That’s the beauty of this meeting."
Barry Margolis, Cooper-Booth Wholesale Co., Mountville, Pennsylvania, said he was "pleased to see the leadership of the manufacturers meet with the leadership of wholesalers and collaborate on building the business."
Discussions at ABX give both manufacturers and distributors the opportunity to explore each others’ issues and concerns, said Elvin Smythers, Merchants Grocery Company, Inc., Culpepper, Virginia. "We find out things that can help their business and we give them ideas on how they can improve things for us," he said. "It’s the meeting to come to. I have heard vendors say there is no other venue in which they can see 40-plus distributors in just two days – and those people are top decision-makers."
"The customers here show us a lot of respect. They understand that the vendors have invested a lot and they give us both ears," commented Tom Taunton, Gurley’s Foods, Wilmar, Minnesota.
Bob Brenton, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, said he was pleased with his meetings with top distributors. "We got a good reception from them and were able to share what we’re up to and what we’re trying to achieve."
Bob Franklin, Triple C Wholesalers, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, summed the ABX up like this:
"This has been an excellent opportunity and our meetings have been very productive," he said. "I look forward to next year’s exchange to see the results of the seeds that we planted this year."
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