Bob Tullio’s Product Perspective: A Closer Look At Products, Equipment And Services That Will Impact An Operator’s Business
Five years ago, Ryan Downs, President and CEO of Wisconsin based GLK Foods, was looking for a new product to supplement his company’s successful line of sauerkraut. Downs humbly acknowledges that he made the right choice with the introduction of Oh Snap! – a single serve pickle that is having an impact on his company and the convenience services industry.
The Product
Oh Snap! Single serve pickles sold in 1-ounce packs for pantry programs and 3-ounce packs for micro markets. Typically retails for $2.75 - $3.00.
The number one seller in the product line – Dilly Bites.
Honorable Mention – The Hottie – a spicy pickle.
According to the people at the Oh Snap! Pickling company, on average, Americans eat 9 pounds of pickles per person each, which adds up to up to more than 2.5 billion pounds, or 20 billion pickles per year. Clearly – we like our pickles!
All Oh Snap! pickles are gluten free.
Oh Snap! pickles require refrigeration.
“Our product has been a huge success in pantry service and micro markets,” said Downs. “This is a single serve application of a product that tastes good and is done right. People love the taste of our products and that’s paramount. Great taste is the reason Oh Snap! has been so successful.”
The Back Story
“It seemed like the right fit at the right time and it has grown way faster than anticipated. Overall, we are super excited about where this is headed,” said Downs. “We are working with many large operators like Canteen, Five Star and Accent Food Services. Our distributors, including Vistar, are extremely pleased at our rapid growth.”
How fast is the company growing? According to Downs, the company has already outgrown their new 70,000 square foot production facility.
Why the rapid success? Downs attributes it to the fact that pickles are healthy and that is what consumers are looking for. Great tasting healthy foods. “We didn’t reinvent the wheel, but we put a small twist on it. People have been eating pickled cucumbers and pickled vegetables for a long time, but there wasn’t a single serve pickle out there with this type of crunch and flavor profile,” said Downs.
Bob’s Perspective – Does Oh Snap! make sense for operators?
Oh Snap! offers a rare combination – great taste and a healthy product profile.
Oh Snap! is a must for micro markets, vending and pantry operators.
• Pickles are high margin.
• Oh Snap! is healthy – a “better for you” product.
• Very long shelf life – but that probably will not be a factor.
• High velocity sales (according to operators I spoke to).
• Distribution is in place – Vistar makes it easy to source the product.
• Excellent packaging and marketing.
Think about the lack of guilt you feel when you grab a pickle out the refrigerator at home as a quick snack. Ryan Downs and his team have taken that guilt free approach to snacking directly to the workplace.
Oh Snap! is a winner for operators and their clients.
Bob Tullio
Bob Tullio is a content specialist, speaker, sales trainer, consultant and contributing editor of Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com. He advises entrepreneurs on how to build a successful business from the ground up. He specializes in helping suppliers connect with operators in the convenience services industry — coffee service, vending, micro markets and pantry service specifically. He can be reached at 818-261-1758 and [email protected]. Tullio welcomes your feedback.
Subscribe to Automatic Merchandiser’s new podcast, Vending & OCS Nation, which Tullio hosts. Each episode is designed to make your business more profitable.
