I get lots of questions about how I cook barbecue. The simple answer is I don’t! My ole Hickory barbecue pits do the work. I learned a long time ago that I am too old to stay up all night tending a wood barrel fire to keep a smoker slow cooking a pig. There is always plenty of work to do after the meat is cooked so why wear your self out actually smoking it?
For those of you that don’t know Ole Hickory, based in Cape Girardeau Missouri, makes a wide selection of smokers. I own a CTO model (holds about 150 pounds of meat) and an EL-ED model (on Grillzilla) which holds over 700 pounds of meat. Both smokers do an equal job smoking. The CTO is best for small loads because it’s easy to clean up. The EL-ED is the only way for big loads but takes longer to clean.
The ole Hickory secret is its automatic. You set the temperature, add charcoal or wood, and fifteen hours later you got perfect smoked meat. It even turns itself off and holds the load at a warm temperature. How easy is that?
On the EL-ED I put in about fifteen pounds of Kingsford charcoal, a few sticks of apple wood (when cooking pork for pulled barbecue) and set the thermostat at 225 degrees. A gas burner comes on and starts the charcoal and wood burning. When the temperature hits 225 the gas cuts off the burning wood/charcoal maintains the temperature. Pork only takes in so much smoke so that happens in the first two hours as the apple wood burns. The next twelve to thirteen hours the charcoal supplies most of the heat and some more smoke flavor. The gas will automatically turn on to maintain temperature especially on cold nights.
What comes out is tender, moist, pork with just the right amount of wood smoke. Then the real work starts which is pulling the pork and adding the spices.
Now you might think “Tom you are missing the fun of hanging out with friends and tending the fire”, well actually no, we still do that we just get to bed at a normal time.
Stay tune and I will tell you how the barbecue is perfected on my next post. If you would like to learn more about my new book “How to make $5,000 a month from your driveway” or just have questions about barbecue visit my web site at http://bigtom.org.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Wal*Mart Saves Money by going green
General Electric ran TV commercial a few years back in which a young executive pitches improved energy efficiency to his corporate board.
"Why should we care about this stuff," his boss demands.
"Because it can save us 40 percent on our energy costs," he replies.
With that, Disneyesque animated birds and rabbits appear to playfully nuzzle board members who suddenly discover the joys of going green.
Something very similar — absent the animated birds — may have taken place four years ago in Arkansas. At a two-day conference, America's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, committed to a greener course.
It's taking suppliers like GE, as well as competitors and retailers, along on the journey.
The latest evidence of Wal-Mart's eco-evolution is its work to develop a universal sustainability index.
Appliance buyers can now get information on energy efficiency before making a purchase. In the future, Wal-Mart hopes consumers will base buying decisions for everyday products on labels detailing their environmental and social sustainability.
That's quite a departure for a company that once was known for low prices and scorched-earth capitalism. But Wal-Mart has proven that it can do well by doing the right thing.
Last year, it earned $12.7 billion. Those profits come not only from its traditional cost-cutting, but by savings from reducing packaging and improving energy efficiency.
The changes aren't just good for Wal-Mart; they're good for the environment, too.
In 2007, Wal-Mart made a commitment to highlight sales of environmentally friendly compact fluorescent light bulbs that last longer and use less electricity. Doing so meant suppliers like GE had to ramp up production.
Wal-Mart still sells more traditional incandescent bulbs. But the potential energy savings from compact fluorescent bulbs are staggering, especially with sales juiced by Wal-Mart.
In 2008, it began selling only concentrated liquid laundry detergent. The giant retailer says customers have saved more than 400 million gallons of water as a result. The switch also saves 95 million pounds of plastic resin that would otherwise have been used in packaging. And, not coincidentally, Wal-Mart saves more than 500,000 gallons of diesel fuel by not having to transport heavier, bulkier products.
A universal sustainability index has the potential to be even more important. It would let consumers see the true costs of wasteful packaging and products; they then might make better buying decisions.
Not all customers will take that into account. But where Wal-Mart goes, other retailers will follow. It's showing them that there's real money in going green.
My advice to small Wal Mart vendors; Get on board and use environmental sustainability as a competitive advantage as soon as possible. Larger companies are going to be slower to act (because of their size) which gives smaller companies a short term advantage. With the current category management standards at Wal Mart a minor brand could keep their distribution with this edge.
"Why should we care about this stuff," his boss demands.
"Because it can save us 40 percent on our energy costs," he replies.
With that, Disneyesque animated birds and rabbits appear to playfully nuzzle board members who suddenly discover the joys of going green.
Something very similar — absent the animated birds — may have taken place four years ago in Arkansas. At a two-day conference, America's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, committed to a greener course.
It's taking suppliers like GE, as well as competitors and retailers, along on the journey.
The latest evidence of Wal-Mart's eco-evolution is its work to develop a universal sustainability index.
Appliance buyers can now get information on energy efficiency before making a purchase. In the future, Wal-Mart hopes consumers will base buying decisions for everyday products on labels detailing their environmental and social sustainability.
That's quite a departure for a company that once was known for low prices and scorched-earth capitalism. But Wal-Mart has proven that it can do well by doing the right thing.
Last year, it earned $12.7 billion. Those profits come not only from its traditional cost-cutting, but by savings from reducing packaging and improving energy efficiency.
The changes aren't just good for Wal-Mart; they're good for the environment, too.
In 2007, Wal-Mart made a commitment to highlight sales of environmentally friendly compact fluorescent light bulbs that last longer and use less electricity. Doing so meant suppliers like GE had to ramp up production.
Wal-Mart still sells more traditional incandescent bulbs. But the potential energy savings from compact fluorescent bulbs are staggering, especially with sales juiced by Wal-Mart.
In 2008, it began selling only concentrated liquid laundry detergent. The giant retailer says customers have saved more than 400 million gallons of water as a result. The switch also saves 95 million pounds of plastic resin that would otherwise have been used in packaging. And, not coincidentally, Wal-Mart saves more than 500,000 gallons of diesel fuel by not having to transport heavier, bulkier products.
A universal sustainability index has the potential to be even more important. It would let consumers see the true costs of wasteful packaging and products; they then might make better buying decisions.
Not all customers will take that into account. But where Wal-Mart goes, other retailers will follow. It's showing them that there's real money in going green.
My advice to small Wal Mart vendors; Get on board and use environmental sustainability as a competitive advantage as soon as possible. Larger companies are going to be slower to act (because of their size) which gives smaller companies a short term advantage. With the current category management standards at Wal Mart a minor brand could keep their distribution with this edge.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Walmart To Develop A Worldwide Sustainable Product Index
Wal-Mart announced plans to develop a worldwide sustainable product index during a meeting with 1,500 of its suppliers, associates and sustainability leaders at its home office. The index will establish a single source of data for evaluating the sustainability of products.
“Customers want products that are more efficient, that last longer and perform better,” says Mike Duke, Wal-Mart’s president and CEO. “And increasingly they want information about the entire life cycle of a product so they can feel good about buying it. They want to know that the materials in the product are safe, that it was made well and that it was produced in a responsible way.
“We do not see this as a trend that will fade. Higher customer expectations are a permanent part of the future,” Duke continues. “At Wal-Mart, we’re working to make sustainability sustainable, so that it’s a priority in good times and in the tough times. An important part of that is developing the tools to help enable sustainable consumption.”
The company will introduce the initiative in three phases, beginning with a survey of its more than 100,000 suppliers around the world. The survey includes 15 questions that will serve as a tool for Wal-Mart’s suppliers to evaluate their own sustainability efforts.
The questions will focus on four areas: energy and climate; material efficiency; natural resources, and; people and community.
“The survey will include simple but powerful questions covering familiar territory, such as the location of our suppliers’ factories, along with new areas like water use and solid waste,” says John Fleming, chief merchandising officer, Wal-Mart U.S. “The questions aren’t complicated but we’ve never before systematically asked for this kind of information. The survey is a key first step toward establishing real transparency in our supply chain.”
Mr. Fleming also said the company will ask its top tier U.S. suppliers to complete the survey by Oct. 1. Outside the United States, the company will develop time lines on a country-by-country basis for suppliers to complete the survey.
As a second step, the company is helping create a consortium of universities that will collaborate with suppliers, retailers, and government to develop a global database of information on the life cycle of products -- from raw materials to disposal. Wal-Mart has provided the initial funding for the Sustainability Index Consortium, and invited all retailers and suppliers to contribute.
The company will also partner with one or more leading technology companies to create an open platform that will power the index.
“It is not our goal to create or own this index,” says Duke. “We want to spur the development of a common database that will allow the consortium to collect and analyze the knowledge of the global supply chain. We think this shared database will generate opportunities to be more innovative and to improve the sustainability of products and processes.” The final step in developing the index will be to translate the product information into a simple rating for consumers about the sustainability of products. This will provide customers with the transparency into the quality and history of products that they don’t have today.
No time frame was outlined for the index's use in the stores. This project will have an impact on companies competitiveness and future consumer impressions of their products.
Wal-Mart announced plans to develop a worldwide sustainable product index during a meeting with 1,500 of its suppliers, associates and sustainability leaders at its home office. The index will establish a single source of data for evaluating the sustainability of products.
“Customers want products that are more efficient, that last longer and perform better,” says Mike Duke, Wal-Mart’s president and CEO. “And increasingly they want information about the entire life cycle of a product so they can feel good about buying it. They want to know that the materials in the product are safe, that it was made well and that it was produced in a responsible way.
“We do not see this as a trend that will fade. Higher customer expectations are a permanent part of the future,” Duke continues. “At Wal-Mart, we’re working to make sustainability sustainable, so that it’s a priority in good times and in the tough times. An important part of that is developing the tools to help enable sustainable consumption.”
The company will introduce the initiative in three phases, beginning with a survey of its more than 100,000 suppliers around the world. The survey includes 15 questions that will serve as a tool for Wal-Mart’s suppliers to evaluate their own sustainability efforts.
The questions will focus on four areas: energy and climate; material efficiency; natural resources, and; people and community.
“The survey will include simple but powerful questions covering familiar territory, such as the location of our suppliers’ factories, along with new areas like water use and solid waste,” says John Fleming, chief merchandising officer, Wal-Mart U.S. “The questions aren’t complicated but we’ve never before systematically asked for this kind of information. The survey is a key first step toward establishing real transparency in our supply chain.”
Mr. Fleming also said the company will ask its top tier U.S. suppliers to complete the survey by Oct. 1. Outside the United States, the company will develop time lines on a country-by-country basis for suppliers to complete the survey.
As a second step, the company is helping create a consortium of universities that will collaborate with suppliers, retailers, and government to develop a global database of information on the life cycle of products -- from raw materials to disposal. Wal-Mart has provided the initial funding for the Sustainability Index Consortium, and invited all retailers and suppliers to contribute.
The company will also partner with one or more leading technology companies to create an open platform that will power the index.
“It is not our goal to create or own this index,” says Duke. “We want to spur the development of a common database that will allow the consortium to collect and analyze the knowledge of the global supply chain. We think this shared database will generate opportunities to be more innovative and to improve the sustainability of products and processes.” The final step in developing the index will be to translate the product information into a simple rating for consumers about the sustainability of products. This will provide customers with the transparency into the quality and history of products that they don’t have today.
No time frame was outlined for the index's use in the stores. This project will have an impact on companies competitiveness and future consumer impressions of their products.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Understanding Merchandising at Wal Mart
Key Wal Mart manager:
John Fleming – Chief Merchandising Officer. Primary person in charge of the merchandising transformation that is now in play at Wal Mart. Prior position was in the marketing department where he identified who Wal Mart’s customer is and how best to serve them.
I will attempt to communicate Wal Mart’s merchandising direction so suppliers I work with will understand how to best operate in concert with the world’s largest retailer. First, let’s define some terms;
Save money – Live better – This is Wal Mart’s primary direction and mission. Wal Mart will have the lowest price on everything in their stores and on line so their customer can live a better life with the savings. Undisputed low price leader period! Clear low price leadership. Profit margins are secondary to lowest prices on all products. All management decisions are made with this concept in mind.
Clarity of offering – Having a limited number of brands/products in low growth categories. Spreading out on top selling brands in growth categories. Result is the elimination of the #2, #3, #4 products and giving more space to the #1 product. This eliminates out of stocks, increases turns, and Wal Mart’s belief is the consumer will adjust to the lack of assortment especially in the slow growth categories. This strategy is common place merchandising in Europe.
Conversion- This is store merchandising designed to motivate the Wal Mart customer to purchase from as many departments as possible on each shopping trip.
Who are Wal Marts target customers?
Value Seekers – Wal Marts primary customer. Three groups; price value shopper – looking for low price points on popular brands. Price sensitive affluent – quality seeker at a great price. Brand aspirational. Contact tom.price@earthlink for a complete discussion about types of consumers.
Wal Mart is focused on growth categories. They believe that success comes to companies that have their merchandising investment in the growth categories. Their goal is to increase market share in these growth categories.
There are 96 defined categories in Wal Mart. Contact tom.price@earthlink.net for a discussion about these categories.
They analyze product categories from three dimensions; growth potential, scale advantage, and credibility with the customer. Wal Mart calls this approach the Win – Play – show.
A win category is a category that will grow twice the rate of the business unit. Scale advantage relates to power with suppliers thru access of a full range of products and use of the logistics network. Customer credibility is to what degree customers perceive Wal Mart as a creditable source of information.
A play category is one with lower growth or stable business with Wal Mart having a scale advantage and some degree of customer credibility.
A show category is declining in sales, Wal Mart has little credibility with consumers and no scale advantage. This category of products is in the store to fulfill the “one-stop shopping proposition”. Example; it is important that Wal Mart have tape measures but they do not need an assortment. Limit assortment will not harm the shopping experience and will drive productivity so they can invest assets in “win” categories.
If the category is defined as a win or play (grow) Wal Mart invests in the range assortment and visual presentation. They study their competition and strive for quality products at competitive prices. Brands within categories can have a win-play-show rating.
If the category is defined as “show” Wal Mart is reducing suppliers and SKU’s. This results in productivity gains that allows them to invest in the growth categories.
In food examples of “show” categories are ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, flour, batters, and soft drinks. Examples of “play” categories are marinades and Mexican.
Along with this merchandising change has come a management structure change called “customer experience”. This group does space allocations, adjacencies, and visual presentation in all stores. Goal is consistent shopping experience throughout all stores.
This group is also about planning, replenishment, pricing, and category management.
Future growth will come from “multichannel integration”. This is defined as customers shopping multiple channels before they make a purchase decision. The online channel will be critical to future growth. The “site to store” program will be a growth platform at Wal Mart. Under this program products available on line only at Wal Mart dot com are delivered to the store free for customer pick up.
In my judgement Win, Play, Show is a huge mistake by Wal Mart management.
Contact Tom Price at tom.price@earthlink.net for ideas on how to gain and keep Wal Mart distribution. I can also help you with your web site and social media marketing development.
Visit:
http://youtube.com/ncbigtom
http://twitter.com/grillzillabrand
Key Wal Mart manager:
John Fleming – Chief Merchandising Officer. Primary person in charge of the merchandising transformation that is now in play at Wal Mart. Prior position was in the marketing department where he identified who Wal Mart’s customer is and how best to serve them.
I will attempt to communicate Wal Mart’s merchandising direction so suppliers I work with will understand how to best operate in concert with the world’s largest retailer. First, let’s define some terms;
Save money – Live better – This is Wal Mart’s primary direction and mission. Wal Mart will have the lowest price on everything in their stores and on line so their customer can live a better life with the savings. Undisputed low price leader period! Clear low price leadership. Profit margins are secondary to lowest prices on all products. All management decisions are made with this concept in mind.
Clarity of offering – Having a limited number of brands/products in low growth categories. Spreading out on top selling brands in growth categories. Result is the elimination of the #2, #3, #4 products and giving more space to the #1 product. This eliminates out of stocks, increases turns, and Wal Mart’s belief is the consumer will adjust to the lack of assortment especially in the slow growth categories. This strategy is common place merchandising in Europe.
Conversion- This is store merchandising designed to motivate the Wal Mart customer to purchase from as many departments as possible on each shopping trip.
Who are Wal Marts target customers?
Value Seekers – Wal Marts primary customer. Three groups; price value shopper – looking for low price points on popular brands. Price sensitive affluent – quality seeker at a great price. Brand aspirational. Contact tom.price@earthlink for a complete discussion about types of consumers.
Wal Mart is focused on growth categories. They believe that success comes to companies that have their merchandising investment in the growth categories. Their goal is to increase market share in these growth categories.
There are 96 defined categories in Wal Mart. Contact tom.price@earthlink.net for a discussion about these categories.
They analyze product categories from three dimensions; growth potential, scale advantage, and credibility with the customer. Wal Mart calls this approach the Win – Play – show.
A win category is a category that will grow twice the rate of the business unit. Scale advantage relates to power with suppliers thru access of a full range of products and use of the logistics network. Customer credibility is to what degree customers perceive Wal Mart as a creditable source of information.
A play category is one with lower growth or stable business with Wal Mart having a scale advantage and some degree of customer credibility.
A show category is declining in sales, Wal Mart has little credibility with consumers and no scale advantage. This category of products is in the store to fulfill the “one-stop shopping proposition”. Example; it is important that Wal Mart have tape measures but they do not need an assortment. Limit assortment will not harm the shopping experience and will drive productivity so they can invest assets in “win” categories.
If the category is defined as a win or play (grow) Wal Mart invests in the range assortment and visual presentation. They study their competition and strive for quality products at competitive prices. Brands within categories can have a win-play-show rating.
If the category is defined as “show” Wal Mart is reducing suppliers and SKU’s. This results in productivity gains that allows them to invest in the growth categories.
In food examples of “show” categories are ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, flour, batters, and soft drinks. Examples of “play” categories are marinades and Mexican.
Along with this merchandising change has come a management structure change called “customer experience”. This group does space allocations, adjacencies, and visual presentation in all stores. Goal is consistent shopping experience throughout all stores.
This group is also about planning, replenishment, pricing, and category management.
Future growth will come from “multichannel integration”. This is defined as customers shopping multiple channels before they make a purchase decision. The online channel will be critical to future growth. The “site to store” program will be a growth platform at Wal Mart. Under this program products available on line only at Wal Mart dot com are delivered to the store free for customer pick up.
In my judgement Win, Play, Show is a huge mistake by Wal Mart management.
Contact Tom Price at tom.price@earthlink.net for ideas on how to gain and keep Wal Mart distribution. I can also help you with your web site and social media marketing development.
Visit:
http://youtube.com/ncbigtom
http://twitter.com/grillzillabrand
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Thriller On The Griller
2009 was 8Th year for Thriller On The Griller at Food Lion stores located from Myrtle Beach SC to Atlantic Beach NC. We visited a total of fourteen stores. Over $50,000 was raised by this event for Children's Miracle Network (CMN). Thriller was started by Joe Stock, operations manager for Food Lion, after he visited a hospital his daughter was working as a nurse. There was an equipment need for the Childrens ward which Joe raised funds to buy. From fulfilling that need Joe continued to raise donations which now go to CMN hospitals. In my opinion Joe Stock is the "Jerry Lewis" of CMN. This cause has to be on his hart because he is tireless in the fund raising effort for the past eight years. Every day he is out front of the Food Lion for five hours (sometimes longer) in 90 degree heat pushing for donations. My small part of making Lancaster's Barbecue sandwiches wore me out! I do not know how Joe does it except for the love of the kids driving him to raise more and more money each year for them. I could not get Joe to video an interview. He does not desire to be in the "spot light" for his efforts. That is why I am writing about him.
We had other vendor partners that also worked very hard on the Thriller tour. Charles King with Cheerwine has a two man team helping him with the tents, food wagon, and silent auction. The whole deal was like a traveling circus without the elephants. Everything had to be set up and torn down at each store. With the travel, hot weather, and physical work, we did not have any trouble sleeping every night.
Johnsonville Brats supplied a grill for the South Carolina stores (plus all the brats we cooked) and Uncle Yammy's (Steve Johnson) Grilling Sauce supplied the grill for the North Carolina stores. I took the Lancaster's Barbecue trailer and cooked/made barbecue sandwiches at the North Carolina stores (Lancaster's Barbecue is not in the South Carolina Food Lion's (yet).
Budweiser and Miller beer had people and tents at every store selling hat's, shirts, and other things to increase the fund raising. Kelloggs employees came to all the stores to help push silent auction items, sell coolers, and sample some great Special K products (I am hooked on the protein tea mix). Other companies that gave products to sell or give away were Lance, Hawaiian Tropic, Frito Lay, Snapple, and Coppertone.
Over $50,000 was raised for Childrens Miracle Network this year. Food Lion is lucky to have an Operations Manager like Joe Stock that would take on this extra work to organize and be a part of this yearly event. Many people commented positive words about Food Lion for having Thriller in front of their store.
You can see pictures by clicking here and video by clicking here
We had other vendor partners that also worked very hard on the Thriller tour. Charles King with Cheerwine has a two man team helping him with the tents, food wagon, and silent auction. The whole deal was like a traveling circus without the elephants. Everything had to be set up and torn down at each store. With the travel, hot weather, and physical work, we did not have any trouble sleeping every night.
Johnsonville Brats supplied a grill for the South Carolina stores (plus all the brats we cooked) and Uncle Yammy's (Steve Johnson) Grilling Sauce supplied the grill for the North Carolina stores. I took the Lancaster's Barbecue trailer and cooked/made barbecue sandwiches at the North Carolina stores (Lancaster's Barbecue is not in the South Carolina Food Lion's (yet).
Budweiser and Miller beer had people and tents at every store selling hat's, shirts, and other things to increase the fund raising. Kelloggs employees came to all the stores to help push silent auction items, sell coolers, and sample some great Special K products (I am hooked on the protein tea mix). Other companies that gave products to sell or give away were Lance, Hawaiian Tropic, Frito Lay, Snapple, and Coppertone.
Over $50,000 was raised for Childrens Miracle Network this year. Food Lion is lucky to have an Operations Manager like Joe Stock that would take on this extra work to organize and be a part of this yearly event. Many people commented positive words about Food Lion for having Thriller in front of their store.
You can see pictures by clicking here and video by clicking here
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