Automatic Age

T h e A u t o m a t ic A g e
er term the comparatively high margin of
profit secured from such articles, even after
due allowance for cut rate practices of
chain organizations, could allow some addi­
tions to income of distributive systems of
this type.
“ Effects of this development on the drug
industry will be varied. It will further in­
tensify already keen competition in the re­
tail drug field, of course, with its attendant
adverse effects on retail concerns but, in
our opinion, will have no serious effects on
the drug manufacturers over the longer
term.
“ Certain manufacturers of drug products
that are actively opposed to the cut-rate
ipractices of chain organizations or that
are to a great extent dependent on their
own jobbing activities for distribution,
could easily be unfavorably affected, but
even these units should overcome such ob­
stacles in time. Moreover, those concerns
cooperating with chain units will be offered
additional distributive activities which
should prove beneficial to both sales volume
and earnings.
Packaged Ice Cream
The Retail Druggist offers some good
reasons for selling ice cream in packages.
Since ice cream venders at present use only
packaged cream, the ideas are good talking
points for the automatic trade.
For years druggists have merely been
affording an outlet for the ice cream manu­
facturers’ product. They have turned over
to the ice cream manufacturers the most
valuable spaces in their stores and have
allowed (profitable trade to cool its heels
while they calloused their hands dipping
profit for ice cream manufacturers.
Packaged ice cream is the answer to the
dealer’s complaint. The present of a new
iceless refrigerator or some other free con­
cession will not solve the problem of the
dealer’s losses.
The ice cream manufacturer who makes
no effort to build up a consumer demand
for packaged ice cream generally claims
that there is no demand for it in his trade
territory. Possibly he has tried putting out
'packaged ice cream and made a failure of
it. Possibly he put the same kind of ice
cream into packages that he makes for his
fountain trade.
That fact in itself is
enough to insure failure.
For years the trend in the production
© International Arcade Museum
13
and handling of food products has been in
the direction of packages.
The grocery
store of twenty years ago was filled with
boxes and barrels, holding various food
products in bulk. Now the modern grocery
has its wares in small packages all ready
for the consumer.
W hat should be the attitude of the men
in the ice cream industry toward packaged
goods? If packaged ice cream is more satis­
factory to the dealer, and if packaged, ice
cream is more convenient and satisfactory
for the consumer, what should be the a tti­
tude of the manufacturers of ice cream
whose success depends on the cooperation
of the dealer and the satisfaction of the
consumer?
Coffee Warms Hearts
Much favorable publicity is being given
to coffee and since there are coin machines
for dispensing this popular drink, the trade
should note this publicity with favor. There
is good reason to believe that proper in itia­
tive in the trade might expand the market
for coffee sales by machine, especially dur­
ing the winter months when the public de­
mand for hot drinks is up. A little investi­
gation will show quite a field of locations
where a machine dispensing a hot cup (pa­
per cups being dispensed also) of good
coffee would receive good patronage. Be­
sides, the vast coffee marketing organiza­
tions would no doubt be glad to help such
a development with publicity campaigns, if
real enterprise could .be shown.
The National Grocers Bulletin publishes
the following story, which is a sample of
current coffee publicity:
Coffee— plenty hot and lots of it— was
the drink that made a big contribution to
the success of the Byrd Antarctic Expedi­
tion. In the long, bitterly cold months dur­
ing which the forty-two men wrote history
upon the ice of Little America, they drank
sixteen gallons of coffee a day. A t the base,
on the trail with the dogs, in the air, hot
coffee helped to fight off the penetrating
cold and to stimulate tired brains and
muscles. As one member of the Expedition
put it: “ We melted the ice with coffee."
Mr. George W. Tennant, chief cook of
the Expedition, besides being chief cook was
the one and only cook on many days. Nor
did be confine his menus to simple, easily
prepared dishes. Every Sunday, for in ­
stance, there was roast turkey with all the
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