Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

Tiley Come . .. They Sow
They Bougllt
ACORNS
By Ihe Thousands!
Never in the hi sto ry of Automatic Vendin g. has a bulk merchandtser been accorded such a rousing, reception as
that given the ACORN at the NAl.fA Show in Atlantic City. Operators from aU parts of the na~on-seasoned
veterans of the game who ca n tell a fly -by- ni ght and a sales- promo,tion fakie a. mile off. doffed theu hats to the
ACORN, pulled out their bankrolls and laid it on the line for Quantity delh'eries.
MIGHTY OAKS FROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW
:\.tighty Oak ' from Little Acorns Grow and mighty vending fortunes will be built on . ACORN oI)erations the
country over~ Operators were dra\\n to the ACORN by its snappy. streamlined bea.uty which they wi sely ~nter­
preted would do the same to customers in any location. Th e sanitary as~ects of the macl,dne \\-1 th all mside
delivery mechanism and covered delh'ery chute is another feature they knew customers \\ouJd applaud. B~t.
a.bove all. th e separate service head won hands down I No~ operators can do a. faster. more t~orOUgh cl earun g
job on the merchundise compartment. cut down time reQUlred for each stOll ' . . reduce opel aUng costs ~nd
swell proflts, That's important today for now you ca n service twice as many ACOItNS a s any other machme.
Think of this saring!
If you haven't bad the full ACORN story we invite your inquiry today, \Ve'U gladly
pl'o\'ide you with full information llnd a color brochure showing the ACOHN in all its
glorious colors \\ithout any obligation,
OAK MFG. (0., Inc.
•
11411 Knightsbridge Ave.
concentrates used in vendors. An official
of Brazil has announced that coffee supply
should be ample for 1950 and that specu-
lation on prices should not occur. A Senate
committee has investigated the subject and
has turned th e light of publicity on some
of the causes of the big price boost. A
DePt. of Commerce report says next year's
coffee crop should be normal or .bett~r
than normal, but that long term VIew IS
for high prices because coffee trees are
decreasing.
Cookies-The best news is that at least
three suppliers of cookies were exhibitors
at the NAMA convention, thus showing
decided interest in vending machine outlets.
Hosiery-Retail sales of nylons showed
the usual holiday spurt. Allocation of nylon
yarns may limit supply of hosiery for three
months or more.
Ice Cream- Retail sales held up better
than seasonally during the fall and the
first 10 months dropped only 3 per cent
below the same period in 1948. All thi s
gives encouragement that consumption may
start upward. Manufacturers of ice cream
vendors made an excellent showing at the
NA 'fA convention and the new year should
bring a big expansion in the use of ice
cream vendors.
Juices-Financial papers have featured
reports on the big advances being made w!th
frozen juice concentrates and the vendtng
trade is awaiting the project of Vendex
Corp. in vending juices using frozen orange
concentrate base, to start early in 1950. Re-
ports say frozen juices have greatly boosted
the frozen food business and given it a new
outlook. At the end of the year the citrus
juice market was described as "unsettled."
Whatever else may result from all the
frozen juice promotion and publicity, it
will increa e consumer interest in juices
considerably and should help the vending
cause.
Milk-Selling milk by machine received
increased recognition at the NAMA con-
vention and considerable increase in this
field is expected in the new year. The of-
ficial view is that prices on dairy products
will decline during the year. Trade leaders
say total consumption of fluid milk may
decline, that u e of milk in manufactured
products will take a greater supply.
Nuts-Holiday trade dominated the mar-
ket for the last two months; almonds re-
mained steady in price and import duty
JANUARY, 1950
•
Culver City, Calif.
was not changed; there were some reports
of slightly reduced prices on cashews.
Peanuts-Use of peanuts by candy trade
increased during the fall but use for salted
peanuts dropped some. The Virginia ~nd
Texas regions reported new crop sellmg
at above support prices in some cases, but
th e general average pri ce for all regions
was about one cen t below government sup-
port prices. The world peanut crop in 1949
set a new record but the U. S. crop was
about 20 per cent below 1948, dropping
the lowest since 1941. Hence, markets re-
port visible supply of helled peanuts as
low. The Chicago market reported good
demand, market strong and prices much
higher, demand for Spanish increasing.
Pop Corn-No reports of consequence
have been received since the annual pop
corn trade convention.
Soap-Not reported in the Merch.andise
column for a long time, soap vendors got
a slight revival of interest when Alco-
Deree Co., Chicago registered soap vendors
for showing on the NAMA convention list.
Soft Drinks-Showings made by syrup
manufacturers at the
AMA convention
give a big boost to the business of selling
oft drinks by machine. Reports of some
of the major syrup makers recently be-
ca me available for the third quarter. Dr.
Pepper reported a recovery in the third
quarter, after decline in the first six months.
Unit sales were said to be as high as last
year but lower syrup price and higher sugar
reduced earnings.
New Business
NEW YORK-Financial and other
papers have been carrying an advel·tise-
ment of a new type of coin-operated
business, called the Stitch-in-Time Sys-
tems and the idea is that it will be a
new sen ·ice store somewhat like the
coin laundry service stations.
Current ad shows a n attractive store
front and the copy says: "America's
Mos t Sensational Business Opportunity.
Stitch-in-Time Systems, an essential
service. S tores consis ting of coin-oper-
ated sewing machines, fabl'ics, thl'ead,
zippers and paUel·ns. All products of
AAA-I companies. Potential eal'nings
over $25,000 first year, plus continual
annual revenue. No franchise payment
or fees involved. Exclusive state dis-
tributorships available."
Coca-Cola reported a decline in the third
quarter, mo t of the decline occurring in
Sept.; unofficial reports indicate that Coca-
Cola sales also declined for the last three
months, because strikes closed so many
plants where Coke vendors were placed.
Both Coca-Cola and Pepsi high officials
said soft drink sales were off for the entire
yeal', in spite of the hot summer. President
Mack (Pepsi) estimated that total 1949
sales for the industry would fall 8 to 10
per cent below the record sale in 1948.
A Coca-Cola official said it was due to the
recession_
Praise for National Devices
ST. LOUIS-Officials of National Re-
jectors, Inc., are justly proud of a feature
article published in the fall issue of Stee'l
Horizons, house organ of the Allegheny
L.udlum Steel Corp., of Pittsburgh_ The
article bore the title, "Magic with a Nickel,"
and relates some of the human interest
developments in the coin machine trade,
with special emphasis on the part that
·National slug and coin devices have played
in this marvelous growth.
Stress is al 0 placed on the importance
of the coin changing mechanism made by
ational, stating that in some places a vend-
ing machine may lose as much as 80 per
cent of possible sales because people do not
have proper change in their pockets. Na-
tional began making coin devices 14 years
ago, th e article sta tes.
Cig. Prices Up Acct. Tax
SEATTLE-Price changes on cigarettes
were in order throughout th e state, follow-
ing a long process of legislation and court
tests. State authorities had asked all whole-
salers to have the add itional tax stamps on
by Dec. 6. The original tax amounted to two
cents per pack and the new law adds two
cents more. The usual retail price had been
21 cents per pack and dealers added the
increased tax.
The Legislature had passed a bonus for
veterans, bonds for which were to be paid
off by a 4-cent cigarette tax. A superior
court decision earlier in the year declared
the bonus law unconstitutional. Then, to-
bacco wholesalers joined with the VFW in
framing a bonus law that met court tests
3S a result of a friendly suit.
Th e neighboring states do not tax ciga-
rettes, hence state tax officials are glad that
Congress pa sed the Jenkins law.
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