JUNE 2012 - $25.00 National Ice Cream Retailers Association NICRA SUPPLIER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Products and Marketing for Your Business by Cathy Quinn-Campbell Bakery Crafts The month of August has traditionally been the month with the most birthdays with 21 million people (9%) celebrating. July and September are close behind. While birthdays are a daily occurrence all year, make sure you promote birthdays during these three months to capture a larger proportion of birthday sales. Candles Any time a customer buys a cake, candles should be close at hand. Number candles, novelty candles, and regular candles should be on display to capture add-on sales and save your customer a trip to another store. Your goal is to keep them in your store as long as possible for maximum sales opportunities. Photos on Cakes A great way to personalize a cake is with a picture of the birthday boy or girl. Several systems on the market today offer a multitude of creative ways to enhance any photo including backgrounds, frames, text and more. Licensed Properties Kids love anything to do with their favorite characters. Dress up a cake with images or novelty items and you ll have parents coming back year after year. Marketing Strategies Offer a Birthday Reminder Service via Email Studies have shown that people respond significantly better to emails that are personalized. Compared to mass mailings, the open rates are two to three times higher. Along with the birthday reminder, you can take the opportunity to offer a special gift or discount when the customer orders a cake from IN THIS ISSUE Products and Marketing for Your Business by Cathy Quinn-Campbell, Bakery Crafts...1 What s Shakin @ NICRA...2 NICRA Ice Cream Clinic...4 Butter Prices...4 2012 Seminar Schedule - Greenville, South Carolina...6 Vanilla Basics by Craig Nielsen, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas...10 Scholarship Winner Says Thank You...11 New Active Members...11 2012 Officers, Board Members & Supplier Officers...12 NICRA Membership Costs Less Than 62 per day! your shop. Customers are more likely to respond positively to this because of the personal approach. Use text within the email to recognize and reinforce the relationship you have with your customers. For example, saying something like, Because you have been a valued customer, we would like to celebrate your birthday by offering a free gift with our compliments. Happy Birthday from (your business)! This goes a long way toward getting them in your door. You can set up a Google Calendar, which is free with a free Google account, to track birthdays and send you reminders so that you can reach out to your customers on a regular basis. Keep in mind that you have to find ways to engage the customer, or she will be quick to delete your email. Provide her with an experience that will give her a gift, make her laugh, or teach her something. And don t pretend to know her too well if you don t use or have the data. Surveys One of the simplest things you can do to find out what consumers want in your area is to ask them. To augment your birthday email database, you can put a sign up field on your website to capture additional email addresses from people who would like to hear from you. Post surveys on your site on a regular basis and ask for feedback on subjects like new flavors and other edible products. Always ask for ideas in any emails you send.
CALL YOUR NICRA SUPPLIER MEMBERS FIRST Frequent Buyer Cards We all have varying opinions on these but, for the most part, rewarding customers with free products after a designated number of purchases is a good thing. You have additional marketing opportunities through the card for emailing participants about other promotions and specials. This encourages larger orders and helps launch new products. Media Publicity Publicity goes a long way and one of the best ways to get it is to establish a relationship with food writers for your area newspapers. Let them know about anything special and if you are participating in any events. No matter how large or small your city or community is, writers are always looking for a story. Facebook Marketing You can promote your Facebook page to your customers using in-store signage and flyers announcing special promotions for people that like your page. Once you get your customers to your Facebook page, it becomes a great (and free) way to drive traffic to your store. It s also an easy way to find birthdays to add to your database. An unexpected, personal email or card on or near a person s birthday means that you went the extra mile for them and, generally, is seen that way by the customer. Also provide information on how to access your Twitter page if you have one. Twitter Marketing Using Twitter is an easy and simple way to announce special promotions. A well-timed tweet will be received immediately by your followers that use smartphones. This gives them the opportunity to visit your store to take advantage of one-day sales or events. You will be able to gauge the effectiveness of this tool by measuring traffic and sales through your store on the dates that you send your tweets. Your Store Your sidewalk, windows, and entrance are vital tools for marketing. You can make your store stand out by displaying seasonal décor and other colorful items so that passersby are drawn in. More free advertising comes in the form of a whiteboard or chalkboard outside your door used to promote a new product, an item on sale, or special events that you have planned. Colorful posters in your windows help brand your business and promote the uniqueness of your store compared to other ice cream shops in your area. Change signage and displays frequently to keep returning customers interested and coming back. Trends come and go. As long as you keep on top of them and apply them to what you know about people in your area, your business will continue to be successful. WHAT S SHAKIN @NICRA Fifty Licks By Peter Freund Cliff s Ice Cream NICRA has an awesome website. I didn t realize what a useful tool it is until I was asked to write this article. Sure I had looked at the site in the past, and I have used the Members Only section for contact information when I had a product question for a supplier, or when I needed to pick another member s brain about something that was their area of expertise. Honestly, I had no idea of the layers of information that are present throughout the site, nor did I realize how easy the site was to navigate. If you are a new member, the NICRA site has everything you need to get started. Check out the Starting a Business Tips and Questions section. It offers details and often overlooked points that are invaluable if you are opening your first or your twenty-first business. If you haven t been to a NICRA convention, you can view videos taken at past conventions to give you a sense of what its all about. There are clips of: the ice cream clinic, how to use a batch machine, member testimonials, and much more. If you have been a member for a while, like me, you may have forgotten about the Resource Links section to industry and government agencies, or the Idea$ Kit section that lets you click through some really great ideas from NICRA members. Maybe you need a supplier for a specific ingredient. A NICRA supplier member is the first place you should look. You know they won t steer you wrong. If you don t already use Constant Contact, you can use the site to start a partner account and expand your base. New NICRA member benefits are added and tweaked frequently, so be sure to check the site regularly to make sure you are not missing anything. The NICRA site represents just what NICRA is: A free and frank exchange of information among members so that all may improve their operations, increase profits, and prosper. Look at it for the first time or again like I have recently. It is one of the most useful member benefits that is sometimes forgotten about. Birthdays will never go away. People are celebrating in increasingly novel ways. Your business profits when you keep up with the trends in your area and become a differentiated source to satisfy your customers needs. A variety of products and services make your business a destination for birthdays If you are wondering about the title that I have chosen for this as well as any special occasion. A decorated ice cream cake article, It is the answer to a question posed in the Fun Facts helps to make your customer s event more memorable and section of the site. Go ahead, see if you can find the question. keeps the awareness of your business top-of-mind. 2 http://www.nicra.org
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NICRA ICE CREAM CLINIC By Jeff Myers Double Dip We are all in the ice cream business, so whether you sell soft serve, frozen yogurt, frozen custard, gelato, buy ice cream from a manufacturer or make your own ice cream, it s important to become an ice cream expert and know what the industry considers to be a good frozen dessert. CALL YOUR NICRA SUPPLIER MEMBERS FIRST To help members learn about their products, NICRA holds an ice cream clinic at the yearly National Convention. Members submit their ice cream, soft serve, frozen yogurt, frozen custard or gelato, to be examined by a judging team and graded for the quality of flavor, color, melt, microbiology, texture, % milkfat and % solids. Blue, red and white ribbons are awarded based on points earned. Thirty-five points is considered a perfect sample and points are then deducted for defects. Defects are typically minor and can be corrected. During the clinic, all samples from around the country are displayed for your tasting. You can experience flawless ice cream and also learn how to identify defects. The accompanying score card shows all the possible defects in ice cream and as you proceed through the samples, you will gain knowledge on your way to becoming an ice cream expert. The clinic judging team is headed by a renown Food Science Professor who is present at the clinic to answer questions, suggest ways to improve and generally educate in the quest for better ice cream. A very refreshing aspect of the clinic is the uninhibited sharing of ice cream knowledge. There are many members at the clinic with years of experience who will speak with you about batch and soft serve machines, production methods, formulations, ingredients, hardening, storage, tempering, handling and counter service. Over the years, the clinic has successfully helped many members identify defects and then establish a plan of action for correction. It s a realistic expectation that every clinic participant making ice cream will improve until they earn a Blue Ribbon. Many members submit their products year after year to monitor consistency, raw materials and equipment performance; it s almost like having your own Q.C. Department. To acknowledge members who consistently produce outstanding products, NICRA has established two new awards for clinic participants. The first is a special recognition for a perfect score of 35 points. The second is the award of Grand Master Ice Cream Maker for earning a Blue Ribbon in 3 clinics over a 5 year period. The clinic evaluates vanilla every year with chocolate and strawberry being evaluated every other year. Dairy Grading Standards for vanilla ice cream have long since been established, however chocolate and strawberry are graded using a modification of the vanilla standard. Continuing NICRA s commitment to lead the ice cream industry, the clinic committee has been working for three years with the Food Science Dept. of Clemson University to establish unique standards for both chocolate and strawberry ice cream. Work on the standards is nearing completion and will be published in the Food Technology Teaching Journal for peer review. In addition to the ice cream clinic, NICRA also hosts two yearly competitions for Best Flavors at the National Convention. This year the convention in Greenville, South Carolina will feature the Best Nut Flavor and Your Best New Flavor contests. During the competition, member attendees actually sample the ice creams and vote for their favorite flavor. This is a great opportunity to learn what others across the country are doing and to get ideas for your own flavor creations. Again, ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt and frozen custard are welcomed. Winning certificates for 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd and two honorable mentions are awarded. Winning a certificate may have a beneficial impact on your business; past winners have received publicity from newspapers, magazines, radio and T.V. stations. When attending the NICRA convention, the clinic and contests let you typically sample over 120 different ice creams. NICRA is known as an organization of Ice cream people helping ice cream people. The Ice Cream Clinic is a wonderful opportunity to become educated in all facets of frozen desserts while comparing your product to others at the National level. NICRA invites you to enter the ice cream clinic and attend the Greenville Convention, you won t be disappointed. BUTTER PRICES April 27, 2012 - Grade AA Butter finished at $1.3600. The weekly average was $1.3845. (2011 price was $2.0290) May 4, 2012 - Grade AA Butter finished at $1.3100. The weekly average was $1.3420. (2011 price was $2.0895) May 11, 2012 Grade AA Butter finished at $1.3200. The weekly average was $1.3065. (2011 price was $1.9895) May 18, 2012 - Grade AA Butter finished at $1.3550. The weekly average was $1.3515. (2011 price was $2.0570) Support prices for butter start at $1.05. Butter prices are reported from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange every Friday. The Merc is considered a spot market for butter. Merc prices are important to dairy farmers because the value of the fat and fat differentials in raw milk are established from the prices quoted from the Exchange, and Merc prices are used in the BFP update. 4 http://www.nicra.org
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CALL YOUR NICRA SUPPLIER MEMBERS FIRST 2012 Seminar Schedule Greenville, South Carolina Tuesday, November 6, 2012 10:00 AM 3:00 PM Executive Committee Meeting Noon Executive Committee Lunch 4:00 PM 10:00 PM Membership Committee Meeting 5:30 PM Membership Committee Dinner Wednesday, November 7, 2012 7:00 AM 1:00 PM Board of Directors Meeting Noon 1:00 PM Board of Directors Lunch Noon 5:00 PM Open Registration Noon 5:00 PM Suppliers Setup Exhibits 1:15 PM 5:30 PM Convention Kick Off Program 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM Writing a Business Plan SCORE Representative 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM Estimated Costs to Open a Store Dan Messer, Eskamoe s Frozen Custard 2:45 PM 3:00 PM Break 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM Equipment Needs to Open a Store Bob Rada, Stoelting Foodservice Equipment 3:30 PM 4:15 PM Staffing for Opening Day & Special Events Henry Gentry, Henry s Homemade Ice Cream 4:15 PM - 4:30 PM Break 4:30 PM 5:00 PM First Timers Meeting Lisa Anderson, Anderson s Frozen Custard 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM Question & Answers From the Experts The Natural Choice For Flavors TM Super-premium flavors for: Ice Cream Soft Serve Gelato Sorbet Custard Sherbet Frozen Yogurt No artificial ingredients No artificial taste 800-639-8653 GreenMountainFlavors.com *One-pint minimum order 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM NICRA Past Presidents Reception & Cash Bar 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM Welcome Dinner (Ticket Required) 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM Your Best New Flavor Contest Exhibits Open - Cash Bar Thursday, November 8, 2012 7:15 AM 10 Minute Officer & Board of Directors Meeting 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM Registration Open 8:00 AM - 8:45 AM Welcome & Opening Remarks Win NICRA Bucks 6 http://www.nicra.org
CALL YOUR NICRA SUPPLIER MEMBERS FIRST 8:45 AM 9:00 AM Local Character Speaker 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Keynote Speaker: Jamie Turner Moderator: David Zimmermann, Royal Scoop Ice Cream 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Exhibits Open 10:05 AM - 11:55 AM Coffee Break Visit Supplier Exhibit Room Noon - 12:45 PM Luncheon (Ticket Required) Roundtable Discussion 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM Best Nut Flavor Contest 1:30 PM 3:00 PM Keynote Speaker Breakout Session Jamie Turner Moderator: Jim Mitchell, Woodside Farm Creamery 3:05 PM - 3:20 PM Coffee Break 3:20 PM 4:20 PM Concurrent Sessions Hiring the Best Employee: Interview Techniques The Price is Right Proper Pricing Technique Let Us Entertain You Catering Tips 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Concurrent Sessions Menu Ideas and Upselling Your Treats Tracking Sales Using Today s Technology Moderator: Todd Truax, Almost Heaven Digital Signage 8:30 AM 10 minute Officer & Board of Directors Meeting 8:45 AM - 10:15 AM Concurrent Sessions Holiday Cake Decorating January to June Advertising to the Generations: Print, E-mail, Facebook, Twitter Jim Brown, Penn State University Moderator: Andrew Jones, Lloyd s of Pennsylvania All Aboard! Training Your Staff to Sell Speaker: Steve Christensen, Stoelting, LLC 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM Coffee Break 10:45 AM - 11:55 AM Concurrent Sessions How to Sharpen your QuickBooks Skills Moderator: Jeff Myers, Double Dip Elements of Soft Serve Holiday Cake Decorating July to December 11:00 AM Noon Supplier Meeting Noon - 12:45 PM Luncheon (Ticket Required) Roundtable Discussion 12:45 PM - 1:10 PM Sensory Testing Clemson University Graduate Students Moderator: Mark Leichtman 1:00 PM 9:00 PM Exhibit Hours 1:20 PM - 2:00 PM Ice Cream Clinic Dr. Johnny McGregor, Clemson University 6:00 PM Evening Reception & Dinner Soby s Restaurant (Ticket Required) Friday, November 9, 2012 8:00 AM 4:00 PM Convention Registration 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM Concurrent Sessions Promotion of the Year Presentations Lynda Utterback, The National Dipper Nutritional Labeling Sharpening the Employee Saw Keeping Your Staff Motivated 8 http://www.nicra.org
CALL YOUR NICRA SUPPLIER MEMBERS FIRST 3:15 PM - 3:45 PM Coffee Break 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM Concurrent Sessions Differences Between Vanilla & Chocolate Ice Cream Ice Cream Clinic Committee: George Lochhead, Lochhead Vanilla Jay Rentschler, Upstate Farms Forbes Chocolate Moderator: Mark Leichtman Identifying Drug Users Carl Chaney, Chaney s Dairy Barn Promotions that Generate Traffic to Your Store 5:15 PM - 9:00 PM NICRA Party Sponsored by the Suppliers Bryce Thomson Scholarship Silent & Live Auctions Saturday, November 10, 2012 8:00 AM 10 Minute Officer & Board of Directors Meeting 8:00 AM Leave for Optional Golf Tournament Verdae Greens, Embassy Suites Hotel (Ticket Required) 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Scheduling Employees 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM Coffee Break 10:15 AM - 12 Noon Roundtable Discussion Get Your Final Questions Answered Moderator: John Pitchford, JP s Custard Cart Purveyors of fine flavors Toppings Syrups Variegates Bases Flavors & Extracts Dairy Syrups Indulge yourself and discover why we ve been New England s favorite ice cream ingredient and topping provider for over 140 years. 1:00 PM 4:30 PM Tour of Greenville, South Carolina (Ticket Required) 6:30 PM Cocktail Party 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Awards Banquet (Ticket Required) PLEASE NOTE: Seminar topics and/or dates and times are subject to change due to the availability of speakers. SEE YOU IN GREENVILLE, S.C. NOVEMBER 7-10, 2012 C c Crafted in Small Batches Since 1866 www.schlotterbeck-foss.com 800.777.4666 http://www.nicra.org 9
CALL YOUR NICRA SUPPLIER MEMBERS FIRST NICRA SUPPLIER MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Vanilla Basics By: Craig Nielsen, CEO Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Inc. Pure Vanilla contains over 250 different flavor components. Many of these flavor components are present in minute traces and can be susceptible to processing conditions during extraction. The most common extraction method used involves the use of heat and/or pressure to extract the vanilla. This method only lasts two to three days, however the heat alters the finished flavor profile. Extracting the vanilla using a cold process method, in the authors opinion, protects the vanilla components from being damaged or altered by the heat or pressure. A long, slow, gentle process, lasting about three weeks, extracts the total bouquet of flavor from the vanilla beans, producing a vanilla that has a full-bodied flavor profile. Vanilla is available in various strengths, 1-fold to 20+ folds, and forms, liquid, powder, paste or beans. The strength of vanilla is directly proportionate to the amount of vanilla beans used and is governed by the Code of Federal Regulations. A 1X, or 1 fold, vanilla contains the extractive matter of 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon. A 2X, or 2-fold, vanilla is twice as strong, 26.7 ounces and so forth. It is only possible to directly extract vanilla up to a 4X, or 4 fold, without the help of heat and/or pressure. In any product that is concentrated, such as a 10X or 20X, heat and/or pressure is used to concentrate the product. During this concentration method however, a number of the flavor components can be altered or lost thus affecting the finished flavor profile of the vanilla. Vanilla beans are now grown in a variety of areas worldwide. Each resulting extract exhibits a different flavor profile based on the region. Madagascar is the largest producer of vanilla beans in the world and the ensuing vanilla is known as Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla. Madagascar Bourbon vanilla is considered the overall highest quality pure vanilla available, having a creamy, sweet, smooth and mellow flavor. Indonesia produces beans that are for the most part lower in quality than the Madagascar. The ensuing vanilla is described as woody, astringent and phenolic. Mexico, where the vanilla orchid originated, today produces only a small percentage of the world s crop. The flavor of Mexican vanilla is described as creamy, sweet, woody and spicy; spicy as in nutmeg or clove. Vanilla beans from Uganda exhibit very similar flavor characteristics to Madagascar Bourbon but have more of a chocolate note. The vanilla beans from the regions discussed above all originate from the same genus of orchid, Vanilla Planifolia Andrews. The vanilla grown in Tahiti is from a different genus, Vanilla Tahitensis Moore and is distinctly different from the other regions. It has a flowery, fruity, anisic, smooth flavor. The vanilla found in India is often a mix of the two different geneses and exhibits a somewhat sweet, slightly fruity, woody, flavor profile. Like India, the farmers in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have planted the two varieties of vanilla beans together and don t separate them at harvest. Their quality is on the low side but the pricing is also lower than other regions. It has a thin slightly fruity, flavor profile. One note of caution, unfortunately there are suppliers out there selling these PNG beans as true Tahitian type when their flavor profile is not the same as a true Tahitian. Vanilla is an application driven product and usage and the type of vanilla best suited depends greatly on the finished product and its composition as well as the processing conditions. Each variety of vanilla, or blends of the vanillas from different regions, will react differently according to product components. One important note, it is best to allow the vanilla ice cream/gelato to sit for 36-48 hours after freezing before tasting. The vanilla strength and profile will develop over this period of time to its true potential. If you do not let your product sit that long before serving an increased usage rate may be required. In frozen desserts, the percentage of butterfat, overrun, egg yolks, whey as well as the type of stabilizers or emulsifiers used are key factors for determining the best vanilla. The butterfat percentage, eggs and whey as well as some stabilizers and emulsifiers can have a masking effect on vanilla. A 100 percent Madagascar Bourbon vanilla is usually recommended for frozen desserts containing from five to twelve percent butterfat. With the lower fat percentage, the full bodied, smooth and creamy flavor of the Madagascar Bourbon vanilla provides a high quality flavor profile in the ice cream. Mexican vanilla can also be incorporated very successfully with these products. Ice creams containing above thirteen to fourteen percent butterfat present a different issue. The high butterfat percentage has a tendency to mask the vanilla flavor so a blend of Madagascar Bourbon and Indonesian vanilla is recommended. Although the Indonesian is slightly harsher it helps cut through the masking effect of the high fat and will deliver an initial vanilla taste at the front of the mouth with the smooth and creamy Madagascar Bourbon carrying through to the back of the mouth. Although its primary use is in vanilla ice cream, vanilla is also used extensively to enhance other flavors as well. It deepens chocolate notes and highlights fruit flavors. Additionally, it will smooth out citrus flavors. In most cases, the Madagascar Bourbon vanilla works best in these applications although the Tahitian works extremely well with fruit flavors. When you are using vanilla to enhance other flavors it is recommended to add the vanilla at one half of your normal usage rate for vanilla ice cream. 10 http://www.nicra.org
CALL YOUR NICRA SUPPLIER MEMBERS FIRST A high quality Pure Vanilla should be the backbone of your product line as it can be used in every product. Vanilla is the most popular flavor sold and it is the one on which your customers will base their assessment on the quality of your products. The vanilla you select to use in your ice cream or gelato should be determined by which vanilla works best in your mix, not determined solely by cost. Vanilla will typically add less then 6 cents towards the overall cost per quart of your product. It is important to design the vanilla to your product, not your product around the vanilla. Demand the best and accept nothing less. Please contact your NICRA vanilla supplier member first to see how these different vanillas can help you differentiate your product. SCHOLARSHIP WINNER SAYS THANK YOU My name is Brodie Shepard and I m freshman at Cornell University. I am writing to thank NICRA for selecting me to receive the Bryce Thomson scholarship. I apologize for the very belated letter. The award is certainly a great honor that I am very proud of. The financial aspect has also been a great help in relieving some of my college expenses. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working at Sno Top in Manlius, New York and sincerely appreciate all of the experiences and opportunities that it has given me. Thank you again for selecting me for this award! Best, Brodie NEW ACTIVE MEMBERS Colonial Pottery & Creamery 701 N. Franklin St. Watkins Glen, NY 14891 607/535-7545 Fax: 607/535-7566 Paul Marcellus 1 MP, DD Truly Trudy s Ice Cream & Treats 10 Clifftop Rd. Northampton, PA 18067 610/217-0583 Trudy Fearon 1 FD Yo Yo Donuts 5757 Sanibel Dr., Suite 3 Minnetonka, MN 55343 952/960-1800 Fax: 952/960-2130 Chris Moquist Paul Moquist 1 YY, SS, GG, FC Subscribe to The National Dipper The only magazine that keeps you up-to-date in the retail frozen dessert industry. Regular columns include: New Products Industry News Calendar of Events Classified Special features include: Equipment Reviews Management Articles Association Events Employee Training Promotions Annual Source Book Also Available: Dipping Tips Training Posters Manuals for Costing Products Employee Training Posters Point of Sale Posters Magazine Binders Call or write for a subscription today! 1028 West Devon Avenue Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-7226 Phone: (847) 301-8400 Fax: (847) 301-8402 e-mail: lynda@nationaldipper.com Subscribe on-line at: www.nationaldipper.com http://www.nicra.org 11
2012 NICRA OFFICERS President Dan Messer, Eskamoe s Frozen Custard, Monroe, La. President Elect David Zimmermann, Royal Scoop Homemade Ice Cream Bonita Springs, Fla. Vice President Nanette Frey, Frey s Tasty Treat, Inc., E. Amherst, N. Y. Secretary/Treasurer Carl Chaney, Chaney s Dairy Barn, Bowling Green, Ky. Secretary/Treasurer Elect Todd Truax, Almost Heaven, Canton, Ohio Immediate Past President Lynn Dudek, Ruth Ann s, No. Muskegon, Michigan Executive Director Lynda Utterback, Elk Grove Village, Ill. Terms Ending Annual Meeting 2012 Cliff Freund, Cliff s Dairy Maid Ledgewood, New Jersey Vince Girodano, Sno Top Manlius, New York Juergen Kloo, Joy Cone Co. Hermitage, Pennsylvania John Pitchford, JP s Custard Cart, Albuquerque, New Mexico Joe Venuti, Bedford Farms Ice Cream Bedford, Massachusetts Terms Ending Annual Meeting 2013 Jim Brown, Penn State University, University Park, PA Mary Leopold, Leopold s Ice Cream Savannah, Georgia Jim Marmion, Advanced Gourmet Equipment Greensboro, North Carolina Neil McWilliams, Spring Dipper Mammoth Spring, Arkansas Terms Ending Annual Meeting 2014 Jim Oden, Debbie s Soft Serve, Smithsburg, Maryland Bob Rada, Stoelting, LLC, Kiel, Wisconsin Roberta Rudolph, Custard Cone, Poplar Grove, Illinois Todd Truax, Almost Heaven, Canton, Ohio MISSION STATEMENT FOR NICRA The mission of the National Ice Cream Retailers Association (NICRA), a non-profit trade association, is to be the leader in the frozen dessert industry that others look to for help, support and education. NICRA will promote business growth and development throughout the industry. VISION OF THE ASSOCIATION NICRA will associate with similar associations dedicated to the same interests. NICRA will facilitate communication and education that both newcomers and veterans in the industry desire to be successful. NICRA will maintain a feeling of family within the association as it grows, and be dedicated to responsibly managing the association while maximizing value to the members. NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY NICRA is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in all of its endeavors. To that end, NICRA shall not tolerate any words or acts of discrimination, harassment or any inappropriate behavior in general against any person affiliated with NICRA, including its members and guests, with regard to race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation. This Bulletin is published by: National Ice Cream Retailers Association 1028 West Devon Avenue Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-7226 847/301-7500 - Fax: 847/301-8402 Nanette Frey, Chairman Publications Committee Lynda Utterback, Editor 2011 National Ice Cream Retailers Association Vol. 33, No. 6 This issue of the NICRA Bulletin is now available online at http://www.nicra.org. Click on the Members Only button and enter your Username and Password. If you cannot find your Username and Password, call the NICRA office at 866-303-6960 or send an e-mail to info@ nicra.org requesting the information. 2012 SUPPLIER OFFICERS President Margaret Anderson, Taylor Freezer of New England Norwood, Massachusetts Vice President Mary Kircher, Dingman s Dairy, Paterson, New Jersey Secretary/Treasurer Andrew Jones, Lloyds of Pennsylvania, Exton, PA Chairman Rich Draper, The Ice Cream Club, Boynton Beach, FL 12 http://www.nicra.org