Originally Posted By: Greg Grimes
Ken I’m not here to slam Purina. They have a great product. However Bob knows all too well my frustration. I have to find my client a local dealer then they go thru what you are going through. I’m done with it. It makes me look bad. We have sent multiple emails to somewhat higher ups in Purina. Their businesses plans are not changing you have to go through a dealer. I cannot be a dealer unless I get 8 tons at a time. Even then LMB pellets are special order.
So I have spoke with Silver Cup and Zeigler they both have some great food. I can get 3 tons shipped to me at good pricing. I can also lineup sales of about 40 bags at a time to clients where freight will not kill you. Ton quantities even better. Ken if you can pull your neighbors this might be an option for you. If interested let me know what product you like. I have a couple of options similar to (possibly better than) aquamax 500.


Greg -- thank you from multiple angles. I too, am not here to slam Purina. They provide a good product. They are a good sponsor.

Somehow, I've gotten distracted, and I'd forgotten about Silver Cup and Ziegler. Through the West Virginia Aquaculture Association, the West Virginia University Aquaculture research programs, and the West Virgina Aquaculture Extension Service, I believe I may have a way to piggy-back onto large orders through Ziegler. It is what my research friends seem to prefer for their fish.

Now for my rant:

As I mentioned in my post above, it is sometimes difficult to work for a big corporation. As senior management staff, with 40 years of experience, I still have six layers of higher management above me. I'll never figure it out. Many are giddy young people, 30 years younger than me. They are far senior to me, making 5-10 times my salary, and making really stupid business decisions that didn't work 40 years ago when I entered this industry -- and this group won't listen any better than their predecessors. My organization has been re-organized six times in the last two years by people I've never met. I've seen my boss, who is 3000 miles away, twice in the last year.

I feel Purina is in the same parallel universe. Where I work, we put stock holders and our several hundred vice presidents about fifty levels above customers and employees.

My little group still develops and produces very important products that have no viable competition. We are very profitable. We can't design and manufacture fast enough. Yet, my upper management wants to kill us because we only do about $50 million a year!

I'm afraid that our Purina Aquamax friends are in a very similar situation to mine.

End of rant.

Ken

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