Friends and Partners, 

 

 

As we move into Thanksgiving tomorrow, I wanted to wish my friends, colleagues, allies and partners a very happy Thanksgiving. Even in these troubled times there is much for which we should be thankful.  

 

 

The horn of plenty is the traditional symbol of Thanksgiving, but with savings decimated in a volatile stock market, layoffs, reduced working hours for many and an uncertainty about the future, feelings of gratitude this year may be tinged with regret that the horn is only half-full. While all of these are concerns, let’s take tomorrow as a day, to forget our troubles, present or pending, and TO celebrate the abundance of peace at home, freedom, family and friendships. 

 

 

Nationally, we have come through a strongly-contested election, and even though it was a heated race, it was historical. Additionally, it appears that we are to once again accomplish, a peaceful transfer of power, unlike power transfers in much of the world. Given all of the political and economical strife in the world, this is indeed a blessing we all should savor, if even for a moment. 

 

 

Make it a Thanksgiving to remember.  It doesn’t have to be lavish to be a good memory. One of the best holiday memories I have as a child was during a hard year for a school mate of mine, his family couldn’t afford a turkey nor to decorate. His mother had attempted suicide due to depression and a sense of hopelessness.  So my mother prepared a meal for them and made a decorative arrangement for their dinner table out of a tree branch. Mom put a ton of her cheap costume jewelry on it and placed it, “just right” so the sunlight from outside made it “glimmer and shine in hope”.  My friends mother cried and laughed, at how pretty it was. My friend nor I don’t remember much else about that year, but now we reflect back at how tacky the decoration was and laugh. However, my friend says that act of kindness probably saved his mothers life and to this day, 35 years later, she still reflects that was her best Thanksgiving ever and mom did provide her a “glimmer of hope.” My friends mother could have sat around brooding about no money nor life and my mother could have ignored it . Strangly and somehow one of the most beautiful memories we share is Thanksgiving with a stick on the table of my friend and costume jewlery shining in the light.  

 

 

William Jennings Bryan once said, “On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.”  

 

 

In my dependence to each of you, my extended family, colleagues, work associates, friends and political allies, “Thank You” for the inspiration, hard work and being a part of my life. We never know what the future may hold for any of us in these uncertain times, but tomorrow, eat, take a sip of wine and enjoy the day for a day of beauty, friendship and compassion.

Chris 

Chris Edwards 

Vice President & General Manager 

WTN Services™ 

a division of 1800Flowers 

2545 Napa Valley Corporate Drive Ste F 

Napa Ca 94558 

707.265.2934 

cedwards@winetasting.com 

www.wtnservices.com 

www.winetasting.com 

www.1800flowers.com 

Visit our blog for fulfillment & sales tips, compliance updates and more… 

October 25th, I was not sure what to expect when I was asked to be a “panel expert” at the 2008 wine bloggers conference. I have to admit I blog but not as an expet by any means. To my delight the dialog was great. Participation in our conference was huge as the discussion evolved around Social Media and the many forms of evolving technologies. Luckily I was on a panel with brilliant bloggers so my insight was more of a layman and how we are expermenting with new media rather than a true pioneer. Luckly in the wine blogging world there is room for everyone.

What impressed me most about the event was the number of participants the quality of questions and the excitment in learning and growing new media.

While I am an old schooler just learning the nuances of the new technologies of blogging, twitter etc, I was thrilled to be able to participate and am thrilled to learn more in the future.

To learn more visit www.winebloggersconference.org

At WTN Services we are actively watching the stock market tumble (700 plus points) today, concerned about banking issues and watching what the politicians say they will do for the economy, but note most importantly we are focused on our main mission of everyday quality in our performance for you.

We are working with our vendors to mitigate pricing pressures where possible and working on further ways to enhance our multiple distribution center offering in an effort to help you mitigate pricing pressures when you take advantage of that offering for your club shipments.

 WTN Services is the only wine focused fulfillment company with multiple scalable distribution centers, a stable financial history and a eye for excellence that can help you mitigate price and fulfillment pressures for your wine clubs. Clients taking advantage of our key club services have seen a reductions in shipping expenses and an increase in consumer retention during these trying times quite the opposite of what our competition can offer over the long run. Our focus on you and our partners is key to the long term.

As the economy gets worse our services offering is a safety net to ensuring consumers get quick delivery of their wine club shipments with less cost per shipment than our competition now and in the years to come when taking advantage of our scale and systems.

Contact a WTN Services account manager and see how we can provide you margin mitigation factors that safeguard you in the uncertain times. Call me direct with questions at 707.265.2934 and myself or an account manager will reach out to you for more details.

WINE: Some Napa cab grabbing $4,000 a ton

CHARDONNAY AND EVEN MERLOT IN SHORT SUPPLY; APPELLATION RULES ON HOLD?

Monday, September 22, 2008

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080922/BUSINESSJOURNAL/809217063?Title=WINE__Some_Napa_cab_grabbing__4_000_a_ton

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10438811

High-tech wine labels track travel temperatures By MICHELLE LOCKE Associated Press Writer Article Launched: 09/11/2008 02:05:05 PM PDT
NAPA, Calif.—Sultry weather can be hard on any traveler, and for wine it can be disastrous. A high-tech shipping label now being used by some in the industry aims to warn customers if there’s a chance they’re getting cooked cabernet.
About the size of a pack of sugar, the labels can be programmed for a range of temperatures and placed directly on the product or product packaging. A light flashes green if the product stays within specifications and yellow if it doesn’t.

Information on exactly what temperatures the product reached—and at what time—can be downloaded via a portable reader into a computer spreadsheet. If there is a problem, the data show where it occurred, helpful in determining who’s responsible.

“We’ve been waiting for something like this,” said Jayme Silva, of the boutique Napa Valley winery Robert Biale Vineyards.

Among those using the technology is WTN Services, a Napa-based shipper that has been offering the temperature monitor to customers of its retail brand Ambrosia, a wine catalog, and is now making it an option for other wineries shipping through WTN.

“It’s been a great success,” said Chris Edwards, vice president and general manager of WTN, which like Ambrosia is a subsidiary of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.

The labels cost WTN customers $20 a box—which is 10 bottles of Two Buck Chuck, but, notes Edwards, a fraction of the cost of a case of $100-a-bottle Napa cab, which will set you back a cool $1,200.

Made by Boise-based PakSense, Inc. and on the market for about two years, the temperature monitors had been primarily used by the food industry but lately have been finding a market in wine shipping as well, said PakSense spokeswoman Amy Childress.

Temperature control is a key issue for wine. Heat speeds up aging, which may sound like a good idea but results in diminished flavor. If the bottles get too hot the wine is “cooked,” which means it may taste flat or be otherwise flawed.

A low-tech warning sign is if the cork has been pushed up out of the bottle. But that doesn’t necessarily mean spoiled wine and, vice versa, a bottle may look fine but be spoiled.

Like many California wineries, Biale deals with the heat by not shipping in hot months. They will ship overnight in summer, but that’s become less popular with rising gas prices.

Biale is currently experimenting with the PakSense label to see if it will prove to be a summer solution, said Silva.

Another California winery, the Schug Carneros Estate Winery in Sonoma, started putting PakSense labels on their shipments earlier this year, using a type of label that is sent back by distributors and downloaded at the winery to provide trip details.

“We actually have gotten a lot of good information,” said winery office manager Lou Pritchett.

So far, data from the labels, returned from as far away as Denmark, have “really given us a lot of assurance that our wine is in very good condition,” Pritchett said.

On the consumer front, New Yorker Reynold Weidenaar frequently orders wine, although he usually takes care of the heat issue by buying in cooler months. He wasn’t inclined to spring for an extra $20 for his shipments of moderately priced wine, but could see the appeal for a high-end collector.

“We’ve had a few wines where you can see a little bit of leakage, a little bit of residue past the cork. That’s always a sign you better be nervous,” he said.

Edwards sees the labels as reassurance to people buying expensive wines that the shipping system is working. To avoid transit trauma, WTN has warehouses in California and New York, so products don’t have to travel too far. They use packaging called the TemperEco-Pak, which is made of corrugated or pulp materials that control temperatures but can be recycled curbside.

WTN has been using the labels on Ambrosia shipments for about two months and “they’ve been blinking green upon delivery every time, so that’s a good thing,” said Edwards.

———

On the Net:

http://www.wtnservices.com

http://www.paksense.com  

http://www.robertbialevineyards.com

http://www.schugwinery.com

Reported in Forbes Businesswire

WTN Services(TM) announces the appointment of Matt Wood as Vice President in charge of all retail and consumer operations for their Ambrosia consumer-direct luxury wine services.

Wood will work within the Ambrosia organization to maintain and enhance the brand, facilitate market strategies, develop direct trade initiatives, monitor day-to-day operations and explore and manage new opportunities within the consumer-direct services.

Matt was previously Vice-President, Retail Operations, for Icon Estates and was responsible for all consumer direct sales at Icon Estates, which includes eight tasting rooms, twelve websites, and eight wine clubs.

“I’m delighted to be working with the group here at Ambrosia and WTN, our plans for direct-to-trade and marketplace initiatives are both exciting and timely. We look forward to strengthening our partners’ presence in the marketplace, enabling them to bring their products to market more efficiently and profitably than before,” says Wood.

WTN Services(TM) is a recognized “best in class leader” for providing direct-to-consumer solutions to the wine industry. WTN Services(TM) provides winery clients with timely and reliable solutions through proactive account management, leading-edge technology, key strategic partnerships and a bi-coastal warehousing network to enhance delivery.

Ambrosia and WTN Services(TM) operate under the umbrella of The WineTasting Network(TM) a division of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as the resource to provide direct retail access of exceptional California wines to passionate wine lovers throughout the United States. Those one-on-one relationships with wine enthusiasts across the country have provided impetus for creating unique collections, gifts, and clubs with highly sought-after world-class wines.

WTN Services(TM) Vice-President and General Manager Chris Edwards stated, “Bringing Matt Wood into the fold brings a whole new level of wine industry experience to our organization that will ensure quality management of our existing program and the prospect of exploring and pursuing additional opportunities within the industry.”

For more information on WTN Services(TM), please visit the website at www.wtnservices.com

For more information on Ambrosia, please visit www.ambrosiawine.com

Original Marketwatch Story

Jul 29, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The Winetasting Network, a Napa, California based distributor and direct-to-consumer wine marketer and a subsidiary of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc., has expanded its commitment to environmental stewardship both internally and in its relationships with vendors. As part of its enhanced environmental efforts, The Winetasting Network has developed a “Green Report Card” that is utilized to establish and attain a number of sustainability goals on an annual basis. The “Report Card” enumerates key ecological initiatives underway at the Company and tracks compliance with those initiatives throughout the year. Included as goals are mandates to utilize more environmental packaging, an increase in materials recycling, and a reduction in shipments via air freight to reduce carbon emissions.

Among the results of The Winetasting Network’s environmental efforts is the conversion of 80% of its packaging from styrofoam to corrugated or earth friendly pulp materials. “We tasked our packaging vendors to come back to us with solutions and they met our vision for environmentally correct packaging,” said Chris Edwards, Vice President and General Manager of WTN Services. “We are proud to be helping to push the wine industry forward in the green area and we are taking on this essential responsibility because we are basically the only wine fulfillment and retail company that is measuring sustainability as it relates to packaging.”

The Winetasting Network has also recycled more than 700 tons of cardboard and fiberboard during the past year. Each day, cardboard and fiberboard cartons and boxes are broken apart and put into a compressor, then placed into 2,000 pound bails and turned over to a recycling agent for re-manufacture back into corrugated cartons and boxes.

Additionally, the Company has converted approximately 25% of its shipments in the past year from air freight to 2-day ground shipping. “Our aim is to do our part in helping to reduce carbon emissions,” continued Mr. Edwards. “Shipping via ground produces far less emissions versus air, and because we have fulfillment centers located on both coasts…in Napa, California and also in Albany, New York…we are able to deliver to 82% of the wine-consuming public within 2 days using ground transportation.” It is estimated that The Winetasting Network’s conversion to ground shipping reduces CO2 emissions by up to 90% per shipment. The Winetasting Network distributes wine through its WTN Services(TM) division and also markets wine direct to consumers under the Ambrosia(R) brand name.

1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. is the world’s leading florist and a provider of specialty gifts for all occasions. For more than 30 years, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. has been providing customers with fresh flowers and the finest selection of plants, gift baskets, gourmet foods, confections, balloons and plush stuffed animals perfect for every occasion. 1-800-FLOWERS.COM(R) (1-800-356-9377 or www.1800flowers.com), is one of the top 50 online retailers by Internet Retailer, as well as 2008 Laureate Honoree by the Computerworld Honors Program and the recipient of ICMI’s 2006 Global Call Center of the Year Award, offers the best of both worlds: exquisite arrangements created by some of the nation’s top floral artists and hand-delivered the same day, and spectacular flowers shipped overnight “Fresh From Our Growers(sm).” As always, 100% satisfaction and freshness are guaranteed. The Company’s BloomNet(R) ( www.mybloomnet.net) international floral wire service provides a broad range of quality products and value-added services designed to help professional florists grow their businesses profitably.

The 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. “Gift Shop” also includes gourmet gifts such as popcorn and specialty treats from The Popcorn Factory(R) (1-800-541-2676 or www.thepopcornfactory.com); exceptional cookies and baked gifts from Cheryl&Co.(R) (1-800-443-8124 or www.cherylandco.com); premium chocolates and confections from Fannie May Confections Brands(R) ( www.fanniemay.com and www.harrylondon.com<); gourmet foods from Greatfood.com(R) ( www.greatfood.com); wine gifts from Ambrosia(R) ( www.ambrosia.com); gift baskets from 1-800-BASKETS.COM(R) ( www.1800baskets.com) and DesignPac(R) as well as Home Decor and Children’s Gifts from Plow & Hearth(R) (1-800-627-1712 or www.plowandhearth.com), Wind & Weather(R) ( www.windandweather.com), HearthSong(R) ( www.hearthsong.com) and Magic Cabin(R) ( www.magiccabin.com).

As a platinum sponsor of the Wine Industry and Technology Seminar, WTN Services hopes you’ll join us at the 4^th annual Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS) on July 15th. This is an incredible event this year, with great take home value for the full spectrum of winery leadership, from general management to finance, marketing, trade sales, consumer direct, winemaking & vineyard management.

WTN clients or prospects receive a 10% discount off the registration fee of the Wine Technology Symposium July 15th. Register now and enter the coupon code to get the discount online www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com

• July 14, 2008
  • Technology Round Table (Winery, Distributor, On-Premise & Retailer CIOs Only)
  • VIP Dinner (Speakers, Sponsors & CIOs)

• July 15, 2008
• General Session: Hot Topics in Technology & Wine
  • Innovations & Change in the Global Supply Chain
  • Breaking Through to On-Premise Customers
  • CIO & CEO Group Therapy
• Breakout Sessions: Four Educational Tracks
  • Technology Leadership
  • Consumer Direct
  • Trade Sales & Marketing
  • Vineyard & Winery Operations
• Technology Showcase of Top Vendors & Service Providers
• Networking Breakfast, Lunch & Wine Reception

Again WTN Services clients or prospects receive a 10% discount off the registration fee of the Wine Technology Symposium July 15th. Register now and enter the coupon code WTN to get the discount online

WTN Services as a member of the 1800Flowers family is fortunate to be a part of a family of brands committed to excellence in consumer direct sells related to the food and wine catagory. This week I’ve been fortunate to spend a few days in Chicago, with the President Jeff Burkard and his team members of the newly acquired sister brand DesignPac.

DesignPac manufacturers and creates about 7 Million gift baskets, gift sets and related products annually for their client base. DesignPac was founded in 1991 and operates over 500,000 square feet of assembly distribution centers in the US with a keen eye for quality and detail.

What is the relevance to the wine industry, you may ask?

DesignPac manufactures gift baskets and related products for many major retail companies such as Wal Mart, Costco, Target and others. Wine and gourment gift baskets are a fast growing segment, so there are opportunities for the WTN Services clients to tap into the knowledge base of design excellence, manufacturing best practices and packaging design through our relationship with this new sister brand.

The gifting catagory is a fast growing yet untapped catagory for the wine industry. WTN Services in partnering with DesignPac over the next serval years, will be best positioned, to learn and apply their best practices learnings toward the needs of our winery clients. The opportunities in design excellence, marketing knowlege and margin sensitivity will only make us each better to market wine gifts to your and our mutual consumers.

Excellenc in quality and an eye on detail is what WTN Services is about and the partnership with DesignPac in helping tech us best practices to apply to the wine industry is a win for us all. To learn more  contact your WTN Servcices Account manager and to learn more about DesignPac visit http://www.designpac.com/

“The question is not ‘can you make a difference?’ You already do make a difference. It’s just a matter of what kind of difference you want to make, during your life on this planet. ” – Julia Butterfly Hill