“It is more difficult to go upscale.”  “It is easier to come down than it is to go up.”

• “The challenge to Consumer Packaged Goods is that we can’t make the same products, have them look the same and distribute the same.  We have got to start looking at this differently.”
• “We need to follow the customer and see how she or he interacts with that environment and change the presentation accordingly.”

• “To be successful, supermarkets must look to customers to determine the set of needs that can be uniquely satisfied.  Brands are more than products on the shelf.”
• “Retailers are brands and need to focus on what the customer wants and how the retailer can positively differentiate their brand.”
• “It’s all about customers, not products.  Retailers need to think like a brand and act like a retailer.”

“This (diabetes) has real legs.  It’s a horse to ride.  People will say its a niche market, but the market, unfortunately, is going to grow.”

• “People see red and green and they start salivating.”
• “Unlike many entrepreneurs who grow bored with a business, Tumolo managed to stay focused.”

• “It makes perfect sense for Rita’s to come out with a product that would be available during the off-season and late night when its stores are closed.”
• “That could strengthen the brand, as long as it is not overdone.  If you put it everywhere, you’ve lost the cachet.”

• “You can beat Wal-Mart, but not if you try to go up against their strength, which is price.”
• “You don’t want to compete on terms on which your competitor is stronger.”

• “Speak to a manager or someone who is able to make decisions but don’t try to haggle during a busy time.”
• “In addtion, be pleasant, mention competitors’ prices, and most importantly, educate yourself by knowing what items cost before you walk in the door”

• “We are a society which likes to indulge.  So on the consumer side, candy is fun to start with, so something new and different is always good.”
• “Kids don’t want to get fancy, bite-sized gourmet stuff.  This is pretty much geared toward the baby boomer who has never really had to compromise.  They’ve enjoyed life in terms of health and wealth.  They were part of the greatest economic boom of our times…they feel OK about treating themselves.”
• When taste and nutrition collide, taste wins every time.  The Holy Grail, which we have been looking for years, is how do we make it taste good but still be good for you.”

• “Whatever strides supermarkets have made catering to parents and kids, they still have a long way to go. Many in-store bathrooms are not child-friendly. And it’s the rare grocery that makes it easy for mom or dad in the parking lot. Parking spots for pregnant women are tough to find. Then there’s the issue of lugging the super-size diaper boxes, the groceries, the child seat and the toddler to the car.”
• “The supermarkets know they can’t beat Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the largest grocery retailer in the world, on prices.  So they’re focusing on customer service, which explains the rising popularity of kiddie carts.”
• “Now it’s the cost of doing business, because pretty soon every retailer is going to have a few of them.”