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Letter to America's CEOs from PENZYS Spice
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Posted on 12/02/2016 10:31:28 AM PST by nikos1121

Dear CEO,

Please give us a moment to share something we hope you will find very valuable.

Our customers come from all walks of life. The kindness of cooks knows no borders or divides. In the aftermath of the election, seeing the intentional damage inflicted on so many outside the white heterosexual male world, we raised our voice. We felt we had to. We did this because we are Penzeys. The Spice business is so intertwined with history that it's not really possible to have one without the other. It became clear to us that we are now in a moment history will long have its eyes upon. For the sake of our customers, and for the sake of future generations, we felt the time had come to stand on the right side of history.

And while the reasons for why we took a stand might be specific to our unique outlook, what we learned actually applies to all commerce in the United States. What we learned is that President-elect Donald Trump has no real support. Voters, sure, but no constituency. Running a campaign on "that horrible-terrible-woman who should be locked up," while at the same time working to raise fear of minorities among white voters with limited access to education, clearly achieved its goal. But none of it left Americans with any sense of connection to the candidate they actually voted for.

Willing to take a hit for what is right, we did what we did. In the two weeks since, online sales are up 59.9%, gift box sales up 135%. And we didn't have a catalog arrive in this window this year, while last year we had 1.1 million! Yes, maybe for the moment we have lost 3% of our customers because of the so-called "right wing firestorm." And, yes, they send emails of rage, and ALL CAPS, and bad language with the hope of creating the perception that they are bigger than they really are. But what we learned is that, in terms of retail spending, Donald Trump simply has no one supporting his views for America. He has no constituency.

America's Values, on the other hand, have a really sizable constituency, and that constituency moves quickly to support those that stand up for the values of America. If, as a company, you have values, now is the time to share them. You may well lose a chunk of your AM radio-listening customers, but if you really are honest and sincere, don't be surprised to see your promotions suddenly, finally, find active engagement with the Millennial generation.

And the time for this really is now. We understand all too well that, with the holidays, December is a tough month to get things done. We understand that a change in direction will not be easy, but you are where you are because you don't need things to be easy. If you wait until after the wheels come off the track for the incoming administration, this moment will have passed. And while there's no bad time to do the right thing, to do the right thing at the same time as others in your industry will work so much better than waiting until someone else has shown the way.

In this moment there is finally the real chance to unite our nation in our shared rejection of sexism, homophobia, and racism. This is your chance to stand up for America's values and make January a tent pole in your company's history. Opportunities to do the right thing at the time when doing the right thing makes all the difference come once in a lifetime. Make your history proud.

Thanks for reading,

Penzeys Spices


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: penzys; trump
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To: nikos1121

A spike in business is always evident after this kind of publicity.

The proof is in the pudding a few months from now, when those leftists that bought all this stuff have not used it all, and don’t buy any more, and the other huge chunk of potential customers he just alienated are still not buying

Revisit this in a year or so...let’s see how business is going, then.


41 posted on 12/02/2016 10:56:36 AM PST by QualityMan (I will not comply.)
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To: luckymom
I just looked through the comments on their Facebook page- didn’t see a single negative one, all were praising the company’s “heroic” stand- what?!?! They must be working overtime scrubbing the truth telling comments.

It could be that the company appeals primarily to lefties. If the CEO of the Birkenstock company made similar comments, he'd probably be congratulated as well.

And, may all the conservatives have already unfriended him.

42 posted on 12/02/2016 10:57:01 AM PST by Sans-Culotte (Time to get the US out of the UN and the UN out of the US!)
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To: Califreak

And, like improverished Cuba, then declare that it is all worth it.


43 posted on 12/02/2016 10:57:25 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: reaganaut

I just got this response to my email requesting that they cancel my account.

“Thanks for your email - sorry we’re away at the moment. We get a lot of emails from our customers, and we make every effort to get back to you by the next business day.
If you’d like to change or cancel your order - we ask that you please call. Written requests can at times be delayed, and we usually can only make a change within the first few hours that an order is placed.

The regular hours for our call center are: Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm (CDT), Saturday 9 am to 3 pm and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm. 1-800-741-7787

Thanks for understanding, and we’ll get back to you soon.

Penzeys Spices Customer Service”


44 posted on 12/02/2016 10:57:57 AM PST by nikos1121 (I hear Kasich is being considered for post master general.)
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To: cornfedcowboy

If you decide that you want to try a new spice vendor, just continue reading this thread. A number of freepers have offered clickable links.


45 posted on 12/02/2016 10:58:18 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: cornfedcowboy

I just wrote them an email canceling. The Spice House is as good if not better.


46 posted on 12/02/2016 10:59:05 AM PST by nikos1121 (I hear Kasich is being considered for post master general.)
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To: PGR88
*January a tent pole in your company's history.*

LOL


47 posted on 12/02/2016 10:59:34 AM PST by Daffynition ( "The New PTSD: Post-Trump Stress Disorder")
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To: trisham

Maybe I’m just redneck unsophisticated... but even grocery spices can be pretty good. Many groceries put them on deep discount sale during certain seasons. That’s the time to get more. McCormick, etc. never gives us this kind of guff.


48 posted on 12/02/2016 11:00:52 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: nikos1121

Yeah, sure, let’s see how their numbers look in a few quarters.


49 posted on 12/02/2016 11:04:52 AM PST by Boogieman
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To: nikos1121
Looks like they've lost 3% of their business.
The letter might be to stop the bleeding - to assure their current customers not to leave.
50 posted on 12/02/2016 11:05:44 AM PST by stylin19a (obama = Fredo smart)
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To: nikos1121

Yet their post claims that they have only lost 3% and that business is actually better now. SMH


51 posted on 12/02/2016 11:08:14 AM PST by reaganaut (I'm looking forward to Trump as President. I'm an Evangelical and I vote.)
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To: nikos1121

This is what I wrote:
And by the way, I will keep buying Penzy spices because in America we are free to make all of these statements, regardless how dumb. (And my side won, so I don’t really care. (Smiley face)


52 posted on 12/02/2016 11:08:31 AM PST by Hildy ("The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it." Orwell)
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To: nikos1121

Have you tried their Bavarian Seasoning? I use that on so many things. My mom was allergic to pork and I would use that with some sage in hamburger and make ‘beef sausage’ for her and it was hard to tell the difference. I also use it for poultry and on eggs.


53 posted on 12/02/2016 11:09:34 AM PST by reaganaut (I'm looking forward to Trump as President. I'm an Evangelical and I vote.)
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To: RegulatorCountry

Well.....I’ll be darned.

Us kids always thought he was just crazy.

Maybe I should look him up on the Internet and apologize for tying him to his chair.


54 posted on 12/02/2016 11:11:07 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: HiTech RedNeck

We have some McCormick spices, too.


55 posted on 12/02/2016 11:11:15 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: nikos1121

Never heard of Penzy’s. And if they don’t produce spice products any better than they tell the truth; I hope I never hear the name again.


56 posted on 12/02/2016 11:11:25 AM PST by Tucker39 (Welcome to America! Now speak English; and keep to the right....In driving, in theolog and politics.)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

You’re not the only one. I knew that there were places that sell spices, etc., but I don’t bother as I can get everything I need at the grocery store. McCormick has some great seasoning/spice sets. I don’t need anything fancy.


57 posted on 12/02/2016 11:13:05 AM PST by PJBankard
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To: Sans-Culotte

Ive purchased from Penzys for spices for almost five years now. I suspect, I’ve spent close to $600 or more, probably more when you add gifts. They have a store in Birmingham, high end neighborhood. I would be very very surprised if the store is not losing some business.


58 posted on 12/02/2016 11:13:44 AM PST by nikos1121 (I hear Kasich is being considered for post master general.)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

You’re right, but it’s nice to buy your favorites in bulk.


59 posted on 12/02/2016 11:15:04 AM PST by nikos1121 (I hear Kasich is being considered for post master general.)
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To: nikos1121

Apparently Penzey’s CEO is OK with calling all Trump voters bigots, misogynists, racists, homophobes, etc.

They have written off a lot of customers by insulting them: Serious Catholics, true Christians, Orthodox Jews, Mormons, etc.

What about if the Koch brothers were to say that people who voted for Hilary Clinton were anti-Christian, misogyists who support Sharia law which enslaves women, anti-religious orders like the Little Sisters of the Poor, anti-poor old people who are served by the LSoP?????

Talk about tunnel vision and hate! It is emanating from the left.


60 posted on 12/02/2016 11:16:28 AM PST by Gumdrop
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