J. Vogel Premium Water Offers Jug Organizer

First-time buyers of purified water from the J. Vogel Premium Water Co., Minneapolis, don't have to lug a jug. They can select and fill a bottle from the bottom-feed displays adjacent to the company's water purification machines in selected grocery stores. The display holds 48 one-gallon bottles that feed down along the front of the unit and 20 three-gallon bottles that feed from behind. It keeps the empty bottles organized and provides easy, convenient access for consumers."Our challenge has been to keep dozens of large empty plastic bottles in an orderly fashion at the point-of-sale,"' explains Tom Guetzke, chief operating officer for the J. Vogel Premium Water Co. "With a shelving system, the bottles easily become disheveled. Our new display feeds the bottles directly to consumers one at a time and provides a neat, attractive presentation."The company's water purification machines have been in place in supermarkets for several years. Consumers use the machines to wash and rinse previously used bottles and refill empty ones with purified water. Users pay a one-time price for the refillable bottles, which are labeled and identified at checkout as first-time use.The water bottle display measures 20 inches wide by 84 inches high by 36 inches deep. It is made of transparent Spectar copolymer -- a product of the Eastman Chemical Co., Kingsport, Tenn. It includes a lockable opaque storage bin at the bottom, a slot for consumer brochures and two bins, complete with tongs, for additional bottle caps.The display has a coupon printer that automatically prints a "get one gallon free" coupon. Frequent purchasers who join J. Vogel's "H20 Club" receive a free gallon of water after every 20 gallons purchased. The club membership number is entered into the machine's keypad at each purchase. J. Vogel is currently working with other companies to provide coupons for coffee, tea, fruit juices and other water-based products.The displays are assembled for supermarket retailers, who then restock them with empty bottles as needed. The system will eventually be offered in office buildings, universities and other locations where a demand for purified drinking water is strong. The first production run of 40 displays has been placed in Minnesota and South Dakota. Future markets will include Arizona, California and Florida. A second production run scheduled for early 1996 will yield about 100 to 150 additional displays.

P2PI MEMBERS

JOIN P2PI

You May Also Like

In-Store Experience: BJ’s Wholesale Club

Home Depot Launches Online Hub for New Homeowners