Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/964617
18 FEDA News & Views ONE OF THE UNIQUE FEATURES OF BOELTER'S SHOWROOM IS THE WORKING BAR THAT ANCHORS THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT SECTION. USED IN NETWORKING EVENTS AND EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS, THE SHOWPIECE IS COURTESY OF PERLICK. "PERLICK IS ONE OF OUR MANUFACTURER PARTNERS AND THEIR DIE WALL SYSTEM IS HARD FOR CUSTOMERS TO ENVISION WITHOUT A WORKING MODEL," SAYS ERIC CHAPLICK. "Demand creation solidifies our position with our suppliers, and shows them why Boelter is the best choice for a dealer partner in each of our key geographies, and for the national accounts we serve." -President Eric Boelter between Nitro coffee and a regular cold brew. In January, the distributor also hired Chef Randy Zweiban, formally of Lettuce Entertain You, to do cooking demos, manage third-party events and connect with other foodservice professionals interested in partnering with Boelter. "We're using the showroom to pair people and information and trying to provide solutions for day-to-day operations," says Chaplick, referring to a series of educational and networking sessions Boelter calls "Paired." Complementary groups, as in craft brewers and restauranteurs, are invited to the showroom to network and discuss branding opportunities. ere's also food and drink and minicourses. For the "Paired" event featuring craft brewers, cider makers and vintners, each educational talk included a Boelter Craft Brewing customer or a Boelter Supplier, which in this case was Libbey Glass and Perlick. Some of the courses offered were "Food and Beer Pairing 101," "Managing Your Merchandise," "Beer Glassware 411," and "Behind the Bar." "We covered how to properly install lines for beer systems and why it's important to have the beer at the right temperature; it was all informational material tied around breweries and beer," says Chaplick. "More and more, we're hearing that it's hard for people to gather information from resources other than the Internet. We want to help our customers make connections that are beneficial to growing their business." Boelter is focused on filling the gap. "Education is at the core of demand creation," says President Eric Boelter. "Customers have plenty of options to self-educate on the Internet, but it's not as easy to wade through the best option for their facility. We are focused on listening to their vision and needs and translating it into something very special. If we do this consistently, support it with proper marketing and execute in the store and in the field, we will drive additional sales and increased demand for our key suppliers' offerings." ■