Our mission is to Develop, Enhance and Maintain Profitability and Equity for every Pepperidge Farm Owner
POAA Gives Meaning to the Motto: "In Business For Yourself, Not By Yourself."
OWNER SUES PF & SEEKS CLASS CERTIFICATION
On Wednesday, July 1, 2020, a courageous owner from Ohio filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio that asserts Pepperidge Farm’s classification practices violated overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Ohio state laws. The Ohio lawsuit was filed as an FLSA Collective Action that seeks certification by the court to represent other owners in Ohio as a class action. The case is assigned to Senior United States District Judge, the Honorable Michael R. Barrett. POAA hopes that the owners in Ohio are able to reach an expeditious and favorable resolution of their legal action aimed at stopping PF’s unfair competitive practices.
BORN ON THE 4th OF JULY
Just as Independence Day is a federal holiday that commemorates the official Declaration of Independence of the United States of America on July 4, 1776, PF also celebrates the 4th of July because it commemorates the grand opening of PF's first modern commercial bakery in Norwalk, Connecticut on July 4th, 1947. Interestingly, Margaret Rudkin named her fairy tale start-up company the exact same name as her family farm, which was named after an ancient Pepperidge tree (aka a black tupelo) on the property known as Pepperidge Farm.
Click on the image above to learn more about how PF tells its origin story. Owners will take note that PF's story omits any mention of the visionary Sales Development Associates (franchise owners) that helped PF leave the barn and build a successful business. It also neglects to recount PF's unequivocal commitment to promote DSD over Central Warehouse distribution. POAA Remembers that PF's independent owners blazed trails into new markets by espousing the benefits of the relatively new DSD distribution model over the central warehouse distribution model that dominated the consumer package goods industry in the 1950's. PF survived its start-up phase because of its delicious products and the diligence of the independent owners who ultimately helped Margaret Rudkin's fairly tale become the crown jewel of Campbell Soup Company. Remember - PF was born on the 4th of July in 1947.
CPB APPOINTS SENIOR VP OF SALES, SNACKS
In keeping with a Yankee Doodle Dandy theme, recently appointed Executive Vice President and President of Campbell Snacks, Valerie Oswalt, announced this week the arrival of Toby Johnson as Campbell Soup Company’s Senior Vice President of Sales, Snacks. SVP Johnson is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a Harvard Business School MBA program. TeamPOAA is grateful for her service as an Army Aviation Officer (Captain) and Longbow Apache Helicopter Pilot, a notoriously complicated combat aircraft.
TeamPOAA is hopeful that SVP Johnson will use her professional experience in civilian supply chains and sales roles at Pepisco, including its snacks subsidiary Frito Lay, to help build and protect the equity of the independent owners of PF’s DSD distribution network.
Join the discussions every other Tuesday at 7pm EST
Given that many active owners are planning to take summer vacations, and many others are planning to help cover accounts for their friends who are taking vacations, POAA will host Zoom Meetings only every other Tuesday for July and August. So, our Summer Zoom Meetings schedule will be as follows: July 21st, August 4th, and August 18th. We will announce the Fall Zoom Meeting schedule in upcoming weekly newsletters.
or if you have a FREE Zoom account the code is 860 4691 4758
TIP OF THE WEEK
Independent owners working together can harness the economies of scale and power of collective action to effectuate meaningful change for the benefit of all owners of PF's DSD distribution network. Association is a natural way to survive and thrive in such a rapidly changing and harsh business environment. In nature, small fish swim in schools, mammals travel in herds and birds flock together because there is power and safety in numbers. Be proactive about raising awareness with inactive owners in your depot. JOIN THE DISCUSSIONS. Click here to let us know what's on your mind
FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
The opinions and beliefs expressed in this newsletter are intended only to spark discussions about serious and ongoing business issues that impact every owner in PF’s distribution network. If you need or want legal advice, you must consult with your attorney.
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You are receiving this email because you own an Exclusive Pepperidge Farm Franchise and/or an Exclusive Pepperidge Farm Distributorship, and you should know that the Pepperidge Farm Owners Association of America is proactively protecting your rights.
