Pampered Chef's Newest Competition- New Home Based Businesses

[DebbieSAChef]

Just thought you all would like to know some new home based businesses that might give us some competition, or might even come up in future conversations with guests! Here are some websites to look up these new home based businesses. Study up and be confident in our superior products and host benefits.
Taste of home entertaining is from the makers of The Taste of Home magazine. They have launced a new line of products (sort of like PC and southern living stuff combined) May 2006!
They have like a frequently asked questions section and one part reads:
Do I have to cook?
No it's 2005 not 1986.

I think it's a direct slam at us!!

Their kit is $199 plus $20 for shipping plus tax.
http://www.entertainingathome.com/our_products_decorative.html
I couldn't find prices to products! Maybe it's too soon!!

Look for yourself!
Debbie

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Forgot the other one!I forgot to mention another new fad in my city, it's called Super Suppers.

We discussed these at our cluster meeting last night and I thought I would share and post on here.

http://www.supersuppers.com/how_we.php

I am posting this from their website but check it out for yourselves also:

Our easy-to-follow recipes, the right ingredients and cooking instructions are there in front of you. All you have to bring is an ice chest or laundry basket to easily transport your meals home.
Come to Super Suppers, where you can relax, meet a new (or old!) friend and enjoy some music and appetizers while you put a month’s worth of meals together at your pace!
Each entrée is designed to feed 4 to 6 people, but, if you have a smaller family (or smaller eaters), you can split your entrées and double the number of meals for the same low price!
Oh, we didn’t mention the price? With an average entrée price of less than $3.00 per serving, you can save hundreds of dollars and 20-30 hours of your precious time every month!
“Our goal all along was to get families back to the dinner table” says Byrd. “With Super Suppers, a Mom or Dad can spend an hour or two with us and assemble a month’s worth of delicious meals that can go from the freezer to dinner table at their home. We don’t just look at Super Suppers as a food operation, we see ourselves as a healthy lifestyle change. Super Suppers gives you quality food at affordable prices and gives you back 20-30 hours of your own precious time each month!”

Does that quote in red above kind of sound like PC's motto of bringing families back to the table!!
Just thought you all would like to know about these.
Debbie

 

[lacychef]

Sounds interesting, thanks for the info. I don't think the second will really compete with us, unless you live in a town where they're located. The closest one in my state is 2 hours away.
They might try the rest, but they'll come back to the best PC!!

 

[DebbieJ]

We have nothing to worry about.

 

[cmdtrgd]

I am excited about Super Suppers and others popping up around the country! It is getting people BACK into the kitchen and out of the Drive-Thru! I was thinking of contacting the local ones and seeing if they need any of our products. Also, it would be a great place to do a combination cooking class. They provide the space and I provide the hands-on demo/lesson. We split the fees and/or I book shows and get orders. I'll let you know what comes of it!

 

[dianevill]

ToheI actually met the CEO's Executive Assistant for Taste of Home Entertaining last night (I didn't know they were here in Wisconsin)! They launched on Monday with 4300 consultants (many are former PC consultants, directors and above). The CEO used to be with Southern Living at Home and was asked by Readers Digest to start TOHE. According to the assistant, TOHE is totally separate from Taste of Home magazine. Right now most of their products are more geared towards "entertaining", but she said kitchen tools that are "more upscale than Pampered Chef" are going to be introduced. They offer expensive stainless steel cookware, and the consultants are being trained to tell customers how bad Teflon is for everyone's health (I did inform her of the truth about Teflon).

It will be interesting to see what happens, but I'm only mildly concerned. PC has stood the test of time!

Diane

P.S. To the comment they made about this is 2005 not 1986 when asked if consultants have to cook at their shows, our guests come to shows because they want to learn how to make life in the kitchen easier - we SHOW them! Not just hand them a catalog and say, "Here, look at the pictures."

 

[RachelNguyen]

That 1986 line is funny! And just wrong. My guests LOVE to watch me whip something fantastic out of a couple of simple ingredients. It is a big part of the draw. Otherwise, why bother with a party at all?

(I went to a Longaberger party once... it was embarrassing because I simply couldn't bring myself to buy anything. I am NOT into baskets! LOL. Same thing happened at a friend's home decorating party I went to. I finally chose a couple of candle holders because I couldn't figure out what else to get. I am so glad, now, that I didn't buy the stoneware pie plate. It was tacky and not anywhere near as great as ours!)

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Not worried here!!Oh I'm not worried either. I just thought it would be good to find out about other home based companies like ours. I already know our benefits, offers, specials and incentives are way better!!
I also think it's sad that people think because we are in 2006, that means we shouldn't have fun cooking and baking in front of guests. Even when I don't do PC shows I invite friends and family over and what do I do...
cook and bake!!!
If that's considered old fashioned, then I'm just an old fashioned TEXAS girl!! LOL
Especially with PC products it helps me get in and out of the kitchen faster, but still produce delicious wonderful dishes that I am proud of!!
Super Suppers is a neat concept. My director actually wanted to start a franchise here in our city! Paying $120 or so for 6 meals that feed 4-6 people is still a stretch for my family. I can usually make 6 meals that feed more than that for less than $75! Granted some of those meals sound delicious, and like a gourmet dinner but my husband wasn't impressed!! He's more about saving for our new home and MY cooking!!
Debbie
Debbie

 

[TinasKitchen]

I had seen Super Suppers on the Food Network, a family bought into the business. Or maybe it was another station. But I thought about that.. glad I got into PC instead.. alot less money was needed! lol

As far as the other one, I'm a little bummed that they have someone like Mario with them. I wish we had some kind of Food Network person along with us.. I think that would totally boost sales thru the roof. After looking at that website, I still dont think its anything we'd have to worry about. As it is I hear some complaints about our prices.. theirs seem so much more $$.

Thanks for the info

 

[soonerchef]

I seriously considered selling TOHE, they do have a great consultant program. When it came down to make a decision I found that I was talking myself into TOHE and if that's the case then it's not the right choice. I loved PC from the beginning and just couldn't split my loyalties. That being said, TOHE has beautiful entertaining products, they have these great leather looking plates and cups and they are way cool. Their kitchen stuff is just okay, their garlic press is laughable! The only thing that they have that could be more "upscale" is their cookware and that's because it's stainless steel and that's only a matter of opinion. The chopper that they have looks quite odd as well. TOHE's prices are very reasonable and I will probably be a customer of theirs as they offer stuff that we don't. I honestly do not see them as competition to us, there might be a dozen items in the catalog that would be close to what we have.

 

[Cindycooks]

I don't think TOHE is any competition - their things are beautiful, but I consider them more upscale and "gourmet"...our things are much more basic for everyday entertaining and cooking. Thats what todays cooks are after.

 

[jjgrands1]

I met an owner of a local Super Suppers at the Taste of Home Show, and she ordered several food choppers from me. I will be staying in touch with her to make sure I can try to have PC products in her facility. My other PC friends may want to try this avenue also. Jacque

 

[RachelNguyen]

The only way they are competition would be for recruiting. If someone was looking for a home based business, they might look at the different options. In my case, though, I joined PC because I went to a show and loved the products, so I wouldn't have ever considered anyone else!

 

[pchefgirl1982]

I don't think Super Suppers will be competition for us since it's more of a franchise and not direct sales. We have something similar near my house but it's called Plate Escapes, it has never hurt my business though and it's been here for at least 5 years.

Keep on Cheffin'
Marie

 

[soonerchef]

Plus, with the Super Suppers...they will need cookware and stoneware to reheat the stuff, right? That's big bucks, just think if we could get flyers to go with all of suppers that they deliver...

 

[chefkristin]

We have one here in MA called Dream Dinners. I guess its the same concept as Super Suppers. I was invited to join one in May.