We Shop Around So You Don’t Have To

I read an article a couple of weeks ago entitled “You Are Only as Good as Your Vendor” by Sarah E. Needleman. She wrote about some bad experiences she had when she worked with certain vendors and what she learned along the way. We agree that a company is only as good as the folks they work with.  Want to know about some of our vendors and why we chose them instead of the hundreds of others in their fields?

I read an article a couple of weeks ago entitled “You Are Only as Good as Your Vendor” by Sarah E. Needleman. She wrote about some bad experiences she had when she worked with certain vendors and what she learned along the way.  We agree that a company is only as good as the folks they work with. Want to know about some of our vendors and why we chose them instead of the hundreds of others in their fields?

When we started Laurel Mountain Basket Co in 1998 we planned on using only products made in New England.  That turned out to be more difficult than anticipated so we modified our thinking to we'll use “as many as possible”.  We first look for products made in Western Mass, then New England, then made in the USA and only if we can not find a suitable vendor with products that meet our standards at the price we want,  do we look outside of the US.

We love being able to give our clients such excellent products as Hedgie’s salsa made right up the road in Greenfield Mass.  I love knowing that if there were ever aproblem (can’t imagine what it would be) but if there ever were a problem, I could call Steve (Steve Nelson the CEO of Hedgie’s Hot Stuff Inc.) and he would fix it faster than immediately.

I have the same relationship with all of my local vendors.  Like Sandy at Little House of Thyme, Shelly at North Hadley Sugar Shack, or Kristen or Shelly at Appalachian Naturals.  Last Saturday I met with Laraine and Tarynn of Raine all natural bath and body products and Susan of Manor Hall Soap Company just to get to know them and their products.

I just contacted a woman in New Orleans who makes dog and cat toys out of recycles denim to see if we want to work together.   We even scout out special vendors for our pet gift baskets.

It's important to have a network of vendors that I can turn to when a client want something special and know that they will be there for me.

Even when I work with a large distributor I look for products made in New England.  Products like Haute Cuisine and Venus crackers made in Hingham, Ma.  Did you know that most of the Lindor Truffles distributed in the US are manufactured in New Hampshire? Yup, they are.

We think that our vendors are the best.  See for yourself, send one of our specialty gift baskets like County Fair, Home Grown, or Pancake Breakfast (even the wooden crate is hand made in Connecticut by an 80+ year old retired stair maker)  and you’re not only sending a beautiful gift basket you’re supporting the efforts of lots of good folks.

Marie