I met with buyer Rick Bateman, Director of Procurement Traci and sales planner Linda Luka.  General built a state of art distribution center on the outskirts of Sacramento.  The building is a year old and is doing great.  40% of their business model is food service.  They handle some key retailers in the area that include the Military Commissaries and a big group of IGA stores.  The Military store did a nice job with ads and run hot price with super low margins.  Linda is going to work on the IGA stores as they did not use the logo last season.  We are also going to run ad programs at other retailer this season: Atkinson’s stores in Idaho, SPD in Nevada City and Shop K Mart in Oregon.  She will also review our point of sale.  They will run a social media program intent tied with health message on all of the channels.  They like all of our health messages.  Linda was very interested in all of the varieties we carry but Rick does not like to call them which makes sense in the ads.  He mentioned that California had a lot double spur cowboys last season.  He feels this is still a cherry for lower price retailers and they can go $3.00 less per pound on premium cherries.  Rick has been communicating with his supplier and is ready for the season.