(Editor’s Note: PromoWire by PPAI Media is a running digest of updates from organizations around the promotional products industry. PPAI Media will consider newsworthy entries submitted by any member organization.)

November 6

Midnite Snax Introduces Tony’s Chocolonely To The Promo Industry

Midnite Snax (PPAI 113793, S3) has entered into a partnership agreement with Tony’s Chocolonely, a high-end, international gourmet chocolate brand, to exclusively market its branded corporate gifts to the promo industry.

  • The companies will combine efforts to create a full line of co-branded corporate gifts with custom packaging.
  • Midnite Snax was drawn to Tony’s Chocolonely for its high-quality chocolate but also because of its mission to free the cocoa supply chain of all labor exploitation.

“We kind of consider ourselves experts when it comes to fine chocolate,” says David Katz, partner at Midnite Snax. “There is no doubt that Tony’s Chocolonely is just that. But even more compelling is their unwavering commitment to making humane changes to how cocoa is sourced and how cocoa farmers are treated. We are proud to partner with a chocolatier whose moral compass is just as impressive as their products.”

November 2

Spector & Co. Eliminates Multi-Line Reps From Its Sales Strategy

Spector & Co. (PPAI 168328, S10) recently made a major shift in its sales strategy and, as of November 1, the supplier will no longer be represented by multi-line agencies.

  • In an email to customers, the company said the decision supports its commitment to offer distributor clients a more personalized and tailored experience, to ensure clients understand the full scope of what it offers and to give them the best possible service.
  • The communication also included contact information for each customer’s inside account manager.

Koozie Group Updates Its Storefront At Enterprise Village

Koozie Group (PPAI 114187, S13) recently celebrated the new look of its storefront at Stavros Institute’s Enterprise Village during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

  • Enterprise Village is an initiative of the Pinellas Education Foundation and part of a self-contained educational program. It provides a hands-on learning experience for area fifth-grade students where they apply the economics lessons learned in the classroom to a real-world environment.
  • Koozie Group is one of more than 20 businesses represented at Enterprise Village, which features a layout similar to a shopping mall. The updated storefront features new Koozie Group branding and signage, updated wall graphics, a wall-length mural and new carpeting.

Speaking about the new look of the storefront, Koozie Group Employee Experience and Communications Manager Trisha Joyce says, “After changing our name from BIC Graphic to Koozie Group, it became necessary to update our storefront at Enterprise Village, as well. We are absolutely delighted with the new look of this space and proud to be a longtime supporter of this incredible hands-on education program.”

Kim Jowell, chief executive officer of the Pinellas Education Foundation, adds, “Fifth-grade students in Pinellas County learn economic objectives in their classroom before visiting Enterprise Village, which is undoubtedly a favorite field trip among elementary school students. They’re taught things like how to apply for a job, work in a group setting and balance a checking account. Koozie Group’s partnership will allow students to put what they learned into action by working in roles such as sales associate, manager, mechanical engineer, financial officer and customer service. They’ll make business decisions, prepare checks, make deposits and assist customers, all during their one-day visit to Enterprise Village.”

Orbus Releases Latest Editions Of The Exhibitors’ Handbook And Promo Handbook

Orbus Visual Communications (PPAI 428128, S7) introduces its 2023-2024 editions of The Exhibitors’ Handbook and Promo Handbook product catalogs, featuring its newest products: the MODify Retail Merchandising System and Blaze SEG Light Boxes.

  • The unbranded catalogs offer resources to help distributors sell and market display products with their extensive range of portable display products, fabric structures, modular exhibit solutions and display accessories.
  • Both catalogs can be downloaded from the company website. The Promo Handbook is also available on ZOOMCatalog and can be customized with a distributor’s logo. Printed versions of both catalogs are also available upon request.

New EZ-Check System Streamlines Order Details At A Glance

Contract decorator 4EZ /Texas Art Embroidery is formally launching its EZ-Check system. Developed in partnership with Lakeshore Group (PPAI 100057, A1), the system uses agreed upon proprietary packages alongside the software’s standard pieces.

  • EZ-Check’s first version includes simple order history listings, art history listings, invoice search functions, and what is being dubbed the “status board” for a real time status on all live orders in one simple-to-interpret list.
  • The status board includes functions for checking order ship dates, firm reference dates, verified order confirmations, goods received listings in detail, approved art checks, order scheduled, order in production, order-waiting-to-ship features and more.

4EZ/Texas Art Embroidery’s Micah Stalarow says, “The goal of the EZ-Check system being developed in partnership with Lakeshore Group was to present expert programmers with our goal and let them manage developing and deploying it. We want to continue focusing on decorating with efficiency and quality. Bringing this totally in-house would split our attention, so it only made sense to partner with a team, and Lakeshore Group was an easy choice to partner with.”

Kaye Keady, Lakeshore Group’s lead programmer, adds, “4EZ was a valuable partner in helping us to add to our existing customer portal to include features expressly needed in the industry, such as the ability to review art used on an order and the status board. The status board is an adaptation of the status board we developed specifically for 4EZ in the full Lakeshore system that keeps them on top of all steps in the production process. We are excited for the plans of future features already in development.”