7-30: Dietz & Watson calls out Boar's Head for exclusivity
"Dietz & Watson has never shied away from competition - we've been producing the finest deli meats and cheeses for 70 years," said Louis Eni, president and CEO. "We would never - ever - consider demanding that grocery stores carry only our premium products at the exclusion of others. We want to win on quality and taste, not by cutting off competitors. That disrespects consumers. Yet that's exactly what Boar's Head has been doing to grocery store chains across the country - essentially telling grocers, 'If you want to sell our product, you can't offer your customers any other premium choices.' Exclusivity is selfish and it needs to stop."
Eni pointed to the Harris Teeter chain in North Carolina, which was forced to discontinue offering Dietz & Watson products because it wanted to offer Boar’s Head products as an alternative. A spokesman for the chain told a local newspaper that it was a difficult decision, as the Dietz & Watson products were popular among customers.