Conference turris::cooks

    My husband and I were in it for awhile, but decided to get out. The
    quality of the food is very good, however we didn't feel we were saving
    that much money. We were going to the grocery store every week anyways
    for the other stuff that they don't supply, that it just added up.
    
    We first started it, because I was in school 2 to 3 nights a week and
    just didn't have the time to shop. It is very convenient. But each
    time they visit for your reorder, they show you all the things you
    can buy to reduce your food bill, and it was just a hassle. Each time
    you buy something it adds a percentage off of your food bill for the
    time you are in the program. You can reduce it by 45%, at the most.
    
    It works out if you stay in longer than 3 years, but at the beginning
    we still weren't sure how long we would stay in, and they still kept
    pressing us to buy the stuff. Too pushy for me.
    
    Like I said, it's convenient and the food quality is good, however, if
    you don't like to be pushed into buying other stuff, such as plates
    silverware, goblets, pans, etc, I wouldn't suggest doing it.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Sheila
    

    I found this note interesting. We had a Colorado Prime representative
    at our home last week. The deal sounded good. My problem was there
    are only three of us and I figured I would have to stop off at
    the grocery store anyway for a host of things.
    
    My husband asked me to look into references because I know he liked
    the idea of the meats in a freezer and more choice. 
    
    I am curious:
    
    	Do you have to sit with them when you place your reorder or
    can you just fill out a form?
    
    	I saw the plates and stuff...what's the hook to get you to buy
    these things?
    
    	Does their food list expand?
    
    	How was their frozen fish? (We looked at salmon particulary)
    
    
    Thanks 
    
    Ann

	

	1) Didn't they ask you to by thier freezer yet???

	2) I don't know about you, but I'd get quite sick of eating 
           "flash frozen" food. %^)

	Just my .02

	Cap'n Quad 

    Yes, you have to sit down with them to reorder every time. If you are
    ordering the same thing, you just sit there while the rep. fills out
    the order. Then they go into the plate sell. That usually takes longer
    than the ordering.
    
    Yes, the fish was good. We never ate that much fish before, but since
    it was convenient, we ordered scrod, scallops, shrimp and flounder.
    It's very good, especially the scrod.
    
    Sheila
    

    
    Check out Lyceum::Consumer
    
    The following topics are relevant to your question.  My opinions and
    experience are offered in one of the discussions.  Press KP7 to add
    the conference CONSUMER to your notebook.
    
    (Directory of Lyceum::Consumer)
    
    66  ASGMKA::PENNEY       26-JAN-1985    16  Food Plans/Financing
   874  TALLIS::HADUCH       21-SEP-1987    28  Food services/food plans
  1009     PBA::MAY           5-JAN-1988     4  FOOD PLAN PROS & CONS
  1098  PARITY::KLEBES        1-APR-1988    21  Food Freezers
  1342  NETMAN::DISMUKE      21-NOV-1988     5  freezers / food delivery services
    

    re: .2
    
     You can do re-orders over the telephone if you'd like.  Don't know 
    how long it takes, but I've been given the option several times. I 
    think the next time we order will be via phone since we basically
    know what we want.  
    
    As far as the selling goes, yes it is a nuisance, and also having to
    always give out a list of phone numbers can be a nuisance. I just lay
    it out to the rep when he comes, we're not interested in buying any
    items besides food, and we don't have any phone numbers to give you.
    The may hem and haw, but stand firm, or tell them to forget it and 
    cancel the order if they insist on badgering you about it.  They'll
    change their tune quickly.  We've bought a few items over the years 
    that we needed, and they were a pretty good deal.  The quality is
    always very good IMO.  Our discount is 45% and we _do_ save a lot more
    than we would buying the same quantity/quality of food in the market.
    
     Don't be led into believing that you won't need to visit the market
    again after joining. We still make a biweekly trip to stock up on 
    items that we don't purchase through CP.  We restrict our CP purchases
    to mostly meat, poultry, pasta, canned goods, and frozen veggies.  
    In sincerity, we are satisfied with the quality of food, and the 
    convenience, however we always dread the visit at re-order time and have 
    yet to have the same rep twice. It's always someone new and relatively 
    inexperienced. This is the reason I will opt for the telephone re-order 
    next time. 
    
    Regards, Larry

I have been using Suburban Foods, the local distributor for Colorado Prime, for 
four years now and have been very happy with it.  We avoid the hard sell
salesman by placing all of our orders directly over the phone.  They send us
a confirmation sheet and then deliver the food.  No salesman, no pressure, no
hassle.


Serv

    I had them at my house a month or so ago. Seemed like a good deal at 
    first, but then I worked out the cost divided by six meals a week for
    six months (what the saleman said was what they based everything on)
    The cost (at least for me) was around $12 a meal. I thought this was
    quite high for a chicken/fish/hamburger meal for a family of five.
    
    Just MHO
    
    Denny
    

    We had a very BAD experience with Colorado Prime a few years ago. We
    called them because we had just ended about 11 years with another food
    service that was excellent - but was family owned and went out of
    business. So, we liked - and had good experience with food services in
    the past. We hade a large (6) family at the time AND our own chest
    freezer.
    
    We listened to the Colorado Sales folk and bought their service. No
    freezer since we had our own, but the deal included about $450 worth of
    pots and pans. Clearly inflated in value, but we needed new kitchenware
    anyway.
    
    Well, the first order arrived and it was all messed up. The sizes were
    not what they represented to us and they sent some things we didn't
    order "because they were out of them and felt it was an OK substitute."
    The misrepresentation was the thing that got me. When the Salesperson
    made up the order we clearly wanted to make sure we had sized the meats
    properly so that we could be flexible (get two meals out of one roast,
    etc.) Yes, Yes, was the answer. But when we got the stuff, as I
    mentioned . . . no way could six of us make it last.
    
    So, we decided to cancel the order, get out of the program right away
    before we get too deep with them. Now comes the difficult part. They
    would not let us out of this program! The Sales rep, the District Sales
    rep and the Regional Sales Manager all called, talked and tried to
    convince me to stay in the program. They included many incentives . .
    .bring out more meat (Free!), no payments for awhile, keep the pots and
    pans, and so on. The more I called them to pick up their frozen food,
    the more offers they made. But I was determined. (It got to be quite a
    game. They just did not want to come to pick up the food.) Finally,
    I wrote them and told them that after a certain date they did not
    come to get their food, I would take it outside the freezer because it
    was taking up my space. Only then did they send their truck out. I then
    sent back their pots and pans UPS. This enitre episode with them lasted
    more than three months!
    
    Never again!
               

    
    
    Since we get the food at a 45% discount, we decided it was worth
    it for us to continue.  If I had it to do over again, I probably
    wouldn't.  Forget about trying to pin down actual costs on items,
    they won't tell you.  If you want to get rid of them fast when 
    they come wooing, tell them you're all vegetarians.  If I had an
    experience like .9, I'd quit in a second.  The food is good and
    it's convenient, but you can get just as good and better at your
    local super market.
    
     Another thing, if you do decide to join, be present while they unload
    the food.  I was busy once when they arrived with a delivery, and my
    wife brought them to the freezer in the family room.  There was 2 delivery
    people rather than the usual 1.  Later that day, I discovered several
    cassette tapes that had been on the bar, were missing.  I couldn't 
    prove that they stole them, though it was obvious, so I let it go as
    poor judgement on our part, and make it a point to watch their every
    move.
    
    It's certainly not for everyone !
    Larry

    We were never given the option of reordering over the phone, otherwise
    we would have definitely done it. I would have preferred it that way,
    and we wouldn't have had to deal with the sales pitch and the asking
    of friends names. That's the worst part, since I don't like to give
    out names and numbers to people.
    
    Sheila
    

    re: 9 DITTO!  We had a bad experience that sounded almost identical to
    note .9 .   We are still paying for that stupid freezer that I could
    have gotten at Lechmere much, much cheaper.  I would never get into
    that type of food plan again.  I also thought, this was great, no more
    going to the grocery store every week.  Wrong!  Also, with four of us,
    two children being college age and a son 6'1" who had a big appetite,
    this was not the way for us to go.  Portions weren't big enough.  Food
    was good though and if it were just me, maybe....
    
    My husband too pushed for breakdowns etc, and boy talk about dancing
    around the questions.  This salesman did a good job.  We also had a
    messed up order when it arrived.  After three phone calls, my husband
    finally got it straightened out.  Too much of a hassle.   Just my
    experience.  
    
    Loraine

    I've had numerous "phonecalls" from these types of places,
    because someone has given out my name/phone# in exchange
    for gettng a free roast beef.
    
    I tell them I don't eat frozen food!  Shuts them right up!
    
    L-

    I had set an appointment with one of their salesmen.  He never showed
    up.  The following day he called to reschedule.  I asked where he'd
    been the night before and he said he'd phoned about 5 p.m. to confirm
    and there was no answer.  I told him the apptment was for 6 p.m.
    because I work all day and wouldn't be home til at least 5:30.  I never
    rescheduled.
    

	I've been with Suburban Foods, (now Colorado Prime) for the past 4 1/2
	years.  I am very happy with them.  I originally got their freezer.
	I didn't have one of my own, plus the guarantee for life with it is
	that if the meat spoils from power outages, the meat is replaced free!

	The next time I reordered, I received the China, Crystal and flatware.
	This all comes with the lifetime guarantee of replacement of up to
	10 per calendar year of any piece that has been chipped, cracked or
	broken, regardless of the way it got broken.

	Then the next time I reordered, I received the knive set.  Super set
	of VERY sharp knives (serving AND steak).

	This past time I got the pots & pans set.

	My food bill is at the 50% discount (I pay $100.00 per month for the
	meat).  My freezer is packed and lasts over the 6 months I order for.
	I am paying an additional $24.00 per month for the pots & pans and
	they took $26.00 off my bill (originally it was to be $126.00 per month)

	Yes, I still have to go to the grocers once a week for the fresh 
	veggies and milk and bread, but the meat is all taken care of (as well
	as toilet paper and paper towels, dish detergent etc.)  But I feel we
	are eating very well for only $100.00 per month and there are 3 adults
	and one teen-ager in the house.

	THere have been times that we've had some meat and not liked it.  The
	next day I have called and they came out and replaced it with whatever
	it is I want instead.  Once I replaced a meatloaf for a filet mignon!

	This last time I ordered over the phone.  It was much better than having
	the person come to the house.  True, whenever the salesman came to the
	house he was there forever it seemed but an hour or two going over the
	next 6 months worth of meats was worth it.  Sure he would try to sell
	me something but I just said not interested, he also asked for names
	and I said I didn't know of anyone interested and if I did I would call
	in the next couple of days.

	I agree with a previous reply about being with the delivery person at
	all times.  Not because he may steal something but to go over the order
	as he puts it in the freezer for you.  I would never leave a stranger
	in a room by him/herself anyways!  I find that most of the delivery
	persons are in a rush to get out of there and they don't take a long
	time packing the freezer for you.

	I guess in short that I would recommend Colorado Prime for their
	frozen foods.  There are some times we are not satisfied with the
	meats etc but not everything in life is perfect!!!

	Hope this helps.  Call if you have further questions.  DTN 237-3281

	Maureen

    
    
    	We just did our re-order over the phone, and it was fast, easy,
    	and hassle free.  I'm also at the 50% discount point now, and it
    	was pretty painless to get there since we bought items that we
    	didn't have and needed, and the quality of everything we bought
    	has been excellent.  It is _very_ cost effective, we're paying
    	$103 a month for all of our poultry, meat, pasta, frozen veggies,
    	canned tomatoes, and miscellaneous other odds and ends. 
    
    	I don't find a discernible difference between fresh vs flash 
    	frozen.  The cost of poultry alone in the supermarket today 
    	could easily account for $25 a week in my grocery bill.  For 
    	the same amount, I get lots more food through Colorado Prime.
    
    	It's not for everyone, and some folks who like large portions
    	may find portion controlled sizes to be inadequate for their
    	needs.  This topic originally caused me to reassess my satisfaction
    	with CP, and after a few trips to the market pricing meats etc,
    	I've decided that this is definitely the way to go for our 
    	family.
    
    	Larry
    

    I won't bother to go into the bad experience that we had with Colorado
    Prime, but when these other companies call us the conversation usually
    goes as follows..
    
    How many people do you shop for?          2
    How much meat do you buy?                 I don't
    Oh, are you vegitarian?  (This *always* gets them off the phone)  NO,
    We kill our own, we have a whole freezer full of venison.
    
    This seems to be the only answer I can give them that will get them to
    leave me alone.  And - it's the truth,  between me and my husband,
    we're set for the year!
    
    Christine

    
    Well, Colorado prime (in MA anyway) is doing their re-orders strictly
    over the phone now. Our last re-order took only 4 minutes to do.
    Maybe those pesky re-order/sales people lost too much business. I don't
    blame people for being annoyed.
    
    I am thrilled with the service. We've never been able to get the same
    quality of meat at butcher shops or other meat outlets.
    
    I also priced freezers locally and couldn't find a better one for
    less money, so I was lucky there too.
    
    My favorite part is sitting in my easy chair watching someone *else*
    unload, unpack and stock my freezer :-).
       
    Oh, and I asked about why they are evasive about discussing individual
    prices. They said that they don't always get the same price when they
    order from their suppliers, and the owner of the company decided to 
    figure on the cost of meals. And we are indeed paying less per meal
    than we did before we got the service which was 3 years ago.
    
    Guy
    
    
    

I called Colorado Prime last year during a promotional and after being referred
to them by a friend...I was very rudely told over the phone that they do not
sell their products to renters -- only home owners.  With this kind of service,
I certainly will remember their name -- but only to tell people not to bother
with them.

dana -- a homeowner now who wouldn't use CP if they begged me!~

    Dana, I'm very curious as to their reasoning - did they tell you why? 
    
    
    Joyce

    Probably because in a renting situation, you could be here
    today, gone tomorrow? (with the last delivery and the freezer
    if you rent it...)

    I also called CP and was told that they do not offer the service to
    renters.  As soon as the service rep found out that I rented, she
    became very rude.  I did manage to ask why before she could hang up.
    She just said that it was the policy.  When I pressed the issue, she
    said that renters don't have the freezer space. When I said that I did
    indeed own a chest freezer, she repeated that it was the policy and
    then promptly hung up.
    
    RE: -.1;
    
    >Probably because in a renting situation, you could be here
    >today, gone tomorrow? (with the last delivery and the freezer
    >if you rent it...)
    
    Well, with todays economy, same thing could happen if you own.
    There are other companies that deliver supplies (coffee, pet food)
    on a regular basis.  Since the supplies are charged on Visa, there is
    no problem with the companies getting paid.  If CP is anxious about
    being shafted, then why can't they simply demand payment before
    delivery ? 
    
    If what you suggested is true, then CP, in my opinion, is being fairly
    presumptious about what my actions will be based on a single
    circumstance.   
    
    
    

    When we signed up with Great American Food Co., we were renting.  I
    don't even remember it being mentioned as anything relevant to the
    issue.
    
    Steve
    

They never gave me a good reason, but I would guess it is the same type of
prejudice that you can run into.  If you own a home you are a good risk, if
you rent you are about as good as a vagrant.  But as a previous noter pointed
out, that is not necessarily true in today's economy.

CP does have good cuts of meat, I have friends that use the service, but it is
too bad.  I just won't use them.  I will not provide any financial incentive to
someone who has acted in a prejudicial manner towards me.  I just wish I could
say there was something you could do to a merchant who discriminates against,
but they don't have to service anyone that they don't want to.

dana

    
    I'll bet that renters are still a higher risk than homeowners, but
    prejudice in business is everywhere. 
    
    An example is: Mortgage companies and banks call me every day to refinance.
    ... until they find out that I don't live in the house that I own and I am 
    renting it. Their policy is not to refinance unless owner occupied. They 
    feel that an owner takes better care of a property than tenants.
    
    Guy
    

    .-1: in that case it is not the mortgage companies who set the
    standard but the aftermarket buyers of the mortgages.  They
    only want "owner occupied" properties.
    
    ed

    
    
    
    
    Well, whomever sets the policy, I've been paying my mortgage faithfully
    for 10 years, but I can't refinance because I don't live there. If
    I could sell the darn place, I wouldn't have this problem :-).
    
    
    I happened to speak to a Colorado Prime employee this past weekend and
    I told her of some of the complaints I read about in this and other
    notes files.
    
    She said that CP is closing her telemarketing office due to poor sales.
    She also said that they are changing some of their policies due to
    customer complaints - this is why they've been doing the phone
    reorders. She agrees that people/customers shouldn't be treated badly
    and the owners are trying to fix it.
    
    Guy