What would you have done (long)

Well, I was not rude, I'm usually very happy and laid back. I was just trying to place my order and stock up my case. I'm not going to get in a fighting match with Ed. But I do know who I've talked to on the phone, Amy Hoover, Jennifer (Ed's wife) and Ed.
And I was not trying to start sh*t, I just could not believe how I was being treated!

I did find out today from my Haddon House Rep that Ed's trying to sell Luna by the end of the month or they will go out of business.
So if you like the products and lot's of people do, you'd better stock up.

Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions of local products that I can bring in?

Can't stock up, they mold too quickly. But that isn't a poke at Ed, that is just a good product to me, when things last a long time, it scares me. Although I do question your reasoning for adding that they are going out of business, doesn't seem relevant to your argument.

I can see both sides to this story. Based on the response from the owner I can believe him that the OP is hard to please, just based on her posting her business in a public forum criticizing a local business. Whoever is to blame, that is still unprofessional. One of the most important things I've learned in life is when I get really mad is to be patient, cool down and then try to assess the situation. Most times your perspective can completely change when you have a level head.

On the other hand, it seems that this is a very delicate product that is having some problems with mold. If it is a widespread problem from many vendors which does seem to be the case then some product adjustments would seem to be necessary to make the product suitable for distribution. Even if it is a temperature problem at the different stores it seems to be too widespread and it seems the product needs to be adjusted to fix the problem.

I would like to take a moment to reply

Thanks, Ed! Without sitting in judgment on this issue, I'm always most comfortable when both sides are heard on forum topics of this type.

Irrespective of this experience, I'm another big fan of Luna Mercado, can't get enough of that Pecan Gouda Spread, and have never had a problem with moldy product. (I almost always buy it at Lotsa Pasta, for whatever that's worth.)

I never had moldy products from Lotsa either. I havent had the Pecan Gouda, I tend to lean away from products with mayo in it but not against it, if it even has mayo. Bad experiences as a kid with the stuff. I might try it though.

I did find out today from my Haddon House Rep that Ed's trying to sell Luna by the end of the month or they will go out of business.
So if you like the products and lot's of people do, you'd better stock up.

Further evidence of being unprofessional and vengeful.

(ie. spreading rumors)

One of the most important things I've learned in life is when I get really mad is to be patient, cool down and then try to access the situation.

From the original post, i got the impression that this is exactly what she was trying to do.. assess the situation. She wasnt particularly "hateful" in her post, and i didnt get the impression that she was attacking the business. On the contrary, Ed's reply was rather viscious and trascended the professional transaction to assail her on a personal level. Im not to say who was right or wrong, but i definitly think that she should be applauded not criticized for bringing the situation to the forum, as complaints and questions have always been just as welcome as rave reviews here.

Excuse me, I like the products too, I was trying to order them. I don't want them to go out of business. The only reason I found out is because now I'm now scrambling to find more suppliers.

You know I'm a customer in this situation and I did nothing to provoke Ed's response and I did not bad mouth him or his wife in my first post as he did to me.

Excuse me, I like the products too, I was trying to order them. I don't want them to go out of business. The only reason I found out is because now I'm now scrambling to find more suppliers.

You know I'm a customer in this situation and I did nothing to provoke Ed's response and I did not bad mouth him or his wife in my first post as he did to me.

exactly.. HOW hypocritical of you to accuse Michele of being"vengeful" for voicing an opinion about a bad experience she has had?! thats crazy talk yall.

Excuse me, I like the products too, I was trying to order them. I don't want them to go out of business. The only reason I found out is because now I'm now scrambling to find more suppliers.

You know I'm a customer in this situation and I did nothing to provoke Ed's response and I did not bad mouth him or his wife in my first post as he did to me.

If they are going out of business......it figures. Everytime I find something I like, it goes away. You like how I take someones loss and make it about me?

There is nothing to gain for a local business to come on here and spill the beans about a bad transaction (whoever is at fault) and then spew that the business is going under(that was an obvious jab in my opinion).

And then to get defensive with potential customers (me). I had plans of going there last week for the crabs but didn't make it but it did peak my interest.

I have a right to an opinion and it is my opinion that it is unprofessional and it makes me less likely to patronize the business. That's my opinion.

Lastly and just as important, other potential customers do not want to hear about any type of moldy products in a food service store know matter who is at fault. If it was my store, I would have swept the situation under the rug and not told anyone rather than having ANYONE picturing anything moldy in my establishment. That is just not a good image in my opinion and nothing good can come from it.

Lastly and just as important, other potential customers do not want to hear about any type of moldy products in a food service store know matter who is at fault. If it was my store, I would have swept the situation under the rug and not told anyone rather than having ANYONE picturing anything moldy in my establishment. That is just not a good image in my opinion and nothing good can come from it.

on the contrary- if i owned a business and had been distributing a product that was less than satisfactory, i would want to ensure that my customers knew that the transgressions were not on my end, and that i was doing everything i could to rectify the situation.

This post is a perfect example of how this forum can hurt a business. I'm all for asking for opinions on how to handle a situation- but it could have been done without naming the vendor.

Michele, the fact that you believe that you are not being vengeful amazes me. How is it anyone's business that they may be closing, and further, how is it YOUR place to report that to hundreds of forumites? You obviously are upset with a personal situation, so you brought it straight to the forum. That's just not fair. But I'm sure many of the people who read Hotbytes eat it up.

Luna Mercato products have been at every single one of my dinner parties and events since the first day they put it on the shelves. Not once have I found mold. I once packed a cooler with six conatiners, got on a plane, flew to NY, and served them that night and they were perfect. Clearly, others have not been so lucky. I think it's great that Ed offered to give those people a complimentary product to make up for it.

I don't blame him for his tone or the way he came across. When your name, your wife's name, and your business's name get strewn all over LouisvilleHotbytes, you are bound to be upset.

I'll continue to support Luna, and hopefully many others will do the same.

Ashley, I buy Luna Mercato stuff religiously (weekly if not daily) so, I would be one to find mold. But like I said, mold doesnt bother me much but it may others. Im more interested in why it's moldy. Is it because of the storage or because of the packaging? I am curious beyond logic.

I once packed a cooler with six conatiners, got on a plane, flew to NY, and served them that night and they were perfect.

If you tried to do this now you'd be locked up at Guantanamo Bay. It stinks that you can't take food or drink on a plane anymore.







(p.s. Don't tell Aaron that I did not quote your entire post.)

on the contrary- if i owned a business and had been distributing a product that was less than satisfactory, i would want to ensure that my customers knew that the transgressions were not on my end, and that i was doing everything i could to rectify the situation.

Then you don't know much about business. Sure address each problem with each customer and make them happy but you don't publicize a problem like this unless you must to protect peoples health. Obviously it wasn't the intent of the post to "warn" the customers of her business.

on the contrary- if i owned a business and had been distributing a product that was less than satisfactory, i would want to ensure that my customers knew that the transgressions were not on my end, and that i was doing everything i could to rectify the situation.

Then you don't know much about business. Sure address each problem with each customer and make them happy but you don't publicize a problem like this unless you must to protect peoples health. Obviously it wasn't the intent of the post to "warn" the customers of her business.

..okay okay point taken, but i read her post as more of a "throwing it out there see what other industry ppl think" then as an attempt to single-handedly bring down the establishment.