The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-14
TO SELL WINE AND FRUIT.
Herman Bendel Goes East to
Carry Out Large and I'M
portant Plans.
Wants to Start VitiCuitural Cafes in
Eastern Cities-District Mar
keting Of Fruit.

Herman Bendel will start to day on six
weeks tour of many Eastern cities which
promises to be of much Importance and
benefit to the wine and fruit interests of
this State.
Mr.. Bendel, who is of the wholesale firm
of Ti1lman & Bendel, is president of the
Winemakers' Corporation, and also of the
San jose Fruit-packing Company and of
the California Distributing Company, the
latter being a commission firm which
markets the productions of the San Jose
Fruit-packing Company and other con-
Germs. Mr.. Bendel's trip is made on his
personal account, but yet very largely in
the general interest of the fruit and wine
business. He goes to study the Eastern
markets and to see if some of his ideas
about extending the sale of these Califor-
MIA products are not feasible. AS presi-
dent of the great combination of wine pro-
ducers and as an extensive handler of Cali
fornia fruits he wants to thoroughly famil-
iarize himself with the market and at the
same time do what is possible to i'm
prove it.
One of his main plans is to secure the
establishment in st. Paul, Minneapolis,
Milwaukee, Chicago, st. Louis, Toledo,
Cincinnati, Buffalo, Washington, New
York, Baltimore and perhaps other cities
which he will visit Of viticultural cafes
somewhat similar to the one established
here about five years ago by the Viticultural
Commission. At these cafes pure and reIi-
able California wines of a great variety of
brand could be cheaply sampled by any
body. They would bring California wines
into prominence and afford ready means
of learning OF the merits, cost and sources
of supply of our wines.
II want to find out if the plan is FEAST
ble,' said Mr.. Bendel yesterday. 1.-THE
vitfcultural cafe established here did a
great work in developing the California
consumption of our best wines, and many
little warehouses have resulted. The one
established in Chicago failed to pay ex-
penses because 1T was not properly man
aged. There should be some way by which
Eastern people could easily find out, if
they wacted to, what our good wines are
like, what they cost and where to get them.
Once when l landed in New York from
Europe with party of foreign tourists, a
few years ago, felt the need of just such
a place. l didn't know where to find relia-
BILE California wines. California wines can
be ordered at hotels, but you don't know
what they are. Those cafes should be run
by experienced winemen. l want the
winemen to combine and establish and
support these cafes. They could afford to
even pay small deficits in the running ex-
penses. Such institutions would do more
than anything else to establish excellent
brands. The California Wine Association
is kindly disposed to the idea, and they
have given me lists of leading wine mer-
chants in these cities whom / will visit.
Nothing definite will be done until after
my investigation and report"
The dried fruit markets will also be
thoroughly investigated by Mr.. Bendel,
whose idea is that the dried fruit product
should be primarily sold in scores, if not
hundreds, of market centers all over the
East and South, instead of being practi-
cally dumped into Chicago at low prices
on glutted market, and from there dis
tributed by Chicago merchants through
out the West ana South.
''In our canned fruit business we began
two years ago." said Mr.. Bendel. ION the
plan of districts, with managing agent
IN each district. At first we had fifty. and
now we have $50 districts. Our shipments
go directly to agents all over the United
States. The result has been that this
year the seasons pack of the San Jose
Fruit-packing Company of 100000 cases
has been nearly all sold already. We have
never before sold so many goods in ad-
vance, and our experience shows this to be
the true system.
with The dried fruits the product is
nearly all piled into Chicago at this time
of the year. 1t is bought here cheaply by
Chicago merchants and the big markets
are overstocked every year. This year
dried-fruit prices are very low. Now,
want TO arrange for the marketing of dried
fruits on the district plan l described
This will get the goods more directly to
the consumer and at much lower prices.
By thus greatly multiplying the primary
markets there is saved to the consumer
| the profit of the Chicago commission
house, storage and transportation from
Chicago. Under this plan we would have
regular reports from agents as to the sup
ply and the quality desired, the market
would be widened and steadied and the
prices to the producer would be better,
while the cost to the consumer would be
less, or at least no more