BAR & RESTAURANT PARTNERS CASE STUDY

FEATURING COYOTE MOON GRILLE

& DOLSIE’S LUNCH BOX GRILLE
Bar & Restaurant Partners Case Study
Coyote Moon Grille &
Dolsie’s Lunch Box Grille

Table of Contents
OVERVIEW .............................................................. 03
About Bernick’s .......................................... 04
BACKGROUND ....................................................... 05
About Coyote Moon Grille ........................ 07
Why Bernick’s...........................................09
About Dolsie’s Lunch Box Grille ........................... 15
Partnering with Bernick’s ....................... 17
BERNICK’S: A STRONG PARTNER .......................... 26
More than a Supplier .................................. 28
What Makes Bernick’s Different ................. 29
The Big Four ............................................. 30
CONCLUSION .................................................... 31
APPENDIX ............................................................ 33
OVERVIEW
 The Bernick’s story is over 100 years old.
Charles Bernick and his wife Elizabeth
bought a tiny soda pop bottling operation
in the heart of central Minnesota in 1916.
When they set out, they had 200 empty
soda pop cases and each and every
bottle was filled one at a time by a “crown
cork and seal” filling machine. The fresh,
carbonated beverage was then delivered to
customers as far as 30 miles away with a horse
and wagon or sleigh. Those were the days!

When business began to pick up in 1925 and into the 30s, the Bernick’s
Granite City Bottling Works business rose to the challenge. They stepped
up production by working with several brands and made their way
into the beer business as well. The 40s, 50s, and 60s increased with new
business, continued growth, new hires, and streamlined efficiencies.
The 80s and 90s brought new innovation to the beverage industry
and beyond. By 2000, Bernick’s was serving one million customers,
and counting. Today, Bernick’s has expanded into the Twin Cities and
distributes craft beer, alternative beverages, and paper products – as
well as a massive line of soft drinks. Service also includes signage, product
and participation – whatever our customer partner needs. The team is
made up of over 650 individuals and has a fleet of almost 400 vehicles.
It’s been a long time coming, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

4
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND

As a bar and restaurant owner or manager, we know you

have several different choices of partners for your
business. You have soft drink suppliers, beverage
suppliers, paper suppliers, snack suppliers…
the list can go on and on, depending on
your type of business.

When you choose to combine all of

your distribution, equipment, and supply
needs into a single all-in-one partner, you
can optimize efficiency, save time, and
save on costs, which directly causes your
business to not only be more profitable
in the long run, but a successful one that
satisfies each and every customer. And that
was the result for both Coyote Moon Grille and
Dolsie’s Lunch Box Grille.

6
ABOUT

COYOTE
MOON
GRILLE
Coyote Moon Grille is a bar and restaurant located
in St. Cloud, MN and was established nearly
10 years ago. Located on Territory Golf Club,
Coyote Moon also hosts and caters for
special events and banquets.

Previous to opening Coyote Moon Grille,

owners Mike and Marlene Dols owned
various restaurants across central and
southern Minnesota. The Dolses are no
strangers to the restaurant industry. In fact,
they worked with a different supplier for over
30 years. So what exactly made them make
the switch?

8
WHY BERNICK’S
When they realized their needs weren’t being met, one of our reps
was there when they needed a change. After many conversations
about what Bernick’s could offer, Mike and Marlene decided to
give Bernick’s a try. Mike explains,

“ We weren’t real happy with our [previous] service, and Ed – a

Bernick’s Rep – was persistent… in a good way, a very good

“
way. After many discussions we decided to bring Bernick’s in

and try them. It was one of the best decisions we ever made.

9
After bringing Bernick’s in, there were several benefits Coyote Moon Grille saw
almost instantly. It wasn’t just a full-line of products they could offer to guests
or the added benefits they didn’t have with previous suppliers. Those were
all great, but what was important to Mike and Marlene was the top-notch
service and a personable relationship they built. Mike says,

“ Service was number one. And then, it became

personality. We got to meet a lot of people who

worked at Bernick’s and it became like family with

them. We got to know them and I started to look

“
at them as my friends, rather than sales people. Of

course, the products they carry are great, too.

10
When asked to explain how the service
received from Bernick’s is different from
others, it came down to the people. It’s not
just a friendly, supportive demeanor and positive
attitude that counts. The true expertise and
knowledge in not only the products, but in consumers
and the bar and restaurant industry, is what Bernick’s
brought to Coyote Moon Grille.

“ They’re very knowledgeable. They’ve had some

people working for them for a very long time, so if

we had a problem they could help me fix it. They’re

“
on top of it. Not only that, but you can call them – it

can be any hour of the day– they come right over.

11
Service and support from Bernick’s is one of the most important aspects of
a business partnership for Coyote Moon Grille. They like to know that day or
night, they can pick up the phone and call Bernick’s. Marlene is particularly
appreciative of the support from Bernick’s, as she explains:

“ They try to talk us through it, and if we can’t find

a solution – they’ll be out here. And that’s it. They

understand that we need the product – there’s

“
got to be no down time. They have a good

product and very, very, very good service.

12
Coyote Moon Grille uses a wide variety of Bernick’s products and services
including a tap beer and glycol system, promotional items and planning,
event products and planning, and soft drinks – to name a few. The diverse
and consistently new product that Bernick’s offers also benefits business for
Coyote Moon Grille.

Mike and Marlene enjoy working with Bernick’s because they value working
with other local, family-owned businesses, just like theirs. Knowing that
Bernick’s takes pride in its family history and support in the community was a
huge deciding factor when the Dolses decided to partner with Bernick’s.

“ Bernick’s is part of our team, they’re part of our family.

We’re loyal to them, and they’re loyal to us. We treat them

“
like an employee – like a part of our family. They’re no

different. And we feel part of their family, too.

13
Mike also left some insight for other bars and restaurants – both new and
established ones, in terms of who to partner with and why…

“
Look at other successful restaurants. Why do they

have Bernick’s in there? You know? If you’re thinking

‘Jeepers, I’m starting a restaurant and can’t make

any mistakes’ – look at the other success stories. Who

“
are they working with? Bernick’s is working with those
successful establishments.

To hear more from Mike & Marlene about their successful partnership with

Bernick’s, click here.

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ABOUT

DOLSIE’S
LUNCH
BOX GRILLE
ABOUT DOLSIE’S
LUNCH BOX GRILLE
Dolsie’s Lunch Box Grille is a local café located in the heart
of downtown St. Cloud, MN. Pam and Paul Dols both
grew up in the restaurant industry and opened
Dolsie’s in 2013.

Paul Dols, like his brother Mike, was working with

a competitor for some time. After talking with
reps from Bernick’s, he and his wife Pam were
impressed by what Bernick’s could offer them,
and the support they received in the partnership.
The partnership grew and blossomed from there.

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PARTNERING WITH
BERNICK’S
Switching vendors, partners, or suppliers can
be complicated. It can be difficult to transfer
information and make sure transitions are seamless.
Luckily, Dolsie’s didn’t experience any of that. After
working with a competing supplier for many, many years, they
decided to bring in Bernick’s, and it’s been smooth sailing from
there. It wasn’t just one thing that made Pam and Paul Dols decide
they were ready to switch over to Bernick’s, but a combination of
many things. Dolsie’s owner, Paul, explains:

“ Bernick’s came in and did a really good job showing what

they had to offer and what they could do for us. They

“
showed us how the whole company was involved and

how it would be to our advantage to work with Bernick’s.

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Aside from the many benefits and high level of support Dolsie’s received from
Bernick’s, they also felt their business values aligned. They valued Bernick’s
family-owned culture and commitment to the local economy.

“ They’re a small company like we’re a small company.

We’re family owned, and that’s what Bernick’s is; they’re

“
a family owned company and have been around a long

time. That’s what’s great about it.

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Being a small business owner, having the peace of mind knowing that you
have a strong, reliable, experienced partner can make a world of difference.
Pam says that this was no different for Dolsie’s.

“ They [Bernick’s] are so accessible and so easy to deal

with, and they’re always helpful. They’re really, really

“
good when it comes to answering questions. They make

you feel very comfortable.

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While excellent service on its own is great, it won’t help grow a business
or profits alone. This is especially true if the staff or team providing service
isn’t particularly familiar with your industry and/or needs. After years of
experience, Dolsie’s knew their service needed to come from a true
business partner; they needed experts who can provide quality advice and
consultation to help them be successful.

“ Bernick’s helped us be competitive and knew what our

needs were. You have to watch your costs and everything

you do, and Bernick’s was very helpful to us and to our

“
business. When we were setting up, Bernick’s was

right there – other companies were not.

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Bernick’s prides itself on building strong relationships with all partners. When
we say our customers are our top priority, we mean it. Those positive, long-
term relationships are the key to our success because it makes our customers
successful.

“ With Bernick’s, it’s definitely been a partnership from the

get-go, and it’s been great. From the time we started

setting our business up, Katie was so helpful and she

helped with pictures… anything we asked for – she

was always checking on it, making sure it was what we

needed and what we wanted. She even would stop by

early in the morning and drop all this stuff off that we

needed. Our theme is somewhat retro, and they were

right there researching what we needed and really

helping us develop that. We had a lot going on and a lot

to take care of setting up and they were so helpful – and

“
not just our rep, Katie. Everyone at the whole company

was great.

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Bernick’s has been providing our customers with outstanding service since
our founding in 1916. As an established family-owned business, we work hard
to continually go above and beyond to treat everyone with the respect and
consideration they deserve. This respect and support has not gone unnoticed
by Pam,

“ If there was ever an issue – say with soda fountain or

anything – the response time on that, I have to say, has

just been unbelievable. I mean, they are so good about it.

“
They never feel bad when we ask a question or have an

issue. They’re just here when we need them.

“ I know with technology these days, they know exactly what

we have and go through…But it’s that one-on-one contact

coming in and making sure that they’re here and getting

“
you what you need. They’re just so easy to work with.

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Another major advantage of working with a partner
like Bernick’s with expert staff members is that they
are better able to customize services specifically to your
business. Having worked with many other businesses over the
years, staff experts are able to identify what makes your business unique and
in what way it is similar to other businesses. Bernick’s was that partner and
expert for Dolsie’s from the very beginning…

“ When we first started, our salesman sat down right here

and had all the products available to us and went over

what would be a good product for us and what we

should think about bringing in. That was helpful to us;

we didn’t really know what was available and we didn’t

“
know what was popular at that time. That was a really big

help to us.

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What most companies don’t know is that
Bernick’s isn’t just about vending and
beverages. We offer so much more. Whether
we’re talking about grocery items, supplies for
events, support for community, and beyond, we’re
trying to provide the best service possible – whatever
that might be. Pam has been able to take advantage
of this service for Dolsie’s:

“ I didn’t realize when we started working with them that we

had all these options to go through them to help us with

photos [décor], design work, menu boards, and printing it

all! There were so many extra things that they were able to

do and I thought that was just so cool. You don’t always

think of Bernick’s in terms of all the things they can really

“
help you do.

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The Dolses also had some advice to other restaurant owners who are starting
out or considering a change in partnership…

“ You want to be in business as long as you possibly can,

and you need the best people you can to surround you.

As a business owner, I look for the best people and the

best products – things that make us look better and help

our business. That’s what it comes down to. You want

to be with a company that cares about you, that cares

“
about the community, and wants to make sure that

you’re a success. And Bernick’s will do that.

“ Bernick’s is a great company. What drew us to Bernick’s

was that they’re very local and a very giving company.

And that’s something that we try to emulate as much as

we can. We tried to look for like-providers and people

“
who are good to the community. They work hard to take

care of their customers.

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BERNICK’S

A STRONG
PARTNER
BERNICK’S:
A STRONG PARTNER
We don’t just focus on success; it is merely a byproduct of our
mission, vision, and values. We’ve been doing this long enough to
know that it’s not just about the beverages. It’s so much more than
that.

27
MORE THAN A SUPPLIER
At Bernick’s, we’re known for beverages and our vending supplies.
No surprise there - we’re a nation-wide leader in both categories.
What we’re not as widely known for is all of the other great things
we offer. The various grocery items, party supplies, and most
importantly, our commitment to our community and our unique
team environment.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how successful you are if you don’t have a
strong community backing you up. They say it takes a village to raise a child,
and in this case, it definitely takes a community to build a business. Our
customers and our employees are both woven into the fabric of our business,
creating a dynamic relationship that gives both parties room to grow. Like
any good relationship, it’s important to give back. At Bernick’s, we don’t just
offer supplies and then leave. We strive to help every community that has
embraced us. Over the past few years, we’ve focused on giving back to our
communities.

When you order beverages, food, and/or supplies from Bernick’s, you’re
ordering from a supplier who cares about more than the bottom
line. If you wanted to break Bernick’s down to a single
word, that word would be loyalty. We’re loyal to
our employees, we’re loyal to our customers,
and we’re loyal to our community.

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WHAT MAKES BERNICK’S DIFFERENT
Our success isn’t an accident. We’ve made it our mission and
vision to be a preferred partner in our industry by following
the clear path of our values. Our top priorities involve building
long-term relationships with our team members and customers,
being involved in our communities, and continually striving for
excellence in all areas.

What truly sets Bernick’s apart is our premium service, quality portfolio, and
unending commitment to our communities. We wouldn’t be the company we
are today without putting our passion into all three.

Bernick’s continues to be family-owned, operated by third, fourth, and fifth

generations, supported by the active participation of team members who
are keys to our success.

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THE BIG FOUR
What sets us apart? Easy. It’s all about brand loyalty,
team loyalty, family-owned loyalty, & community loyalty.

1. BRAND LOYALTY
We don’t just love our Bernick’s brands during the work week
or office hours. We love them when we’re at home, out in the
community, and with our families and friends. We’re proud of our
products, and we’re not afraid to show it.

2. TEAM LOYALTY
When you enjoy who you work with, it makes every aspect of
business better. You’re more likely to work as a team, act with
integrity, and respect the value that each person brings to the
table. At Bernick’s, our team feels like family.

3. FAMILY OWNED LOYALTY

As a family-owned business, we’re more invested and committed
to our team members, our customers, and the communities we
serve because we’re focused on our collective long-term success.

4. COMMUNITY LOYALTY
Our communities directly contribute to our success. In order to be
a successful company, it’s up to us to help sustain a strong and
healthy community. We do that by investing time, talent, and
resources.

We wouldn’t be the Bernick’s we are today without putting our

time and passion into all four areas.
CONCLUSION
We feel very fortunate to work with each and every client we have.
Many of those clients work with us in an ‘all in one’ partnership; from
soda to suds, and snacks to straws - we’re their one stop partner for
anything they need.

We are proud to be a strong, reliable partner for the businesses in our

communities. At Bernick’s, we’re thrilled when we receive positive
feedback from our clients. We love knowing our team is relied on,
trusted, and commended for excellent service and commitment to
meeting their business needs. Of course, we couldn’t do it without them.

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APPENDIX