IPM - International Popcorn Management GmbH & Co. KG
Founded IPM - International Popcorn Management and sold it to largest Coca-Cola bottler in Germany.
www.schoerghuber-unternehmensgruppe.de
www.Rickys-Popcorn.com
Challenge
Discovered potential profitability of popcorn outside the classic cinema niche and wanted to turn it into a successful business.
Action
- Developed business plan for hot air popcorn vending machine business.
- Conducted test at Munich fairground and couldn’t keep up with demand.
- Negotiated federal start-up credit and private financial backing from venture capitalists and the largest German Coca-Cola bottler.
- Created brand, RICKY's POPCORN
- Conducted site selection and renovation.
- Negotiated purchasing and lease agreements for all capital equipment
- Hired, trained and managed staff and management team.
- Initiated and negotiated contract to incorporate 1.000 T- Mobile data cards into vending machines, providing instantaneous business data transmission to corporate offices.
“I so admired Robert's friendly persistence in trying to schedule a meeting with me that I had to find out who this person was.”
- Hr. Thomas Nussbaumer, SELECTA GROUP Switzerland, Leiter Region Zentral- und Nordeuropa
Results
- Obtained funding at time when dot-coms were more interesting than old economy / classic machines-based businesses.
- Nominated as one of five companies to be an innovative partner in developing mobile data transmitting solutions for vending machines by the German Telekom.
- Sold Company to Schörghuber Group, one of Germany's top 100 companies.
Robert Frank · email