Shelburne, VT—Stuffed bears marketer Vermont Teddy Bear is going gourmet. The company is opening Tasty Gram, a specialty food gifts Website, in October and launching a Tasty Gram catalog next year.
Although general manager Spencer Newman would not comment on specifics, he says that the company will begin to promote Tasty Gram with radio advertisements in October. And for the print catalog, which is expected to mail in fall 2003, Newman says Tasty Gram will use lists from Vermont Teddy Bear.
Tasty Gram is actually a relaunch of gifts marketer Send America, which Vermont Teddy Bear started as a Website in late 1999 and subsequent catalog in fall 2001. (The company closed Send America’s phone center and Website on July 1 to concentrate on Tasty Gram.) But while Send America sold jewelry, home decor, and gifts, and food items, Tasty Gram will focus on offering unique foods such as Chicago pizza and Maryland crabcakes. Merchandise will be drop-shipped to customers from suppliers across the country.