PATRICK HUNN SAT AT HIS DESK WONDERING HOW COULD SUCH A GOOD DEAL BE VIEWED
NEGATIVELY? Patrick Hunn, team leader of Wal-Mart Sales, for Vlasic Foods International, had
made a record-breaking deal with Wal-Mart that resulted in selling more pickles than Vlasic
had ever sold to any one account. Wal-Mart was an important customer, accounting for 30%
of Vlasic Foods’ sales. By negotiating a deal with Wal-Mart to offer a gallon jar of Vlasic
pickles for $2.97 at the front of the store, Hunn had given Wal-Mart its “customer stopper.”
In addition, Hunn secured an agreement that Wal-Mart would continue to buy
grocery size pickles, relishes, and peppers with each order of the gallon jar. The gallon
jar of Vlasic pickles was available in over 3,000 Wal-Mart stores in the United States. It had
been the deal of a lifetime, he had thought at the time. Why did Marketing conclude that the
deal was an enormous mistake even though Vlasic sold more product to Wal-Mart than had
ever been sold into any account? Steve Young, vice president of Grocery Marketing for Vlasic
Foods International, had approved the deal. Why was Young so convinced now that Vlasic
needed to get out as soon as they could?