Feed them and they will come: A distributor's journey into the world of beef jerky

The most important part of any tool truck is the products stocked on the shelves, but perhaps equally as important as the tools and equipment are the methods by which you get your customers onto the truck. Often, technicians are going to buy tools whether or not you have a clever marketing tactic, but they’re more likely to stay loyal to you and your truck if you’ve got something that sets you apart.

For distributor Kyle Spoelstra, that clever tactic comes in the form of his one-of-a-kind beef jerky brand, FluffernoggiN. 

It runs in the family

Spoelstra’s been in the tool-dealing business for as long as he can remember. It’s turned into a family affair with multiple relatives running their own routes. 

“My dad was a dealer for like 40 plus years, and he finally just retired a couple of years ago,” Spoelstra explains. “I’ve been a dealer for about 15 years. My brother-in-law’s a dealer. I have two cousins who are dealers. It kind of runs in the family.”

Crafting the jerky

As a tool dealer, Spoelstra has always had snacks on his truck. It’s been a useful way of getting customers on the truck and keeping them there as they peruse the products along the walls. While the snacks were helpful in catching the attention of technicians, in terms of Spoelstra’s own standards, they just weren’t cutting it.

So, in 2023, with his neighbor and business partner at his side, Spoelstra found a packing house that could help their vision come to life, and FluffernoggiN was born. The jerky is made and sourced in the U.S., an important factor for Spoelstra as it allows them to manage the quality much more tightly.

“[We] were going with more of a craft beef jerky that is soft and not hard, gas station jerky,” Spoelstra says. “[Customers] just get a higher quality snack on the truck.”

If you take a moment to peruse FluffernoggiN’s website, you’ll find all sorts of different flavors to choose from. From Mango Habanero and California Reaper, to Sea Salt, Honey, & Black Pepper and Original Style, there’s something for every set of taste buds.

Before deciding on a new flavor, Spoelstra and his business partner run all their ideas past their kids for final approval. Spoelstra credits them for a lot of the flavors now offered by FluffernoggiN.

With every new flavor release, Spoelstra makes sure that no corners are cut, giving it his all in every aspect. 

“If the flavor doesn’t kind of blow people away, then we just completely scrap the whole thing and go to a different flavor,” Spoelstra says.

A snack while you browse

Whether you’ve been in this industry for decades or this is your first year out on the road, I’d bet you’ve thought about ways to get customers out of their shops and onto your truck. If they’re in need of a new tool, then the sell can be pretty easy, but what if they’re not in the market for anything in particular?

That’s where Spoelstra and his beef jerky come in. Having snacks on your truck can be a great tactic for not only getting customers on the truck, but keeping them there and giving them an incentive to come back. Maybe they’ll buy a pack of jerky, take a little longer to really look at inventory, and end up stepping off the truck with a new product that they weren’t even looking for. Or maybe they don’t buy a tool, but they chat with you and a deeper connection and relationship is formed, making you their go-to whenever they need something.  

“It builds a connection with customers,” Spoelstra says. “Even when a customer doesn’t need a tool that day, they’ll still come out and jump on the truck to get their jerky fix. Once they’re on the truck, they’ll usually end up buying more tools while they’re there. Having beef jerky on the truck literally generates way more sales off the truck.”

Aside from the additional revenue snacks can create, having them on your truck can benefit the flow of traffic, Spoelstra says. 

“I get people all the time that don’t even want to buy a tool, they become the weekly jerky buyer, and those guys are still coming out and they’re still buying something and it just keeps the relationship being built with the customers,” Spoelstra says.

Getting FluffernoggiN to you

As a tool distributor himself, Spoelstra knows how go-go-go this industry can be. It can be difficult to squeeze in time for other things during the working day, so he’s made ordering his FluffernoggiN beef jerky a breeze. 

Distributors can go directly onto the FluffernoggiN website, create an account, and apply for wholesale in under a minute, Spoelstra says. 

“They put in their information, then I approve once I know they're a tool dealer and they’re wholesale worthy,” Spoelstra says. “It’s literally just five steps, then they’re approved and they can log on and buy jerky wholesale to stock on their truck and make some money.”

Ordering is available 24/7, 365 days a year, according to Spoelstra. The goal was to keep it as simple as possible.

During our time with Spoelstra, he shared his plans for the future of FluffernoggiN, including a new flavor yet to be released: Smokey Chipotle Ranch. 

“Our goal is to get as many trucks as possible and keep releasing new flavors,” Spoelstra says.