Latest News
Pepsi Refresh Project
To learn more about the Pepsi Refresh Project or to access the toolkits, please go to Bernick's Community page and select pepsi refresh project.
The Bernick Family Foundation
At Bernick's, we are committed to making a positive impact in the communities we serve. To achieve this, we have created the Bernick Family Foundation, which seeks to honor the tradition of supporting organizations consistent with the Bernick family's core values, while providing leadership in responding to emerging community needs. In total, Bernick's supports the communities we serve with 5% of our net profilt. Contributions are selected by their qualifications in these categories: Youth, Education, Health and Fitness.
Bernick's Beverages & Vending Fund: Issued $70,000 through a special grant round to support capital, strategic investments in operations, and programmatic support to organizations from Bernick's six markets in Minnesota and Wiconsin, including: Brainerd, Bemidji, Duluth, St. Cloud, Willmar, Minn. and Dresser, Wis.
- $10,000 to Great Theatre, St. Cloud, for their Community Connections Program
- $6,000 to Central Minnesota Boys and Girls Club, St. Cloud, for their Triple Play Program
- $12,000 to United Way of West Central Minnesota, Willmar for their Imagination Library
- $17,000 to Boys and Girls Club of the Northland, Duluth, for the Computer Lab at the Lincoln Park Branch
- $25,000 to Cuyuna Range Youth Center, Crosby, for the construction of a new youth facility
Bernick Family Scholarship Fund: This fund was created to recognize, assist and encourage high school seniors who are well-rounded individuals in their pursuit of advanced education. This program is intended to assist high school seniors in their pursuit of advanced education, in a 2-year technical or community college or a 4-year college. The scholarship is based on full time enrollment, maintenance of satisfactory grades, and community involvement. Each year this funds awards ten $2,000 scholarships for a total of $20,000.
Additionally, the Bernick Family Foundation also provided significant ongoing support this year to a number of non-profits including: Central Minnesota Council of the Boy Scouts, CentraCare Health Foundation, St. Cloud Technical and Community College Foundation, United Way of Central Minnesota, Central Minnesota Community Foundation in St. Cloud, as well as the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.
Bernick's Partners with Nestle USA Beverage Division
Bernick’s is pleased to announce a new partnership with Nestlé USA’s Beverage Division. Initially, this partnership will include distribution of ready-to-drink Nestlé Nesquik in selected channels.
An expanded sales force, Nestle Chilled Beverages, was created to focus on the chilled “ready to drink” beverages and establishing new distribution partners. Nestlé selected Bernick’s based on several factors including our strong customer relationships, our ability to manage and execute multiple brands, and our market leadership with existing brands.
“We’re excited about our new relationship with Bernick’s because we know that they will be strong partners with us as we continue to grow our ready-to-drink business,” said Steve Presley, vice president and general manager of Nestlé USA Premium Ready to Drink. “Nestlé Nesquik is the first of many Nestlé Beverage brands we plan to distribute with Bernick’s and we look forward to both our brands and our partnership growing in the years to come.”
NESTLÉ® NESQUIK®, the leading brand of flavored milk since 1948, offers a wide variety of ready-to-drink (RTD) flavored milks and milkshakes.
Bernick’s is proud to be selected by Nestlé and to have the opportunity to help take their brands to the next level. The Nestlé Beverage brands are an important addition to our portfolio, helping us achieve Bernick’s goal to be our Customers’ preferred supplier.
Bernick's Beverages and Vending Announce Grant Deadline
The Central Minnesota Community Foundation (CMCF) and Bernick’s Beverages and Vending Inc. announce the next deadline to apply for community grants through the Bernick’s corporate fund.
The Community Foundation administers the Bernick’s Beverages and Vending Fund. The Community Foundation provides grant making services to Bernick’s for the company’s six markets in Minnesota and Wisconsin, including; Brainerd, Bemidji, Duluth, St. Cloud, Willmar, and Dresser, Wis.
Bernick’s Beverages and Vending Fund will support two key focus areas: youth and education, and health and fitness. Funding may go toward capital projects, strategic investments in operations, and new or expanded programs.
Organizations applying for a grant must be nonprofits, schools, government entities, or charitable organizations designated as 501(c) (3) by the IRS. Multi-year requests will be considered. Learn more about the application process at www.communitygiving.org.
The fund will award grants to qualifying organizations that are based in at least one of the six markets Bernick’s serves. The deadline for receiving Letters of Inquiry is Sept. 1, 2010.
“The Foundation is honored to work with Bernick’s as they continue their generosity in our communities and beyond,” said Steve Joul, president of the Community Foundation. “They are outstanding corporate citizens.”
The Bernick family started the fund to honor the legacy of its founders by continuing the tradition of supporting organizations that reflect the family’s core values, while providing leadership in responding to emerging community needs.
For more grant information, email Janet McConkey at JMcConkey@communitygiving.org at the Central Minnesota Community Foundation, or call toll free at (877) 253-4380 or (320) 253-4380.
CMCF, based in St. Cloud, is a public charity that attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the residents of various Central Minnesota counties. It is one of more than 600 community foundations nationwide and has assets of $50 million.
John Zinken Accepted into the Pepsi Ring of Honor!
Bernick’s is proud to announce that our very own John Zinken, Vice President – Soft Drink Sales, was recently named amongst the 2009 honorees for this distinguished honor.
PepsiCo’s President’s Ring of Honor was created in 1999 as an annual recognition to celebrate the very best of PepsiCo’s front line sales performers from around the world. Less than one quarter of one percent of PepsiCo’s total global sales force will be given this honor each year.
John will be traveling to New York in June for the Ring of Honor awards ceremony. Congratulations John, on this remarkable achievement.
Previous Bernick’s team members to be inducted into Pepsico’s President’s Ring of Honor include Tim Lingl in 2007 and Dave Pederson in 2008.
Bernick Family Foundation grants go to CentraCare, Youth for Christ projects
The newly established Bernick Family Foundation has awarded grants to two local organizations in its first year of grant making.
CentraCare Foundation of St. Cloud will get $10,000 for its BLEND Program and Central Minnesota Youth for Christ will get $5,000 for its Hoop Time Program.
The foundation, which focuses on the areas of youth, education, and health and fitness, also awarded $20,000 to the United Way of Kandiyohi County and $10,000 to Duluth Area YMCA.
The Bernick grants are awarded through the Central Minnesota Community Foundation.