By Jordan Novet
Eric Sampson loves pretzels and Gatorade, but he is also a businessman. Now, the middler entrepreneurship and small business management major has taken these love a step further, delivering snacks to students around campus.
During a co-op following his sophomore year, Sampson decided to try his hand at running a small business that distributes a variety of candy, water, soda, snacks and sports drinks to on-campus Northeastern students.
Things haven’t quite taken off yet for his company, Akorn Enterprise LLC, so Sampson is looking to improve operations. The business, which he began using funds from past summer jobs, is currently a “one-man show,” Sampson said. He keeps track of paperwork, markets the company, monitors orders and delivers products by car. So far, Sampson has made deliveries to about two dozen customers.
In addition to his drive to attain first-hand experience in small business management, Sampson was intrigued by the appeal of making money from sales and accessing his favorite food and drinks for low prices.
“Freshman year I was in White Hall,” he said, “and I was buying every drink out of the vending machine.”
But that still wasn’t enough. Almost every month that year, his father traveled from his home in Boxford to Northeastern with bulk packages of water, Coca-Cola and Gatorade. This sparked an idea in Sampson, who thought students would pay for deliveries, especially if they did not have the means to bring items back to their dorms.
Sampson said convenience and the savings of buying in bulk can be very helpful for students, particularly when it comes to beverages. The cost for a bottle of Poland Spring water through his service is about 52 cents, while it would cost about $1 in a store.
Although Sampson admits the savings aren’t as drastic on food items, the convenience of delivery makes the service worthwhile.
Students said food deliveries would be greatly appreciated, especially during Boston’s frigid winter months.
“In the winter, you don’t have to go to Shaw’s,” said senior political science major Alex Diaz. “And you don’t have to die in the cold.”
Also, as Northeastern graduate student Amy Black points out, many college students, especially freshmen, don’t have cars.
“The fact that he delivers drinks and food makes it a lot more convenient for students,” Black said.
Sampson gave credit to Northeastern’s co-op program for providing him the chance to test the waters of the industry he’d been learning about.
In June of this year, he began his co-op session and officially started Akorn Enterprise. He plans to return to classes in January. Until then, Sampson distributes food and beverages ranging from Bachman Pretzel Stix at $10 for 30 packs to Poland Spring water at $18 for 35 16-oz. bottles.
Sampson is trying to expand his services in order to accommodate off-campus Northeastern students, as well as students of Emerson College, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston College and Boston University. He wants to eventually provide his products to Northeastern organizations and student sports.
After he finishes his co-op in December, Sampson said he may or may not continue with the business, depending on how profitable it is.
Sampson takes orders through his Web site, www.akornenterprise.com, and by phone, at (978) 500-3729. He delivers free of charge, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
