After hearing complaints of SI and seeing this thread, I may just rethink my fondant choice. I have had problems with SI but assumed it was my inexperience that caused the problem skinning & tearing. Since I have purchased & used in excess of 60lbs of SI white and 10+ lbs of ivory and black...I probably have gotten a bad batch.

Problems aside, I am very disappointed in SI stand, that the client return the unused portion and SI will send you a full bucket. Where is their responsibility in this problem? It's great that they recognized a problem and have corrected, but shouldn't they make their consumer whole? Let's say I purchase a 20lb bucket and used 8 lbs. I paid $12 to have the bucket shipped to me and then I need to pay another $10 to return to SI for them to send me that (8 lbs). Remember, that is all you used.

Absolutely the wrong way to do business. This is a highly competitive market for both SI but more so for the decorators that use the product. What I find even more disturbing, there is a SI representative monitoring the discussion and states they pride themselves on customer satisfaction however does not address the consumer needing to return product at their expense.

Debbie...I hope you see this and address concerns with the powers to be. If as stated, SI prides themselves on quality of product and customer satisfaction then SI should rethink their policy on this return at consumer cost. Shipping a full bucket the same size does not make the consumer whole. Wouldn't requesting a proof of purchase and a UPC make more sense? Then without question, ship the product with an apology for any inconvenience or stress this may have caused.

I thank you for the site address and will check it out. Personally, I don't care about the testimonials or classes (since I'm in GA and you're not) and who is using. Let me tell you who is using. I am! I hope that site lists the inferior batch numbers. Maybe this will be a learning experience for me ... don't be so critical of your own work ...that outside factors can cause the problem. Never had a problem with AU Americana...may just need to stick with what I learned with or try FONDX

Sorry for this being so long...I'm still seeing RED over the "customer NO service" from SI.

I'm not a fan of SI. I too thought it was my lack on inexperience (and it still may be in part) but I can buy FondX or Pettinice & cover a cake almost perfect.
I don't care for the flavor of the white SI (or Pettinice) either, but I guess I get caught in that "wanting to use what the pros use."

Well, I called and don't know who I talked to but we send it back at our own expense. I'm thinking what the Jerseygirl in GA said about paying twice to ship. I'm wondering if I want to haul my two keiki down to the post office, deal with the crabby guy that I always get, and pay to mail it back. Maybe I'll try something else or try that Michelle Foster recipe everyone raves about. I was thinking about Fondx because it said you could add flavorings to it and it would be okay. I have never been able to add flavorings to the SI and not have it taste worse than it already does (although the chocolate was yummy). I guess I'll just have to think about it.

jerseygirl - very well said. And I have decided that since SI do not completely stand for customer satisfaction, I will no longer be using SI.

This is funny, I just called them myself to report my problem with a 20lb bucket and gave her the batch # for the batch that I have. She did ask me where I had bought it, my name and address and then told me that they would get back to me because there were going to test a sample of that batch lot from their end to see what the problem was. I don't understand, I thought that they had a list of the batch #'s with the problem.

Interesting!

I have been using SI for a long time w/o any problems until the last two buckets that I opened. Both were horrible. Obviously the same problem that everyone else is having.

I called SI today and wasn't very pleased with the reaction. "Okay, we'll test those batches and get back to you." Might as well as have said, okay, let us go see if we want to believe you. I run my own business, have been decorating cakes for years. I think I have the expertise to know when something is different.

We'll see what they say tomorrow, but I told them what they say will determine whether I take my 240 pound per month orders to another company.

That's exactly what they said to me and the woman was not exactly very friendly. They must be getting many complaints!

Still fuming... This is a long one, but feel necessary.

This is the email, I sent to Satin Ice:

From: Chris Herrera [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2010 1:15 PM
To: [email protected]; Chris Herrera
Subject: Bad Batch Complaints

As a newer decorator, I have had some issues with the elephant skinning and tearing and have been so critical of my work that I blamed my inexperience. Today, it was brought to my attention from Debbie @ SatinIce via Cake Central that there has been issues which have now been resolved. I have looked at your website and cant seem to find any batch codes to check the fondant that I have on hand to see if what I purchased at Fondant Source is part of the problematic batches.

Unfortunately, the problem still exists for us who have made large purchases from suppliers. One writer within the thread stated she contacted Satin Ice and she was instructed to return any unused portion and a new container/bucket of the same size will be sent. She thought that was fantastic of SatinIce. I can't tell you how distasteful I found that to be and needed to check for myself that, that is in fact Satin Ice's remedy to the consumer? Where is your responsibility for less than perfect quality.

I am requesting a list of the batch numbers and how I can reference codes on my containers/buckets to verify if they are part of this bad batch. I only started using Satin Ice since April and I can tell you there has been a noticeable difference in the 40/60lbs of fondant that I have already used. My second bucket (20lb) had a "sugary" feel while this next one seems softer. The black, that I just purchased to use for a specific 3D car cake was awful and skinned all over as well as a batch of ivory that tore all over.

Your attention in this matter and expediency will be appreciated.



Their response:

Hi Chris:

Thank you for your email. First, I would like to apologize for any issues you have had with Satin Ice. As I stated on Cake Central, we had implemented some new equipment to our production facility to help us keep up with the demand for Satin Ice. This was the only change that we made! This new machine proved very effective initially, however as the weather got warmer, so did the internal mechanisms. This did affect a small # of batches, causing some product to become dry. However, anyone who has contacted us directly with an issue related to specific batch #, we have replaced their product free of charge. We have never requested any customer to send back any product at their expense. We are totally committed to the quality of our product and the service that we provide to our customers.

I would ask you to call our office with the batch #s you have on your pails that you have had issues with. You can ask for me, or Lillian, and we will take your information and investigate further.

Again, I thank you for addressing this. We can only resolve issues if our customers contact us directly. Look forward to hearing from you.

Debbie O'Reilly

Satin Fine Foods, Inc.



I may be wrong and will happily apologize to Satin Ice if I am misspeaking but it seems that SI does not know the batch numbers of the effected batches or they would be more than happy than publish the batch numbers. I can tell you I did one cake for my sister in law that I was so embarrassed by because of the cracking and tearing on 3 corners, that I refused to post on CC. Like I said, I attributed it to my inexperience. Although I posted the 3D car cake, it too looked awful because of the but I didn't want to disappoint my daughter who actually helped with the carving.

I will be contacting SI tomorrow regarding the "Ivory" fondant...I know that wasn't me since I duplicated the same cake (covered in Albert Uster Massa Americana) and covered in Ivory. I was as proud as a peacock thinking I finally got the fondant right!!! Only problem...they cut it before I brought my camera in!!! Gotta love in-laws.

I will keep you posted.

I am going to e-mail them as well and advise them of the response and curtness that I received when calling and that it was not noted to me that they would replace my fondant free of charge without having to return my unused portion.

Oh and by the way, the woman did ask how much I had already used.

Hmmh, that is interesting because I was the one who called and read the two batch numbers and the person said to mail it back. I don't know who I talked to though because I didn't ask her name when I called, although I'm sure she said it but I didn't pay any attention because I was annoyed. I had decided not to send it back because I didn't want to bother with the whole going to the PO thing, getting crabby guy (whom I always get no matter when I go) and pay the freight back. In fact, I've thrown the stuff out and decided today to try making that Michelle Foster Fondant everyone raves about. So, we'll see how that does tomorrow but if no joy with that, I guess I'll try fondex.

I use SI exclusively, and have never had problems with their customer service. In the past, I had a couple of buckets (from one batch) that had lots of hard lumps in them. I called the company and they shipped out new fondant without hesitation, and without asking me to send anything back.



Can we relate this back to our type of business please? Say you make a great cake, but had a bad batch or 2. You didn't notice because it looked the same and hey, you sell cakes, not sit around eating each one. One customer has a problem from that batch and notifies you of it. You research the issue and find it to be valid and do what you can to make them whole (Someone previously was upset because they didn't just automatically believe them and wanted to check into it - wouldn't you do the same thing?). So now you know that there were maybe 4 or 5 people who got cakes from that batch (because, of course, our businesses are smaller scale than SI) - are you going to call them all? Are you going to post it on your website and say hey EVERYONE I screwed up? Probably not. We aren't talking about a safety recall, just a functionality issue.

How many of you have employees? And how many of them are perfect or do what you would do in every situation? Just think how that issue could be compounded by someone who, unfortunately for SI, comes off as "curt" and may give the wrong instructions. Totally unfortunate, and of course needs to be remedied on the part of SI with employee training or whatever.... but NOT reflective of the company's position as a whole.

Also, a reason why they may not have wanted to give you batch numbers - perhaps it was just the end of the batches or something that didn't get mixed right (think cookies). They don't want to replace 100% of a batch that was 90% correct.

If I ever had to deal with a customer complaint, I wouldn't tell them that I would "research" it and then get back to them. I would work with them immediately to find a solution that would make them happy.

PLUS the fact is that SI KNOWS that they have a problem. If someone called out of the blue, you would still try to make them happy. Rule one of customer service is to apologize. You don't even have to accept blame, but an apology for over one dollars worth of lost product would certainly be nice.

I have a huge bucket of Satin Ice that I purchased in April. I havent cracked it open because it is for a Wedding Cake next week... I am thinking I better bust that thing open by this weekend and check things out...cant imagine how much it would suck to find out two days before the wedding that it is useless!

The same thing happened to me last friday...i read this post and contact them with the batch number..they aswered that my batch was not identify as damage but they will replace the one that I bought...So, you're right if they know something is wrong they will try to fix it before its comes a wave of costumer complaints.

I heard that they posted a response and are addressing the issue. Seems like jerseygirlNga got a decent response from them. Seems like everyone likes to post the negative and never the positive. TOYOTA anyone ??? One of the largest auto makers had issues and they are working to resolve them. I would still buy a toyota !!! We are all capeable of error...it is part of the human nature. They acknowledged, responded and are looking to take care of their customers....just like I would if my customers had an issue with my cakes. Wouldn't you ??

Interesting that one poster said that Satin Ice said that their bad batch was dry. My batch was extremely gooey. The response I got when I called a few months ago was that the batches vary based on summer or winter production. I asked, "Are you saying that I may or may not get a good batch each time I order?" She said to just add cornstarch.

So perhaps my issue was different that the one of this particular batch, but I don't think that was very good service. It was basically, "sorry, our product is inconsistent, you'll have to fix the texture yourself."

Gee, I'm sorry I posted anything. I've had bad buckets before but thought it was just me and that I had done something wrong to begin with since I'm just a hobby baker. That being said, that was all I ever ordered though with the exception of one bucket of choco pan because at the time I ordered I wanted chocolate and didn't want to buy a big bucket from GSA so I got that, but I did go back to SI after that occasion. For me it's like this, I get a bad haircut and I'll give the person another chance or two, but when people continue to tell me that they think my haircut is crummy, I'm going to find someone else to do it. I never said I wouldn't order SI again, I'm thinking due to cost of shipping I'd try to make my own. I know there are a lot of people who mix brands for whatever reason.

Does that make me a terrible person or consumer, I guess in the eyes of some it does. I understand brand loyalty but I think they're aware of the problem(s) and depending on who answers the phone (before Debbie responded the second time I didn't ask for anyone in particular) you may very well get a different answer which happens often times when you call in about a product you're having trouble with.

As to people complaining when things go wrong, unfortunately that is human nature. I mean look at the Trip Advisor reviews, they either loved the hotel, restaurant, airline or they hated it, there really isn't too much in between.
Just my two cents for what it's worth and it may not even be worth two cents.

I love Fondarific. Someone stated earlier that Fonadarific doesn't hold up well in heat. So wrong-a wedding cake I did last weekend held up well in the heat. It was on the 7th floor of a hotel. Central was "supposed" to be installed before the reception-didn't happen. Had a few window airs that wasn't making it. Extremely hot and humid day. Anyhow-cake delivered at 8:30 in the morning-here's a picture taken at 3pm. I am still overcoming the deaded bulge but I think it held up well. Let me know what you think-again I love Fondarific.

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1737803

I had a HUGE fondant-pity-party at the beginning of May, due to Satin Ice and the workability of the 5lb bucket I had.

After nearly destroying my counter (ok, maybe I'm not that strong, but my husband did come down and say that he thought I turned green and yelled, "You won't like me when I'm angry!" at some point in the meltdown), I calmed down, threw my pity party here on CC, and regrouped.

The next day, I purchased Wilton fondant, mixed it about 50/50 with the Satin Ice, and I was back in business (well, not really business, as I was just making free cakes at the time).

Btw, those snarling about Wilton...seriously, go buy a small batch..it doesn't taste as good as SI, but it sure as hell tastes better than it used to.

Well friends, giving credit where credit is due, SI did contact me both by e-mail and phone - the woman I spoke with actually e-mailed and called herself and first apologized if she sounded curt and said that was not her intention. She also advised that they would be sending me a replacement 20lb bucket for the one that I had that was not workable.