Come with a plan: How to get more value from the NAMA Show
If you’ve been in this industry long enough, you already know the NAMA Show is where everyone shows up.
In a recent Vending & OCS Nation podcast, Kristen Griffith and Eric Rochon Larson from NAMA, along with operator Ryan Harrington of Royal Refresh, one thing became clear: the operators who get the most out of this event don’t treat it like a trade show.
They treat it like work.
Set for April 22-24 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the NAMA Show brings together more than 400 exhibiting companies and covers vending, micro markets, OCS, pantry, water, unattended retail and more — the full spectrum of the convenience services business.
It’s a big show. The opportunity is what you do with it.
Come with a plan
Before you go
- Define 2 to 3 business priorities you want to solve
- Use the NAMA Show app to map sessions and exhibitors
- Schedule key supplier meetings in advance
At the show
- Start with education sessions that align with your priorities
- Use the New Product Zone to identify innovation quickly
- Walk Imagination Way with an eye toward application, not novelty
- Leave time for operator conversations
After the show
- Narrow vendor options to a short list
- Identify 1–2 ideas you can implement immediately
- Share takeaways with your team and assign next steps
Ryan Harrington, CEO and founder of Royal ReFresh in Oregon, didn’t hesitate when asked what the show means for operators. “It’s not just a trade show, it’s really a working session for your business.”
His advice is simple: Know what your business needs before you get there. Are you looking for new technology? Better product mix? Equipment upgrades? Stronger planograms? The NAMA Show brings the industry together. “I get everybody under one roof. I can really compare the different technology partners side by side,” Harrington said.
Don’t skip the education sessions
Also during the podcast, Eric Rochon Larson, director of education at NAMA, emphasized that a key benefit of the NAMA Show is the practical guidance operators can take home from the educational sessions.
For newer operators, the Essentials Track is designed to cover the fundamentals — how to win business across location types, understand service channels and put scalable processes in place. For instance, a new “Path to a Million” session aimed at helping new operators set expectations about what it’s really like to be a convenience services operator.
For more established operators, the Data Insights Track focuses on how to use the data that many already have but may not be fully leveraging.
The point for operators: the education agenda can shape what you look for on the floor — and what you prioritize once you get home. “Do not skip the education sessions. Get up early, go do it,” Harrington said.
“It’s the one place each year where the entire convenience services industry shows up in one room.”
- Ryan Harrington
What to see, and where
“We have over 400 companies exhibiting on the show floor — tons of new products, new innovations to look at, things to taste, test, see and try,” said Kristen Griffith, the senior vice president, member experience, at NAMA.
In addition to more than 400 company exhibits, the NAMA Show includes the New Product Zone, which is expected to feature more than 100 entries, according to Griffith. It features “best of” winners across categories, giving operators a faster way to identify innovation worth a closer look.
Imagination Way, positioned at the front of the expo hall, was created to showcase “what’s coming next” in the industry. Griffith said operators should expect to see robotics, automated systems and full-environment concepts — from workplace and higher education to hospitality, residential and airport and a new event-and-amusement focus.
Tune in to the podcast
Harrington’s advice is direct: use the show app, schedule meetings with exhibitors, identify must-attend sessions and avoid overbooking to the point where you can’t have a meaningful conversation.
Griffith also pointed to practical considerations — airline discounts, shuttle service from select hotels — that can help operators manage the cost side of attending.
About the Author
Bob Tullio
Bob Tullio is a content specialist, speaker, sales trainer, consultant and contributing editor of Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com. He advises entrepreneurs on how to build a successful business from the ground up. He specializes in helping suppliers connect with operators in the convenience services industry — coffee service, vending, micro markets and pantry service specifically. He can be reached at 818-261-1758 and [email protected]. Tullio welcomes your feedback.
Subscribe to Automatic Merchandiser’s new podcast, Vending & OCS Nation, which Tullio hosts. Each episode is designed to make your business more profitable.