More insights from Coffee, Tea and Water in Miami

This episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast features more conversations and insights with industry leaders (some big names in the industry) from the Connection Hub at the CTW – NAMA’s Coffee, Tea and Water Show.

Three questions were asked:

• What is your takeaway from the CTW event?
• What do operators need to do to succeed in 2026?
• And a very timely question: As an operator or supplier, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

This podcast features comments from:

• Kevin Brinton of Evergreen Refreshments
• Linda Saldana of Seventh Wave Refreshments
• Christine Johnson of The J.M. Smucker Co.
• Katelyn Davis of Seventh Wave Refreshments
• Ryan Stoulil of Alliant Coffee Solutions
• John Hickey of Tech 2 Success
• Patricia Cowan of Rainmaker Sales Support
• Brian Zakeski of Follett Products LLC
• Rick Dutkiewicz of National Coffee
• Kevin Alves of Keurig Dr Pepper
• Chris J. Taylor of Canteen
• And more

EPISODE BONUS: Podcast host Bob Tullio has not been this emotional since he ate at Mary Mac’s Tearoom during the NAMA Show in Atlanta – an unforgettable experience. In Miami, in between interviews, he discovered a compelling reason to return to Miami. Tune in to learn more, and be prepared to get hungry.

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No time to listen? Prefer to read? Here is an edited podcast transcript:

Bob Tullio: This episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation features more conversations and insights with industry leaders from the Connection Hub at CTW — the Coffee, Tea, and Water Show — in Miami.

Before we get to the interviews — and we have some really big names for you — one thing at the CTW literally brought tears to my eyes. My nephew, Paul Tullio, and I went out and had a Cuban sandwich, and it was so good! The Cuban sandwich, the Cubano, is a pressed and toasted ham-and-cheese sandwich that originated in Florida’s Cuban immigrant communities. Cuban bread, roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. And the bread: the outside of the sandwich is buttered before pressing, resulting in a golden, crispy exterior. It's unbelievable. If you ever go to Miami, do not miss having a Cubano.

Back to business: three questions were asked.

• What is your takeaway from a CTW?
• What do operators need to do to succeed in 2026?
• As an operator or supplier, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Let’s start out with a couple of very bright young stars in this industry. Katelyn Davis from Seventh Wave Refreshments and Kevin Brinton from Evergreen Refreshments.

Katelyn Davis: Katelyn Davis, Seventh Wave Refreshments.

Bob Tullio: Okay, the question I have for you initially, anyway, is what takeaway did you get from today's CTW?

Katelyn Davis: The keynote session was incredible. Being able to personalize your AI and make it do all the work for you is something that I don’t think people know the in-depth details of. Using AI is one thing, yes, but having it do all of your work as you is something that I don’t think is tapped in this industry.

Bob Tullio: Very good. Kevin, what do you say?

Kevin Brinton: I think for a company like ours and — Kevin Brinton and Evergreen Refreshments, to start. First off, we have multiple brands and unfortunately, we have one marketing person to push across an image to multiple different demographics and territories with those different brands. And the ability now to be able to lever that one marketing individual, create content at a performance rhythm and be able to push out that content across multiple platforms is something that we just couldn’t do before these tools were kind of came out. And what an example for him to show just how deep it can go with video, with audio, visual — tailored to our companies, tailored to our brand, tailored to our image values, and who we want to be as a company. That’s just things that we couldn’t do five years ago.

Bob Tullio: Sure. So, to be fair, I’m going to ask him the second question first. That way you get to prepare for it, okay? Fair enough? What do operators need to do to succeed in 2026?

Kevin Brinton: Oh, I love how you ask me this time. And I think for 2026, I think what we’re finding is a proof-of-value to the customer is existential for that business to continue growing and to maintain those customer relationships. The things that we found in this industry is the businesses that are succeeding are those that are able to detach that customer from the price, and the product, and attach them to the brand and who they are. And when I am constantly able to reaffirm my customer that we align with who they are as a company, we align with what their values are, we align with their mission as a company, it creates a partnership and not a transactional relationship.

I think we actually need to detach from a transactional relationship as an industry and say, “How can I make this a constant feedback loop, where we want to be in touch with each other on things that aren’t just products and price?”

Bob Tullio: You’re not really 23 years old, are you?

Kevin Brinton: I am 23 years old. I am going on 24. I got six months until I’m there.

Bob Tullio: Same question for you. What do operators need to do to succeed in 2026?

Katelyn Davis: I think he nailed it on the head. I think a lot of it is experience. And our company motto is bringing joy to the workplace. And it's not just a motto, it's measurable. And you need to be able to give that to your clients. So, what kind of reporting can you offer them to prove that your company is what it says it is? What kind of trust can you build through those analytics? And then also internal looking. What storytelling are you missing out on for your own company that could be building and shaping the people that work for you and with you?

Bob Tullio: And you’re younger than him, aren’t you?

Katelyn Davis: I have six months on him.

Bob Tullio: Okay, there you go. Very impressive. Third and final question. What do operators have to be thankful for this year?

Kevin Brinton: I mean, first off, the ability to serve customers in an environment that, although we’re experiencing tough pricing with coffee. We’re experiencing tough pricing on products. These customers are still fighting through with us and through these partnerships and buying product. And the fact that we, although we’re dealing with tariffs, we’re dealing with all these existential uncontrollables, we’re controlling what we can control and the industry is still kicking butt. And I think that’s what we’ve got to be grateful for. We can keep and maintain this industry through the tough times. That’s what makes it so stable. That’s why it’s such a long-lasting industry. And that’s why we’re going to be here for another 50 to 100 years.

Bob Tullio: Fantastic. Same question. What do operators have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Katelyn Davis: I think supplier relationship. I think that relationship in itself, across the industry, has grown significantly in the past 10, 20 years. Having suppliers that have your back and want to provide rebates and want to help out with the price increases will slow-roll a price increase, and the communication from them has been huge. Coffee’s at an all-time high, but having those relationships has significantly helped pass it along to customers.

Bob Tullio: So you’re thankful for suppliers.

Katelyn Davis: I am.

Bob Tullio: What a politically correct answer.

Katelyn Davis: I try. Thanks.

Christine Johnson: Christine Johnson, The J.M. Smucker Co.

Bob Tullio: Okay, Christine, the first question I have is: What was your big takeaway from CTW today?

Christine Johnson: I think it was great. It’s the opportunity for people to get together, collaborate, to see people who we haven’t seen in a while. We’re so used to a world that is virtual, and we’re just looking at each other on computer screens. And it’s nice to see people face-to-face and be able to shake their hand in person.

Bob Tullio: So, you kind of re-appreciate the value of being in contact with people in your industry.

Christine Johnson: Absolutely. That’s the truth.

Bob Tullio: That’s great. What do you think operators need to do to succeed? You deal with a lot of operators along the way, obviously. What do you think operators need to do to succeed in 2026?

Christine Johnson: What I think is we really rely on data lately, and I think they have to be a little open to hearing what the data is presenting so that they can learn from that — as we’re learning from that. It’s not a one-sided but we have these trends. We have data and innovation that is supporting that data.

So, I’m hoping that there it seems like they’re coming with open minds and open hearts to new items. And I think this is going to be the win for them for 2027.

Bob Tullio: It’s interesting because I’ve heard that before, that the data is there, but you think there’s a lot of preconceived notions about what works, and what doesn’t work?

Christine Johnson: Well, I think you can always manipulate data to make it tell the story that you need it to tell. But I think when the data is just raw data and you can show that this is what the turns are, and this is how it responds, and here’s the markets it’s working in, I think those are the success stories.

Bob Tullio: And your message is JM Smucker makes the data available.

Christine Johnson: We buy the data.

Bob Tullio: That’s great.

Christine Johnson: Yes, we use the programs that we can capture data.

Bob Tullio: As a supplier, tell me what you’re thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Christine Johnson: I’m thankful, one, for working for a great company. I’m thankful for the great brands that we offer. But I’m thankful for being able to actually, again, be with people and talk about some of the things and how we can grow our business together. So, on a business level, I’m thankful for that. And on a personal level, I’m thankful for my family.

Ryan Stoulil: Ryan Stoulil, Alliant Coffee Solutions.

Bob Tullio: What’s your impression, and what’s your big takeaway from CTW?

Ryan Stoulil: I would say that my first impression has been how well attended it is. Lots of vendors, lots of customers, lots of people showing up, lots of enthusiasm. And so that was, you know, that seems to be an improvement on past CTWs. It seems to be a very well-attended show.

For us, as always, it’s a great meetup, with customers, with prospects. There’s been some good traffic through the booth, lots of good conversations. It's been really positive. I’m glad we’re here.

Bob Tullio: I mean, would you say it exceeded your expectations this year?

Ryan Stoulil: Yeah, absolutely it did. Yeah, it definitely exceeded our expectations. We were, we didn’t attend last year. It was a little too tight timeline to, I think, Christmas. I think there was, that was kind of the general consensus. So, we were happy about the scheduling this year, and I think that really served it well, served the attendance. Very well, so absolutely [it] exceeded our expectations.

Bob Tullio: Excellent. What do operators need to do to succeed in 2026?

Ryan Stoulil: That’s a great question. I think, from our perspective, keeping on trend with the sustainable expectations from consumers, products that have renewable inputs and kind of a sustainable path downstream. I think that's still very, very top-of-mind for consumers. It’s becoming more and more mainstream, more of an expectation. So, I think that's an important thing to kind of keep on trend with.

From another perspective, like our soluble beverage products, also keeping track of the Gen Z trends that are, you know, I think everybody’s pretty well-aware of now and the beverage choices and the trends and the customization. Some more sweet options, more kind of creative options, and making sure that their break room — like hot beverage setups — can kind of complement those tastes.

Bob Tullio: Fantastic. Last question is, as a supplier, what do you have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Ryan Stoulil: Well, first and foremost, my family, 100%.

I’m absolutely thankful for our team. You know, for our company team, we’ve got an unbelievable group of people who are absolutely dedicated to their work and to the success of the company and to their customers, and to bringing them value. And I’m thankful for our company and for the culture of our organization. So for sure.

And for our customers — and for you.

Bob Tullio: Oh, thanks. I appreciate that.

Ryan Stoulil: Put that in there.

Bob Tullio: Here's John Hickey from Tech 2 Success.

John, what’s your takeaway from CTW this year?

John Hickey: The energy of the floor is better than it's been in any of the CTW's past. I think the format has evolved and improved over time, so the education component remains strong while the exhibitors have been able to leverage the floor space to share their services.

Bob Tullio: What do operators need to do to succeed in 2026?

John Hickey: Obviously, pay attention to the AI world that's out there, but remain focused on the authenticity rather than the artificialness of it, and not chase technology for technology's sake, but leverage the technology to accelerate their goals.

Bob Tullio: Makes sense. As a supplier, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

John Hickey: This Thanksgiving, and most every day, I am grateful and thankful for my team. They choose to spend a lion’s share of their personal time working for our organization and serving our clients.

Kevin Alves: Kevin Alves, Keurig Dr Pepper.

Bob Tullio: What is your takeaway so far from CTW?

Kevin Alves: A rousing number of attendees, both operator and supplier. I think we've had a lot of great engagement, a lot of sessions that have been fully encompassing of everything that's happening in our industry in 2025, what to look forward to in the future. So, a lot of trends in 2026 to capitalize on and then take that feedback back to us as an operator to share with our organizations and curate the future demand in this industry.

Bob Tullio: So, you think overall it's been a better show than what you've seen in the past?

Kevin Alves: Yeah, absolutely. I think every year it continues to get better and better.

Bob Tullio: So, second question, what do you think operators need to do to succeed in 2026?

Kevin Alves: Continue to be adaptable. I mean, there's a lot of, you know, economic pressures, a lot of changing of governmental implications, having to deal with tariffs and everything associated with that, and just being flexible and trying our best to customize a solution for our end customers.

Bob Tullio: What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Kevin Alves: Thankful for the relationships that I've built over the years and the new relationships that continue to forge at events like this at NAMA, at Coffee Tea Water. It's truly the backbone of this industry. We're very much a relationship-based industry, and I love connecting with former colleagues, former co-workers, former distributor partners, and then a lot of those new ones.

Linda Saldana: Linda Saldana, Seventh Wave Refreshments.

Linda, what's your key takeaway from CTW?

Linda Saldana: You have to use AI. Like AI, I think the session we had here was super transformative and it was, it just made everybody, it made me really hungry to go back and actually apply whatever we learned here to our business.

Bob Tullio: Wow, you are approximately the 10th person to say how impacted they were. It's just amazing. What do operators need to do to succeed in 2026?

Linda Saldana: Continue to drive innovation. I feel like if we ever get too comfortable in this season because things are changing so quickly, we're going to be so far behind even where we're at right now.

Bob Tullio: And you think AI is going to be a part of that innovation?

Linda Saldana: 1000%.

Bob Tullio: Okay. And finally, this Thanksgiving, what are you as an operator thankful for?

Linda Saldana: A really amazing team. That's it.

Bob Tullio: That's it?

Linda Saldana: Yeah. So many, so many other things, but really in our industry, I think having a great team is key to everything we do. So, I'm really, really grateful for a good group of people.

Patricia Cowan: Patricia Cowan with Rainmaker Sales Support.

Bob Tullio: What's your big takeaway from CTW?

Patricia Cowan: We love CTW. NAMA is unbelievable, but it's a lot of people. It's a lot going on. CTW, we get tons of scans. There's lots of opportunities here, but we also get more time to spend with people. There are more intimate conversations. We get to spend more time with our clients. It's really a productive show. There's a lot of immeasurables in all these shows, but Coffee, Tea and Water, we seem to really make some good, long-lasting connections.

Bob Tullio: What do operators need to do to succeed in 2026?

Patricia Cowan: Of course, I'm A prospecting company, so they need to prospect. They need to understand pipelines. Not everyone's ready. The minute you walk in the door, you got to pop in and take them to Snickers and keep on their mind. And I think there's tons of business out there. We find it for people every day. They just got to keep with some of those leads.

Bob Tullio: What do you have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Patricia Cowan: My goodness, so much. My daughter is in the business and that's been beautiful. I've got two other new sales reps and they are hungry young people and that's really fun. So, in regard to the business, I'm really, really happy about the growth and potential coming up.

Rick Dutkiewicz: It's Rick Dutkiewicz, a great dear friend of Bob Tulio, National Coffee.

Bob Tullio: What's your big takeaway from CTW?

Rick Dutkiewicz: I'm happy with how it all panned out. Wasn't sure, to be honest, in the beginning, because it changed. And we've had great regional turnout and local, of course. Great old Florida operator friends are here. So, we've got a really nice time.

Bob Tullio: What do operators need to do, in your opinion, to succeed in 2026?

Rick Dutkiewicz: Again, focus on quality, state-of-the-art things in the industry. Some of the things I represent, like the new Touch Vitro X5. These are things you want to get acquainted with, want to learn about, and want to know about.

I guess we all got to talk about AI. There was a big session about it yesterday.

Bob Tullio: Yeah, absolutely.

Rick Dutkiewicz: So, we're all learning there. But yeah, stay with quality products. Don't be afraid to price them where they should be. Make that an important part of your business name.

Bob Tullio: What are you thankful for coming into Thanksgiving this year?

Rick Dutkiewicz: Well, I'm thankful that I'm almost 60 and I'm still hanging in doing this, Bob. It's been quite a long run. So that's what I'm thankful for.

Gabrielle Winke: Gabrielle Winke with Seventh Wave Refreshments.

Bob Tullio: What's your position with the company?

Gabrielle Winke: I am a customer success director for coffee services.

Bob Tullio: First CTW show?

Gabrielle Winke: Yes, it is. It’s been incredible.

Bob Tullio: Okay, cool. What's your takeaway from it?

Gabrielle Winke: It’s incredible how people support each other in this industry, and how everyone is really looking for innovative ways into the future. You know, and like where we've come from has been so incredible, but where we're going is just so bright and bold. And so, it's really interesting to see everyone's take on just the industry as a whole. Everyone has a different view, so it's been beautiful.

Bob Tullio: What do you think operators need to do to succeed in 2026?

Gabrielle Winke: We need to dive in, and dive in deep. We need to reevaluate how we're doing things. What does growth look like in the future? Do we need to tear things down and rebuild them from the ground up? And what are our systems and processes going forward looking ahead?

Bob Tullio: And as an operator, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Gabrielle Winke: Thankful for all of the people in this beautiful community. Everyone supports each other and our growth and just really the beautiful partnerships that do exist within this industry set it apart.

Brian Zakeski: Brian Zakeski, Follett Products LLC.

Bob Tullio: First question is, what's your takeaway from CTW?

Brian Zakeski: It's going well this year. I've actually seen a noticeable improvement in traffic over the 2024 show. I really can't blame the space, though. I'm right here at the front of the entrance, so that's definitely helping.

Bob Tullio: Yeah, it's good spot.

Brian Zakeski: But yeah, excellent, excellent turnout so far. The networking opportunities have been solid.

Bob Tullio: What's the advice that you have for operators to succeed in 2026?

Brian Zakeski: That's an excellent question. So obviously the number one thing that comes to mind is keep your customer's best interest at the top of mind. That's really where you're going to succeed.

Bob Tullio: Does that somehow tie into ice?

Brian Zakeski: It always ties into ice. You know, look for the opportunities where they can expand their offerings, you know, increase their rentals on a monthly basis, and, you know, really look for solutions rather than just trying to sell something. And I think that's the winning message.

Bob Tullio: That's great. And one last question, as a supplier, what are you thankful for as we head to Thanksgiving?

Brian Zakeski: As we head to Thanksgiving, I am thankful for another solid year working for us. And just these opportunities where we can meet and continue our relationships with people in the industry, I think that's very solid.

Ryan Voznick: My name is Ryan Voznick. My company name is Vertex Water Products, and my title is regional salesman.

Bob Tullio: First question is, what's your takeaway from CTW?

Ryan Voznick: There's a lot of vendors here. There's a lot of patrons as well. My takeaway is that any vestiges from COVID are gone. I really didn't expect this to be as well populated as it is, and it is well populated both by the vendors and the patrons.

Bob Tullio: So better Connection Hub than you've seen in the past.

Ryan Voznick: Yes, I would say that. Yeah.

Bob Tullio: Excellent. Second question. What do operators need to do, in your opinion, to succeed in 2026?

Ryan Voznick: If you're talking about like operators in terms of people selling to the break rooms, my best customers have been the people that hit the pavement and started going door to door. Those guys definitely bought more because we do coolers here at Vertex. And those guys definitely buy more, bought more coolers than, in terms of new customers, those guys were the ones who were getting in the best, with the best hits.

Bob Tullio: So, you think they need to go to more old-school style selling, just get out there and interact with people?

Ryan Voznick: That's what I'm saying, yeah, from what I've seen as a regional salesman for point-of-use coolers, my best new customers were the guys who went before the door. They made it onto — one of them even made it onto our top 10 dealers.

Bob Tullio: So old school does work sometimes. And my third question is, as a supplier, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Ryan Voznick: Increased tariff on China, because all of our stuff is not from China. It's kind of our Vertex way — has always been to not mess with China, get it somewhere else other than China. I like the pressure that's being put on China. I'm thankful for that for Thanksgiving.

Bob Tullio: I really didn't expect that. That's a great answer. Thank you.

Chris Taylor: Chris J. Taylor, Canteen Corporate.

Bob Tullio: What's your big takeaway from CTW?

Chris Taylor: I think probably the biggest takeaway and some of the key differences I've seen between even the regular NAMA show and then the CTW version of it is, it's just much more of an intimate setting. It gives a lot more time to really connect and that's what we do as an industry, right? We connect with people, we build relationships. Relationships are the human element that AI can never replace. It's just like, I think that AI being an enabler and the sessions that led to that enablement of just being a better version of yourself, it's almost like a level setter too. We're a really big company. There are other small or medium companies that can tap into AI, gives them a leap-start over where they would have been without these big teams that they don't have access to.

Bob Tullio: Absolutely. What side of the business are you on? Are you on the OCS side?

Chris Taylor: Yes, great question. So, I started off as a Avenue C or as a micro market route driver a little over 12 years ago, ran a route for three years. I was entry-level manager, mid-level manager, regional manager. And so, I have a big background in micro markets and vending. And about a month ago, I picked up OCS and pantry as part of my responsibility, which is why this is my first CTW that I've been to.

Bob Tullio: What do you think operators need to do to succeed in 2026?

Chris Taylor: Challenging yourself to do things a little bit differently. For an example, for us, we're really trying to lean into that hospitality mindset, attention to all the details, and honestly, it's getting back to a lot of the basics. We've had incredible growth, but with incredible growth sometimes comes messy SOPs that go in. So, on our side, it's reanalyzing, re-executing some of the basic principles to sell one more unit. How do we engage one more person?

New business is expensive. The current business we have, how do we get just one more consumer, which is one better experience? That's really our big focus for 26.

Bob Tullio: I like that. And finally, as an operator, what do you have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Chris Taylor: The business has never looked better. The future has never looked brighter for the business. And just seeing everybody here and how engaged everybody is and leaning and learning and sharing, there's a lot of walls are breaking down. I think it's a good thing.

There's always going to be competition, and everyone should welcome competition because iron sharpens iron. And I'm just super thankful. Thankful of continuing to learn from the professionals that have been here in the past, and then hopefully we encourage a few more people to come along with us from the future.