Vending & OCS Nation Podcast

The workplace has changed, but the demand for dependable coffee, water, food and refreshment services remains strong. On this episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast, presented in cooperation with NAMA, host Bob Tullio welcomes Christine Cochran, NAMA’s President and CEO, for a conversation about the opportunities ahead for OCS and pantry service operators. Nearly one year into her role, Cochran shares what she’s learned from visiting member businesses across the country. She discusses how operators are responding to changing customer expectations, rising costs and new technology and why their ability to deliver personalized service remains so valuable. The conversation also previews the 2026 Coffee, Tea and Water event, November 18–19 in Austin, Texas, where Tullio returns as emcee. Cochran highlights education focused on sales, executive leadership and operators new to pantry service, along with the value of connecting with peers and suppliers in a more intimate setting. With CTW not taking place in 2027, Cochran explains the thinking behind that decision and outlines NAMA’s plans to support the OCS and pantry community throughout the year. She also discusses advocacy work involving tariffs, PFAS, single-use plastics and caffeine labeling and why association involvement can help busy operators stay informed and prepared.

What happens when a successful healthcare technology salesperson decides that great money no longer makes up for burnout? For Hunter Hebestreet, it meant starting AI Vending from scratch and finding opportunity in Denver’s luxury apartment buildings. Today, his company operates 74 pieces of equipment across 45 locations. On this episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation, host Bob Tullio talks with Hunter Hebestreet about building a focused sales strategy, earning the trust of property managers and securing equipment placement that turns foot traffic into smart cooler sales. Hunter shares what’s working with product selection, commissions, social media and financing. He explains why even an experienced salesperson had to get comfortable walking through doors, cold calling and hearing “no.” How did cold calling make him feel? “I was sick to my stomach. I was scared, and I just moved forward, and I did it scared.” Beyond the technology, Hunter’s story offers a candid look at the persistence required to build a convenience services business. He explains how focusing on one market helped his company sharpen its sales approach and earn opportunities across property portfolios. His advice for aspiring operators: Plan for more rejection, more capital and more time than you expect and find a strong business partner and suppliers to help you grow.

What if a convenience services operator could take some money off the table, retain a meaningful ownership stake in a larger organization and continue building the local company they spent years creating? That is the model behind Alliance Markets & Vending. In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser's Vending & OCS Nation, Bob Tullio talks with Gregg Meheriuk, CEO of Alliance Markets & Vending, about a founder-focused approach to consolidation that offers independent operators something different from a traditional exit. Backed by Shore Capital, Alliance acquires strong independent convenience services companies while allowing many founders to remain active in the business and invest a portion of their proceeds into the larger Alliance platform. The local company name and customer relationships can remain intact, while operators gain access to resources that are often difficult for an independent company to build on its own. Gregg explains how scale can create advantages in purchasing, technology, HR, finance, sales support and operational expertise. Alliance operators also have the opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices with other successful operators inside the organization. The conversation also addresses one of the biggest questions facing longtime operators: What happens if I want liquidity, but I'm not ready to retire? Gregg describes how founders who want to remain involved can reinvest part of the proceeds from the sale into Alliance, giving them the opportunity to participate in the future growth and value of the overall platform. Alliance is also showing early momentum. Gregg says the company is performing well ahead of its aggressive budget and exceeding his expectations. For operators considering succession, an eventual sale or simply a way to accelerate growth, this episode offers a look at an emerging alternative - selling the business without necessarily saying goodbye to the business.

The Atlantic Coast Exposition has long been known for bringing together convenience services operators, suppliers and industry leaders for education, networking and plenty of fun. For ACE 2026, the organizers are raising the bar.In this special episode of Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast, presented in cooperation with ACE – the Atlantic Coast Exposition, host Bob Tullio sits down with Timmy Brewer, a 13-year Canteen North America veteran and chair of ACE 2026, for a preview of ACE Around the World.One of the biggest changes this year? ACE wants to become a true buying show.Brewer explains why operators should arrive with a shopping list and be ready to talk directly with suppliers, brokers and distributors about new products, equipment, coffee programs and special ACE show deals. The goal is simple: create meaningful conversations that can translate into real business opportunities.But the buying-show emphasis is only part of the story. Brewer takes listeners through a packed ACE schedule that includes educational sessions addressing legislative issues, cost pressures and the human side of AI, along with an energetic keynote from Jake Failing, Carolina Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes hype man.There’s also golf, live music, the ACE Honors Breakfast, a cornhole tournament and, of course, the always memorable ACE party. This year, it is built around the wide-open creative possibilities of the ACE Around the World theme.For operators who have never attended ACE before, Brewer has a simple challenge: give it a try. At a $99 operator registration price, he is confident that the combination of education, contacts, buying opportunities and industry camaraderie delivers tremendous value.Learn more at atlanticcoastexpo.com.

Taylor Vaughan didn’t plan on a career in convenience services. At 21, she found herself helping out at SPG Vending Solutions where customers kept asking for coffee service. Tired of saying no, Vaughan put together a business plan, convinced the owner to invest in a single brewer and launched what would become Company Coffee Shop. Today, Vaughan leads SPG Vending, now known as The Culinary Express by SPG Vending, while continuing to run the coffee business she built from the ground up. On this episode of Automatic Merchandiser & VendingMarketWatch’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast, host Bob Tullio talks with Vaughan about what it takes to build and lead a successful convenience services operation in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven marketplace. Vaughan shares a philosophy central to her approach: not every growth opportunity is a good opportunity. She explains why operators need to protect margins, invest carefully and pursue what she calls “earned growth” rather than growth at any cost. We also get into: Why coffee and breakrooms create workplace culture AI, smart coolers and the changing convenience services landscape Leading “from inside the boat, not from the shore” Why there’s nothing passive about “passive income” in vending Authenticity as a competitive advantage in an AI-driven world How independent operators can compete and win against national companies Her advice to the next generation of women entering convenience services Taylor finishes the episode with one of our favorite answers we have heard from a guest this year: about building something sustainable while still having something left to give the people you love. It’s an insightful conversation with one of the industry’s next-generation leaders and a reminder that sustainable growth isn't necessarily about getting bigger. It’s about making better decisions.