Vending & OCS Nation Podcast

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 ap...

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 ...

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 contin...

How do you build a $20 million convenience services company from the ground up? For Jon Corto, founder and CEO of Buffalo Strive, Markets and Vending, the answer begins with one word: Relentless.

Coming Tuesday on Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast, it’s Part Two of Bob Tullio's conversation with the former Buffalo Bills linebacker turned entrepreneur, the focus shifts from Corto's unlikely j...

The qualities that helped Jon Corto reach the NFL — discipline, resilience, coachability, sacrifice and relentless preparation — are the same qualities he relies on to lead Buffalo Strive, his successful convenience services business.

In this first part of a two-part series of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast, host Bob Tullio sits down with Jon Corto, founder and CEO of Buffalo Strive...

What separates great OCS sales professionals from average ones? According to Michelle Scott, director of national accounts for Royal Cup Inc., it isn’t aggressive selling. It’s listening, consulting, building relationships and earning trust over time.

In part two of Bob Tullio’s conversation with Michelle Scott, she shares two decades of experience selling office coffee service, from her first job out of...

For more than 130 years, Royal Cup, Inc. has quietly built one of the country's most respected coffee businesses. While many convenience services companies have expanded into vending, micro markets and every imaginable workplace amenity, Royal Cup has taken a different path, doubling down on what it believes it does best.

In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser & VendingMarketWatch's Vending & OCS Nation podcast, Bob Tull...

Is the breakroom becoming the most important room in the office? Increasingly, the answer is yes. Fortunately for the convenience services industry, that’s creating a major opportunity. Operators are delivering more than coffee, snacks and refreshments. In the best locations, they are tasked with delivering an experience that will influence corporate culture.

Companies aren’t just asking how to stock a breakroom. They&...

What do Walt Disney, Hugh Hefner and today's convenience services operators have in common? More than you might think.

In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser's Vending & OCS Nation, Bob Tullio sits down with communications strategist, author, and public relations pioneer Marty Cooper, whose remarkable career includes working directly with Walt Disney at Disneyland, Hugh Hefner at Playboy, the Academy Awards and some of ...

The 1990s were one of the most disruptive decades in the history of office coffee service. Starbucks was reshaping consumer expectations. Filterfresh was introducing single-cup brewing. Flavia was creating an entirely new beverage platform. Keurig was preparing to launch a product that would transform the industry. In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser & VendingMarketWatch's Vending & OCS Nation, host Bob Tullio welcom...

In Part 2 of his conversation with Josh Rosenberg of Forward Thinkers, Automatic Merchandiser & VendingMarketWatch's Vending & OCS Nation podcast host Bob Tullio begins the discussion with an in-depth look at the evolving mergers and acquisitions landscape within the convenience services industry before turning to a deeply personal conversation about family, leadership, health challenges and the tragic loss of Josh's son, I...

In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser & VendingMarketWatch's Vending & OCS Nation, it’s the first installment of Bob Tullio’s powerful two-part conversation with Josh Rosenberg, the founder of Forward Thinkers, who delivers an unfiltered look at the forces reshaping the convenience services industry. Drawing on decades of leadership experience from his years at The Coca-Cola Company to building and scaling...

As Gary Arwin explained, "After becoming a partner in a supplier to the hospitality industry, I had figured out very quickly that I had made a lot of other people a lot of money and I wanted to do something on my own. We dissolved the business and I went to a business broker and said, 'Hey, I'm interested in purchasing a business. What do you have available?' That is how Arwin got into the vending business. 

On this episode of...

Marc Rosset’s approach to M&A is very hands-on. In many ways, he serves as a matchmaker, connecting the seller to the right buyer. With more than 33 years of experience and over 350 completed transactions, representing nearly $1 billion in transferred revenue, the process clearly works.

In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast, presented in cooperation with Professional Vending Co...

While there were rave reviews and plenty of excitement surrounding all the new technology at the 2026 NAMA Show in Los Angeles, the beverages, snacks and legitimate dining options on display and available for tasting are always a big part of the show experience.

In Part 3 of our coverage from the 2026 NAMA Show, Automatic Merchandiser & VendingMarketWatch’s Vending & OCS Nation Podcast host Bob Tullio walks ...

In his five years with AVS Companies, Keith Krail has seen some significant and welcome changes in the convenience services business. What was a more traditionally focused automated retail solution business has become a dynamic AI integrated industry where new solutions have been put forward and are changing the way that companies and operators do business.

On this episode of Automatic Merchandiser's Vending & OCS Nation podcas...

After exploring smart market innovation in Part 1, Automatic Merchandiser & VendingMarketWatch’s coverage of the 2026 NAMA Show shifts the focus from hardware to something just as critical: The technology, infrastructure and support systems that are powering the industry forward. Back on the convention floor in Los Angeles, contributing editor Bob Tullio continues the conversation with a wide range of suppliers and o...

Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast host Bob Tullio did so many interviews from the convention floor at the 2026 NAMA Show in Los Angeles that he will be dedicating three episodes to the event. Part one is about the clear theme of the show, smart markets. Walking the floor of NAMA Show 2026, one thing became immediately clear: smart cooler technology has arrived in a big way. What just a few years ago ...

Headed to the 2026 NAMA Show in Los Angeles? This episode of Automatic Merchandiser's Vending & OCS Nation podcast is your insider guide to making the most of your trip - inside and outside the convention center.

Podcast host Bob Tullio highlights the must-see booths at this year’s show, featuring cutting - edge innovations in AI, smart retail, and frictionless commerce. Then, he interviews downtown LA expert Johnna Hughe...