Holiday House brings popular training and trade show to the West Coast

Five years ago, Barbara Russell, vice president of sales and marketing at Holiday House Distributing, recognized a void in the coffee service industry. As a leading supplier to the coffee service, water and vending industry — serving more than 3,900 operators — she felt there wasn’t enough organized training for technicians. Russell convinced her boss and company co-founders, Butch and Lynn Winkler, to organize a technician training program that operators now cherish. It is about to expand its reach with a session planned for Irvine, Calif., on September 30.

“With the way coffee service equipment and the technology was evolving, we saw the need for technician training. NAMA was not doing that type of training, not even at the Coffee, Tea and Water Show,” said Russell. “When every machine was an air pot brewer, it was no problem, but today’s equipment is more complicated. We had our first technician training and trade show in February of 2020 in Tampa.”

Post-COVID success

classroom at Holiday House Distributing training

“I simply reached out to the larger equipment manufacturers like Bunn and Newco, plus Urnex, because the equipment needs to be clean, and Everpure, for water filtration,” she said. “We had 60 people at the first show, and that included some of the vendors. Following COVID, we jumped to 87 operators in 2022, and then in 2023, we listened to the operators and added even more vendors, including Bevi. There was a great response — we had 200 people at our dinner, and 160 of those were from operators.”

Listening to operators

Holiday House Distributing classroom training

Following that hugely successful show in 2023, Holiday House kept listening — and responding. “We’ve had many operators asking to have a show on the west coast. So, once again, when operators ask — we listen, and we do,” Russell said. “We will be at the Hyatt in Irvine, Calif., on Monday, September 30 to Wednesday, October 2. It may be a reach since it is a first-time event here, but we are hoping for 100 operator attendees.”

Russell said she and her planning team have learned from the past and have made the show as convenient as possible for operators. “The activity starts around noon on Monday, and it all ends on Wednesday at 12:45 p.m., after the last tech breakout session. It will be easy to arrive and easy to get back home,” she added.

A packed schedule

Holiday House Distributing training coffee service

At registration on Monday, attendees can sign up for manufacturer training sessions of their choice. The tech training itself starts immediately in a classroom setting with filtration training, flood prevention, electrical tips and instruction on proper cleaning from Urnex. Then, the trade show floor opens for two hours, giving attendees an opportunity to interact with operators.

“We have a cocktail hour and a big welcome dinner with plenty of prizes and entertainment — a great evening enjoyed by everyone,” Russell said. “The show is quite a nice deal for attendees because it includes comprehensive training sessions, exclusive sales opportunities and meals, for just $250 per person — only $225 for sign-ups before July 31.”

A key feature

Russell pointed to the ability of the attendees to choose the two-hour training sessions of their choice as a key, positive feature of the Holiday House event. “We expect to have up to nine different equipment manufacturers, so there is plenty of choice available for the attendees to get the training directly from the ones that are used in their business operation,” she said.

The manufacturers and suppliers who are attending the show in Irvine make up an impressive list of industry leaders.

A value

graduates Holiday House Distributing training

“It’s really an unparalleled opportunity for operators to see their techs elevate their game,” said Russell. “Some of the larger companies are sending people from multiple regions so they can take what they learn back to each office. When you start considering what it would cost for an operator to send all of their key people directly to the manufacturers for training, it would cost thousands. The value that comes with Holiday House Technician Training and Trade Show is clear to everyone who attends.”

Russell explained that the event is not a money-maker for Holiday House. “The fee is designed to offset the food costs,” she said. “This event is great for the industry, the suppliers, the operators and their technicians, who will each receive a certification. It’s also good for the manufacturers and for Holiday House. Everyone who attends becomes a lot more connected.”

Elevating tech performance

While the Holiday House Technician Training and Trade Show is geared toward serving front-line technicians and service managers, Butch Winkler said there is increasing interest from owners and high-level managers.

“Operators recognize that the equipment such as single-cup brewers and bean-to-cup brewers are more expensive than ever. When they spend $7,000 on a machine and it keeps breaking down, the owners get more involved and realize that well-trained technicians are very important employees. Our small group training takes technicians to another level.”

Click here to register for the Holiday House Technician Training and Trade Show

Event Details at a Glance