This Distributor of the Year winner started by running a route, so Jerry Browning, account executive at Vistar, understands the vending business. From losing the core business of factory jobs to the fluctuating supplier prices, not to mention what Browning calls "the merger wars," he recognizes the challenges to independent operators, and points to many opportunities.

Starting on the route

Back in 1974, Browning got laid off from a tire retailer. He needed to pay bills, so he got a route driver job at Canteen in Buffalo, N.Y., and found he loved the work. "I liked being on the road and making my own decisions," he said.

For a little over a decade, Browning worked for Canteen, getting promoted to a number of supervisory roles in both New York and Pennsylvania. In 1987, Browning decided to make a change and joined Buffalo Crown Vending, in Buffalo, N.Y., as operations manager. It was with Buffalo Crown that he got what he calls one of his greatest opportunities. The then owner, Tom Straus, let Browning join the New York State Vending Association. "I did all the chairs," said Browning, "And I was president during the tax relief package for that area."

In 2003, Buffalo Vending was bought by Loose Ends Vending, and eventually by Next Generation Vending LLC. While Loose Ends owned the company, Browning moved to OCS and vending sales. He stayed for three years and decided it was time to make another change, a pretty big one. He became a sales representative for Vistar.

"I worked in purchasing with Canteen and Buffalo Crown, so I'd worked with Vistar in the past," said Browning. "I'm really enjoying this side (of the business)," he added. Since Vistar bought VMW Distributors in 2009, Browning's territory has vastly increased. "I cover Rochester, N.Y. to Ashtabula, Ohio -- about 95 percent of the vending business," said Browning.

Opportunities for the independent

"I have a lot of independent (operators), and I like working with them because I came from that end of the business," said Browning. A positive trend for independents is the self checkout market, which is replacing vending banks at larger accounts. Browning thinks it's a great opportunity for two reasons. First, there are more products available. Browning knows manufacturers have a lot more top-selling products than what's available in the vending channel. The second is better price points. Larger sizes, more choices and a different format allow operators to set prices closer to those in retail.

Another opportunity for operators is the outstanding quality of frozen food available to them, according to Browning. "I don't remember it looking that good when I was in vending," he commented.

What else does he want to say to operators? Pay attention to pricing. He sees a lot of fluctuation in supplier prices and some operators are just not catching it. "Keep up with pricing, and keep customers informed about the increases," he said.