In hospitality distribution, complexity slows growth.
Guest Supply, a leading global distributor serving thousands of hotel properties, supports brands, management companies, and ownership groups across the hospitality industry. As a Sysco company focused on Operating Supplies and Equipment (OS&E), Guest Supply specializes in everything guests touch within a property. You can learn more about their organization on the Guest Supply About page.
While in-room coffee has long been established, commercial lobby coffee programs have remained largely untapped.
The issue was not demand. It was execution.
The Challenge: Entering a Complex Category
Lobby coffee programs require more than just supplying the product. They involve equipment selection, installation coordination, service support, consumable sequencing, and, in many cases, juice and liquid coffee integration.
“Outside of in-room coffee, we hadn’t even really sniffed the lobby category,” said Michael Larkin, Product Marketing Manager at Guest Supply. “It’s a different monster.”
Guest Supply’s sales consultants manage more than 30,000 SKUs across categories. Becoming experts in commercial coffee systems, equipment, and service logistics was unrealistic without the right partner.
That’s where Diplomat Coffee stepped in.
From Vendor to a Stronger Partnership
Like many long-standing supplier relationships, the history between Guest Supply and Diplomat included both strong periods and challenges. What shifted the trajectory was leadership alignment, transparency and a renewed commitment to working better together.
“We’re in a new era now,” Larkin said. “The current state of Diplomat is awesome.” They’re in great hands with amazing people.”
Diplomat rebuilt trust through proactive communication, operational flexibility and hands-on leadership. Instead of operating as a transactional vendor, they have evolved into a highly valued partner focused on supporting Guest Supply’s goals and growth within the coffee category.
“I’m a strong believer in relationships, communication and trust,” Larkin said. “Right now, they’re right at the top.”
Making the Complex Programmatic
The breakthrough came when Diplomat streamlined the entire lobby program into a turnkey, repeatable system.
The structure included:
- Simplified equipment packages
- 24-hour installation scheduling
- Coordinated technician support
- Drop-ship capabilities for consumables
- On-site product loading and training
- Seamless transition into reorder cycles
“If we tried to run this in-house, we’d need a team just to manage air traffic control,” Larkin said. “They’ve made it seamless.”
This removed friction for Guest Supply’s sales force, enabling them to confidently approach new segments, particularly mid-scale and select-service hotels.
For Diplomat, it reinforced their positioning not just in-room but across full premium hospitality coffee programs.
A Scalable Growth Opportunity
Over 200 sales consultants across the organization, even modest weekly installation activity translates into meaningful category growth.
“We could easily be looking at five to twenty installs a week,” Larkin noted.
What was once an underdeveloped segment is now a scalable revenue stream, supported by structured processes, category expertise, and leadership alignment.
