In this edition of ‘What’s In Your Cup’ we sat down with Drew Dutton, our Vice President of Logistics & Equipment Operations. Drew’s journey with Royal Cup spans over two decades, showcasing his dedication, growth, and passion for the coffee industry.
We began our chat by asking, “Drew, what’s in your cup?”
“ROAR Guatemalan Estate,” Drew shared. “I like a medium roast coffee with a smooth finish, so I’m a big fan of this coffee.”
Drew's journey with Royal Cup began when he was fresh out of high school and looking for a part-time job while attending college. He started by rebuilding coffee equipment, a role that laid the foundation for his extensive career at Royal Cup.
"I started working at Royal Cup in early 2000 and helped rebuild coffee equipment. Eventually, I started working here full-time and would work during the day and go to class at night," Drew recalls.
Over the years, Drew's roles evolved, each one building on the skills and knowledge he gained from the previous. He moved from managing parts inventory for beverage equipment, overseeing the Birmingham warehouse facility, managing our 3rd-party service companies and field service team to becoming the Vice President of Logistics and Equipment Operations.
“I’ve touched a lot of different areas of our company that I am now fortunate enough to lead,” Drew said. “Each position in my journey has taught me how to step into the next one and develop my career to where I am today.”
In his current role, Drew is responsible for equipment procurement, allied goods procurement, transportation, warehousing, and facilities maintenance. Drew’s extensive experience across various roles has equipped him with a deep understanding of the business, making him a valuable leader.
What started as a part time job during college turned into a career stretching over two decades in the coffee industry.
“When the opportunity arose to start working at Royal Cup to earn some money during college, it was a no-brainer. But I chose to stay in this industry because of my general love for coffee and how interesting it is. Not everybody gets to say they talk about coffee and the logistics of it for work every day. It’s a neat thing to do and be a part of it and I think that’s why I’ve enjoyed it as much as I have,” he shares.
Drew has been with Royal Cup for a total of 20 years. This long tenure is not uncommon at Royal Cup, where many employees have 20–30-year careers. Drew attributes his and other’s long tenures to the company’s culture and the people who work here.
“There’s a family-like atmosphere here and a respectful and collaborative culture where people feel part of a team,” Drew explained. “It’s a culture where we’re all working together for that common process of improvement to meet our customers’ needs and having fun.”
Throughout his years here, Drew's contributions to Royal Cup are numerous, but he believes his biggest impact comes from consistent, incremental improvements.
"I don’t have a specific accomplishment or contribution that comes to mind, but more of a cumulation of things I’ve been a part of during my tenure here. I’ve been a part of new customers coming on board, 2000 chain rollouts, and technology advancements,” Drew said. “But I think my biggest contribution has been helping to execute things on a consistent basis to get 1% better every day and have incremental improvement each day."
One of Drew's favorite aspects of his job is the diverse portfolio of Royal Cup's customers.
"I love to eat a good breakfast meal, whether it be at First Watch, Cracker Barrel, Waffle House, or Another Broken Egg, you name it, and they serve Royal Cup. Having a great meal and drinking coffee that I've played some part in is one of my favorite things," Drew said.
He finds it fascinating that no matter where he goes, he can always find a customer to get a cup of coffee from.
"If it’s a hotel, C-Store, restaurant, office, or hospital, I’m always in close proximity of getting a cup of Royal Cup,” Drew said.
Outside of work, Drew enjoys spending time with his family, coaching his kids around the basketball gym, or spending time at the lake. He is also very involved in his church and enjoys early morning runs or bass fishing on the lake.
When it comes to professional advice, Drew shares a valuable lesson he has learned: "Do the next job you want to get before you get the job. This means doing your job well enough that you can take on more so when the next job comes you are ready to step in," he said. He believes that every opportunity he has had during his tenure at Royal Cup has prepared him for the next step in his career.
For Drew, what separates Royal Cup from the competition is our "white glove service."
“White glove service means a seamless customer experience to the point where we’re handling things so smoothly our customers almost forget we exist other than when we shake their hand and thank them for their business,” Drew explained.
"Whether it be route, equipment, service, or custom blends, Royal Cup is the turnkey solution to our customers. There are others in the industry that do it, but as far as offering the full portfolio scope, we can do it all. We have the ability to build your brand, offer you route delivery with ‘white glove service,’ loan and service equipment, you name it, we’ve got it covered from start to finish."
Drew’s journey at Royal Cup is a testament to his dedication and passion and showcases the impact of hard work, continuous learning and a genuine love for what you do. We hope you enjoyed getting to know more about Drew and journey at The Cup. Stay tuned for next month’s edition.
