When I first joined Plascon, I received a call from Robert at Southern Visions as they were preparing for the NRA (National Restaurant Association) show. Southern Visions, known for their Sweet Brew Tea line of teas and lemonades, needed an efficient way to manage beverage service for the event. With dozens of urns set to be filled each day, the team was concerned about the labor and time required to clean them every night. They discovered Plascon's Saftea® Liner online and reached out to me. I coordinated an expedited shipment so they would have the liners delivered directly to their hotel ahead of the show.
What Southern Visions didn’t realize was that I would also be attending the NRA that year, meeting with many of our partners. I even packed a backpack full of Traverse City's tasty Cherry Republic treats to share with them on my trip to Chicago. After landing, I went straight from the airport to the show and was able to get in right as it opened.
Southern Visions was one of my key visits, and when I arrived at their booth, I was greeted by a display of urns filled with tea and lemonade, each with white tubes sticking out of them - a tell-tale sign that Saftea® Liners are in the urns. As I introduced myself, Robert immediately recognized my name and came over to greet me. With his signature southern accent, he said, “Brett, so glad to meet you, I have someone you should meet.” He introduced me to one of their major clients, Hill & Brooks Coffee & Tea. While Hill & Brooks has yet to develop into a customer relationship, Robert’s willingness to make the introduction spoke volumes about the value he saw in our partnership. We had some great conversations at the show, and I was told to expect a call from their new VP of Sales soon.
True to their word, a few weeks later I heard from John, Hill & Brooks’ VP. They were interested not just in purchasing Saftea® Liners, but in forming a partnership. Southern Visions was so confident in the Saftea® Liner that they wanted to recommend it to their own customers—brands like Kwik Trip, RaceTrac, Casey’s, and Parker’s Kitchen, all of whom are now customers of ours. Their trust in Saftea® and their commitment to quality meant they encouraged their own partners to use our liner for the highest beverage standards.
This is what true partnership looks like: Saftea® Liners deliver value across the supply chain. While we’ve established numerous meaningful relationships throughout the industry, our collaboration with Southern Visions is particularly special. Even today, they demonstrate their trust in Saftea® by welcoming our pop-up banner in their booth at the NRA show each year. Their commitment to quality is clear—their outstanding beverages are made even better by using a fresh Saftea® Liner in every urn, every day.
Interested in partnering with Plascon and our patented Saftea® Liners? Or just want to learn more about how Saftea® Liners can improve your beverage program? Contact us to learn more!