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Rafael Rosario, the 2009 Automatic Merchandiser OCS Operator of the Year, loves building an OCS business. He is presently establishing his second OCS operation as the OCS manager at Summit Office & Refreshment Services in Everett, Wash.

The consumer’s love of good coffee and the growing availability of high quality products and equipment have made OCS a great business, and Rosario wouldn’t trade it for any other job he has known. His enthusiasm has earned him praise from suppliers and customers alike.

Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Rosario spent eight years in the military after graduating from high school before seeking full-time work. He spent time in different service industries before getting into refreshment services.

Rosario joined Suntory, which is now part of DS Waters of America Inc., as a salesman in 2000 in San Francisco, Calif. In his first year, he won Suntory’s route sales rep of the year contest. After one year on the job, the company asked him to oversee its expansion into OCS.

A NON-COFFEE DRINKER, ROSARIO LEARNS TO LIKE COFFEE

Rosario wasn’t even a coffee drinker, but he recognized coffee’s popularity as an office refreshment, so he accepted the OCS position. He also liked working with coffee more than bottled water. “It’s a lot easier to carry a case of coffee than a 5-gallon bottle of water,” he said.

Two years later, when Suntory merged with Danone, the company moved him to the greater Seattle, Wash. area. The company arranged for him to spend time with a roaster to learn more about coffee. “It was all a learning experience,” he said. “I (eventually) considered myself a coffee person.” He was then put in charge of building the company’s OCS division in the Seattle area.

Rosario relished the challenge of finding out what each coffee customer was most interested in. He soon learned that selling coffee is largely a customer education process, and one that he enjoys. “There is always something new to learn and teach people about coffee,” he said.

In 2007, Birmingham, Ala.-based Royal Cup Coffee Co. approached Rosario about joining their new West Coast operation. This presented a new opportunity since Royal Cup is a coffee roaster in addition to being a coffee service provider. Royal Cup offered him a sales position in its foodservice division, and he accepted. He traveled to the company’s Birmingham facility for training, then worked from Kent, Wash.