28/05/2025

The RFP process for hotel beverage programs can feel like a black box for many suppliers: unpredictable, high-stakes, and often impenetrable. But for Evan Traub, Director of Accounts at IMI, the real opportunity lies in everything that happens before the proposal is even submitted. With years of experience navigating national beverage accounts and supporting both supplier and operator sides, Evan brings a grounded, no-fluff perspective on how brands can build trust, tell compelling stories, and earn long-term relevance with hotel clients. Ahead of his panel at the IBWSS Conference — where he’ll moderate a discussion featuring leaders from Hyatt, Loews, Proximo, and The Wine Group — Evan shares what it really takes to win hotel business in today’s competitive landscape, and why the smartest suppliers never wait for the RFP to start showing up.

The RFP process for hotel beverage programs can be complex, with multiple stakeholders involved. What are the key components of a successful RFP, and what common mistakes should suppliers avoid?

Hotels may only have a beverage program RFP every two years, it’s a longer sales cycle.  Often times suppliers will only begin engaging with a hotel group when the RFP is open.  There are a very limited number of supplier meeting times (even those are brief), I recommend suppliers work to build relationships with clients and get them familiar with their brands prior to an RFP opening up.

Image: IMI partner, PPX Hospitality Brands, opens their first Legal Sea Foods location in Chicago.  The IMI Chicago team with Christian Gianaris, National Beverage Director for PPX Hospitality Brands.

Hotels have unique needs based on brand positioning, guest demographics, and operational constraints. How can suppliers align their proposals with client expectations to stand out in a competitive bidding process?

Review the RFP guidelines and framework to ensure you understand the ask and do your best to address those specific points, only submitting things that make sense for their needs.  Try to look at past hotel activations for their portfolio and see how you can reference those in developing your recommendations with your brands.

When responding to an RFP, who are the primary decision-makers involved on the hotel side, and what factors weigh most heavily in their selection process?

In most cases, the decision-makers are National Beverage Directors and additional members of the home office (corporate) team.  Sometimes, a committee will be developed encompassing beverage leadership from key properties to participate in the process.  Hotels often look for national distribution as a prerequisite, they want the brand to be loaded in all markets (not simply authorized).  Additional factors hotels often look at are sustainability objectives for the brand, diversity elements, and sometimes charitable connections.

Image: Vibe conference 2025, Hyatt Hotels wins Best Overhaul of Beverage Program.  Photographed are Left to Right: Megan Carlson, Corporate Director of Events, Hyatt Hotels, Evan Traub, Director of Accounts, IMI Agency, and David Samuel, Regional Vice President of Operations, Hyatt Hotels. Seated: Antonio Carranza, Corporate Director of Beverage, Hyatt Hotels.

Price is always a consideration, but premiumization trends are influencing hotel beverage programs. How should suppliers balance cost efficiency with delivering a high-quality, guest-centric beverage offering?

Depending on the hotel brand portfolio, they may have less interest in brands that have a strong grocery endcap presence. Premium product offerings with a compelling story are very important to what hotels are seeking.

Beyond winning an RFP, how can suppliers build long-term relationships with hotel groups to secure ongoing business and preferred vendor status?

Look to build the relationship outside of the RFP process.  Make time to connect with the buyer (or other points of contact) at conferences, meeting at their office, or perhaps over lunch to share your products and discuss them in a more comfortable setting as opposed to the RFP time when the process is more rigid and brief.

Image: IMI Directors and senior leadership taking time out for some fun after meetings in Chicago, joined by Breakthru Beverage Group and Duckhorn Wines.

Have you noticed any emerging trends in hotel beverage RFPs, such as a greater focus on sustainability, local sourcing, or the no/low alcohol category?

Yes, these are all relevant trends right now, especially low/no alcohol and hotels ensuring guests opting not to imbibe still have a memorable beverage experience with their counterparts who may be drinking.

How important is data-driven decision-making in the RFP process? What types of sales and consumer insights are most persuasive in securing a hotel contract?

If you happen to have properties already selling your brand, that’s a great place to start and bring to light.  Hotels are leaning in on data to better understand guest preferences on varietals, regions, and other key criteria as they develop their programming.

Image: Members of the IMI team at the HEE conference (Hospitality Executives Exchange) in Destin, FL.

With evolving guest preferences and shifts in the hospitality industry post-pandemic, how has the hotel beverage RFP process changed in recent years?

It’s no surprise that labor is a challenge; hotels may be inclined to go with more consumer-friendly name brands because beverage teams are less knowledgeable about offerings.  RTDs became increasingly popular during the pandemic, and they have continued to be something programs implement.

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You’re moderating the panel on Navigating Beverage Program RFPs for Hotels at IBWSS. What key insights can attendees expect from the discussion, and who will be speaking alongside you? Why is this panel a must-attend for suppliers looking to break into the hotel segment?

This session will provide actionable insights into successfully navigating the beverage program Request for Proposal (RFP) process for hotels, ranging from boutique properties to global chains. Topics include understanding the specific needs of mid-scale and luxury hotels, curating diverse beverage offerings, fostering supplier partnerships, and implementing cost-effective, sustainable practices that contribute to long-term success across the hospitality segment.

My esteemed panel will include: 

- David Samuel, Regional Vice President – Hyatt Hotels
- Grant Hewitt, Vice President of Beverage – Loews Hotels
- Todd Kudrna, Director of National Accounts, Hotels and Concessions – Proximo
- Stephanie Mallory, Director of National Accounts, Hotels & Resorts – The Wine Group

Image: Speakers panel on Navigating Beverage Program RFPs for Hotels at IBWSS (From Top Clockwise) Evan Traub, Grant Hewitt, Todd Kudrna, Stephanie Mallory, and David Samuel.

Conclusion

In a space where timing, brand alignment, and operational realities all carry weight, Evan Traub’s perspective offers clarity on how beverage suppliers can move beyond transactional thinking and into long-term partnerships. From understanding the nuances of national distribution to recognizing the growing influence of no/low alcohol and sustainability on hotel decision-making, Evan reminds us that success in this channel comes down to a simple but often overlooked principle: relevance is earned over time, not rushed in a proposal window. For any brand hoping to break into — or level up — in the hotel segment, this is advice worth sitting with.

In conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network

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Pam Schwartz from APS Hospitality Group On Mastering Beverage Programs for On-Premise Chains
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