HoReCa Credentials: We’ve moved to enhance our credentials in the Hotel, Restaurant and Cafe with the appointment of a man who boasts more than 35 years of experience in the sector – Steve Parsons – as HoReCa Sales Manager. (That’s Hervé Donneaud with Steve in the main picture).
At a time in life when many have at least half an eye on retirement, Steve has, arguably, taken on the biggest job of his career; that of establishing us as one of the UK’s leading coffee machine companies. ‘Why retire when you’re enjoying life?’ Steve asks. ‘I work in a fantastic market, I’ve grown with it and there are great people working in it. I prefer to put the pipe and slippers on hold!’
Most of all, it’s the prospect of enjoying a career-crowning period of success that has drawn Steve to us. ‘I’m very excited’, he admits. ‘I’ve been to the factory in Valbrembo and I’ve seen the products’, he said. ‘What’s more, I’ve seen the machines that are in development at the moment that represent our future and believe me, when they arrive in the marketplace they’re going to raise a few industry eyebrows…’ With a CV that includes stints at Franke, Matthew Algie and Tudor, he’s not making that comment lightly…
HoReCa Credentials
Steve describes his personal mission as ‘breaking into the HoReCa market big time’. ‘I’m sure that in the future, when somebody sits down to write the history of the Evoca Group, the acquisition of the Gaggia brand will be seen as a pivotal moment. With the Gaggia super automatic Bean-To-Cup machine coupled with the new range of milk systems they’ve got, Evoca has the ideal vehicle to change the perceptions of the marketplace. I think that from now on, even though vending remains very important to us, the company will be seen not as a vending business but as a significant player in the mainstream catering and HoReCa market.
Steve’s arrival and the portfolio of contacts and expertise he brings to the party appears to be the perfect complement to Gaggia’s introduction into our powerful stable of brands.
Although no timescales have been set in stone, Steve has identified his priorities. ‘Service is vitally important’, he says, ‘and we don’t have a field service team, so I’ll be looking for field partners around the country. At the same time, I’ll be looking to identify the right customers for us to do business with, those that have the capacity to sell our machines on to high-end users, such as hotel chains, coffee shops and so on.’
Steve lives in Luton and his working life will be divided between home, Bilston and Valbrembo. Outside of work, expect to find him at Kenilworth Road on match days; because he’s mad enough to be a Hatter, as supporters of Luton Town are known.
Don’t let that put you off contacting him, though: Stephen.Parsons@evocagroup.com
Read about one of our fabulous HoReCa machines, the Krea Touch, HERE.
