VIP's Vision for AI in Distribution
In this Taste Radio interview, Ray sits down with Andrew Criezis, CEO of VIP, and Lucinda Ochwat, VIP's Head of Sales, to discuss how the 50-year-old beverage technology company is investing in AI to serve its network of more than 2,800 distributors and 1,400 suppliers. Andrew, a 12-year Nielsen IQ veteran, explains what drew him to VIP and why he sees this moment as pivotal for AI adoption across the three-tier system. Lucinda, a 20-year industry veteran who has worked all three tiers, shares her perspective on VIP's outsized role in the space.
The conversation digs into how suppliers, distributors, and retailers can measure real ROI from AI rather than chasing hype, from faster sales-data insights to error-proofing orders and predictive ordering tools. Andrew details VIP's significant investment in a new agentic-first architecture designed to have AI agents actively do work, make decisions within guardrails, and communicate with trading partners, not just layer a chatbot on old systems. Listeners can learn more or request a demo at VIPinsights.com.
