July 2026 Customer Spotlight: Tops Friendly Markets

At Tri-State Marketing, we take pride in connecting our customers with solutions that improve operations while delivering an exceptional experience for their guests. This month, we're highlighting our partnership with Tops Friendly Markets, where collaboration, product demonstrations, and hands-on training helped identify the perfect coffee solution for their stores.

A Commitment to Service and Quality

Since opening its first modern supermarket in 1962, Tops Friendly Markets has become a trusted name throughout the Northeast. What began in Niagara Falls, New York, has grown into a regional grocery leader serving communities across New York, Vermont, and Pennsylvania. With a longstanding commitment to quality, customer service, and continuous investment in its stores, Tops continues to enhance the shopping experience while staying true to its community-focused roots.

Brewing Success with Tops Friendly Markets & BUNN

Tri-State Marketing was introduced when Tops began searching for a new coffee program. Looking for a solution that would provide quality, consistency, and ease of operation, Tops was connected with our team, and we introduced them to BUNN coffee solutions.

To ensure the equipment met every expectation, a 60-day trial of BUNN coffee equipment was conducted at the Tops Friendly Markets corporate office. The trial proved to be a tremendous success, demonstrating the performance, reliability, and ease of use the BUNN is known for. Following the successful test, additional BUNN coffee systems were shown during a show in Hamburg, New York, allowing the team to experience the equipment and further validate its capabilities.

With outstanding results from both the trial and product demonstrations, Tops Friendly Markets confidently selected BUNN as the solution for their coffee program. One Tops Friendly Market is currently serving coffee with BUNN equipment, with the goal of expanding the program to additional locations.

Why BUNN Was the Right Fit

Finding the right coffee solution meant more than simply brewing great coffee; it required equipment that was dependable, easy for employees to operate, and simple to maintain in a busy retail environment.

Tri-State Marketing worked closely with the Tops team throughout the evaluation process to ensure that staff felt confident using the equipment. The combination of BUNN's renowned brewing quality, the user-friendly design of the BUNN Premia system, and its simple cleaning process made it an ideal fit for Tops' operational needs.

Another standout feature was BUNNlink®, BUNN's cloud-based equipment management platform. BUNNlink allows operators to remotely monitor machine status, receive service alerts, access diagnostic information, and stay connected to their equipment in real time. By providing proactive notifications and valuable operational insights, BUNNlink helps minimize downtime, streamline maintenance, and keep coffee programs running smoothly with less interruption.

Looking Ahead

Even more exciting, the enthusiasm is already building around seasonal beverage offerings—the Tops team has already begun asking about adding Pumpkin flavor for the fall, proving that great coffee programs are about much more than the equipment itself.

Thank you to Tops Friendly Markets and BUNN Commercial for allowing Tri-State Marketing to be part of this successful collaboration. We look forward to continuing to brew new opportunities together for years to come.