Press Release

Wonder, Botrista on Bridging Innovation and Growth at the Fast Casual Executive Summit

For restaurant executives and suppliers, this summit offers a unique opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge from industry trailblazers. The shared wisdom of Rusk Jason and Jocelyn Rodgers highlights the necessity of aligning business strategies with consumer demands and technological advancements.

Photo: Botrista Inc.

October 14, 2024

The fast-casual dining sector is gearing up for a monumental event this October with the Fast Casual Executive Summit, which kicked off October 13, 2024. A gathering of industry leaders and innovators, the summit provides invaluable insights into the future trajectory of the restaurant industry.

Keynote Spotlight: Jason Rusk Ushering in the Future

Headlining the summit is none other than Jason Rusk, Executive Vice President of Restaurant Operations at Wonder, a pioneering food-tech startup. With his extensive background, including a pivotal role in scaling Red Robin from a regional player to a national icon, Rusk’s expertise is second to none. His keynote, titled "Ushering in the Future of the Restaurant Industry and Its People," addressed the crucial intersection of innovation and scalability in the fast-casual sector.

Rusk emphasized the need for adaptation, stating, “I hope that people walk away and realize that change is elevatable and that consumers are driving that change.” His session explored how technology can enhance guest experiences while maintaining a strong focus on the human element within the industry.

The Role of Consumer Trends in Beverage Innovation with Jocelyn Rodgers

Introducing Rusk’s keynote is Jocelyn Rodgers, Director of Brand Partnerships at Botrista, a game-changing beverage program. Rodgers brings an extensive background in restaurant partnerships and a dedicated understanding of how companies can adapt to the future of dining. Her work at Botrista centers around understanding and leveraging consumer trends to deliver on-trend cold beverages with speed and efficiency. She underscored the importance of consumer-driven innovation, a sentiment echoed by Rusk.

Rodgers said, “Botrista's mission is clear: to empower food service leaders through a comprehensive, scaleable beverage platform that is designed to keep up with consumer cravings. Supported by simple automation built to dispense in-demand ingredients like real-fruit purées, natural sweeteners and a variety of toppings, people working on the frontlines in foodservice are able to deliver trendy options efficiently and without added complexity. Being easy to implement, operate and adjust to trends has fed the scalability of Botrista’s beverage platform.”

Beverage innovation leaders from Botrista are at the Fast Casual Executive Summit providing insight into proprietary dispensing technologies and drink menu strategies that are revolutionizing beverage service at scale across college campuses, theme parks, restaurant chains and more. Dedicated beverage program directors from Botrista work as an extension of foodservice teams to ensure the partnership maximizes its value without any of the added complexity.

Leaning into Takeaways from these Industry Trailblazers 

For restaurant executives and suppliers, this summit offers a unique opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge from industry trailblazers. The shared wisdom of Rusk and Rodgers highlights the necessity of aligning business strategies with consumer demands and technological advancements.

Whether it's optimizing operations or creating memorable customer experiences, adapting to change and leveraging data-driven insights are key to thriving in today’s competitive landscape. Attendees will leave equipped with the knowledge and inspiration to lead their brands into an innovative future.

About Botrista:
Botrista is a comprehensive beverage platform crafting data-backed, on-trend beverage programs for restaurant chains, universities, corporate workplaces, amusement parks and more. Specialty beverages by Botrista feature globally sourced ingredients that are crafted by nature and perfected by innovation. Drinks are freshly blended by Botrista’s beverage station in seconds at the touch of a button, making meaningful beverage innovation accessible and executable for any university food service team.