From One Tradeshow to Five Cities (and Counting)
In 2022, IPSEN hired Nightowl Coffee to power a branded coffee cart at their booth for the AAPM&R Conference in Dallas. Espresso catering at an expo? Say less.
Enter Erik, who was staffed as the event lead for this conference—and oh boy, we're glad he was! Erik, now our West Coast Market Leader, has the fashion of a homeless zombie (Erik is not homeless) and zero corporate polish, but what he does have—100% heart and an unparalleled ability to create authentic connection. Erik's latte art skills are fairly mid—but overall, he creates relationships better than anyone we've ever seen in the business and has an unmatched heart for serving others. And for this reason, the IPSEN team didn’t just rebook the next year—they asked Erik to travel with them for their next show.
That single decision quietly marked the beginning of Nightowl’s national expansion. Fast-forward a few years, a few cities, and a lot of espresso later—and Erik was serving IPSEN for the 5th time in Salt Lake City at Salt Palace Convention Center.
The Activation Details (Because Details Matter)
For IPSEN’s Salt Lake City tradeshow, we rolled out:
- A custom branded coffee cart
- Branded cups for maximum brand exposure
- Our fan-favorite latte logo printer (yes, the one that stops foot traffic every time)
This is espresso catering designed to pull people into the booth, keep them there longer, and give sales teams a real moment to connect. That’s how coffee cart service becomes a strategic asset—not just a perk.
Why Personality Wins at Tradeshows
Here’s the truth most coffee catering operators miss: You can train coffee skills. You can’t train connection. You can train latte art. You can't rewire personality.
At high-stakes expos and tradeshows, guest experience beats gimmicks every time. The brands that win long-term brand exposure are the ones that create connection with real people in real time. At Nightowl, we believe personality, hospitality, and connection matter more than anything—especially in experiential marketing environments. This does not waive our effort to demand greatness in product quality—in fact the opposite. We firmly believe that latte art matters more than you think, but we find product specialization to be the oil, while personality, hospitality, and connection serve as the gas.
We’ve seen this play out not just with IPSEN, but across major expo activations like Distributech and beyond. Our Dallas-based coffee carts aren’t just espresso machines on wheels—they’re mobile barista stations built for conversation, repeat bookings, and lifetime partnerships.
The Big Takeaway
Coffee catering at a high-level is about about being unforgettable and creating trust with your clients. When your brand pairs intentional design with a barista people actually want to talk to? That’s how one event turns in to five. That's how five events turn into fifty.
If you’re planning a tradeshow, expo, or brand activation and want coffee catering that actually works:
👉 Book your mobile espresso bar here: https://www.nightowlcoffeecart.com/book
Want more real-world event stories? Check out more behind-the-scenes wins on our blog:
- Nightowl Powers CAT’s Worldwide Dealer Meeting at OMNI Dallas
- Nightowl’s High-Speed Latte Bar at the National Dairy Convention
- Nightowl Coffee Fuels 3,000+ Guests at Visa Payment Forum
Nightowl Coffee remains the #1 choice for Dallas coffee carts, espresso catering, and experiential coffee activations nationwide—and yes, Erik is available (at your own risk). 😎☕️
