Published • 8 May 2023
Who is Seventh Wave
Seventh Wave Refreshments is a Georgia-based operator that specializes in micro markets, pantry service, and office coffee. Through the motto of “Bringing Joy to the Workplace,” Seventh Wave has become a highly successful business serving high-value accounts throughout the Atlanta area. See how their message of joy combined with a potent technology mix combined to carry them through difficult beginnings to rapid growth – all in just a few years.
Humble Beginnings
Seventh Wave was started in 2020 – right before the COVID pandemic hit, which is not an easy time for a business just starting out, especially one dependent on serving workplaces. “Bringing joy to the workplace really derives from the fact that we have the ability to create moments of joy,” said Linda Saldana, CEO of Seventh Wave Refreshments, “whether it's in the workplace or with each other.” That was a difficult goal when the world wasn’t yet going back to office. However, this forced the team at Seventh Wave to get creative. Through an extreme focus on pantry items, exceptional customer support, and an unapparelled drive, Seventh Wave survived their difficult beginnings and thrived soon thereafter.
For example, three years ago the closest thing Seventh Wave had to a warehouse was the closet next to their only micro market account. Since that time, Seventh Wave has scaled from just one micro market to running a business with 75 micro markets, over 150 coffee accounts, and additional pantry accounts.
A Potent Technology Mix
From the beginning, Seventh Wave knew they wanted to grow and grow fast. It was important for them to select partners that would help them not only today, but into the future when operations continued to scale.
After initially trying multiple providers, Linda decided on a technology mix that included solely 365 Retail Markets’ technology. She deployed self-service kiosks from 365, a vending management system (VMS) from Parlevel Systems, and LightSpeed warehouse solutions. This technology mix proved to be a potent force for Linda’s company.
From early on, Linda had said that partnering with 365 “was going to be a big deal.” Starting off with only a couple of kiosks, they quickly scaled with 365’s technology to the business they are today. What’s helpful for operators like Linda is that 365 has technology that scales with the size of the operation. Whether you have a small micro market that needs a single Gen3 kiosk or one with multiple checkout points with 365’s PicoMarket, there is a mix of technology that helps you as you grow.
Regarding the VMS, it was like “switching from a black and white world to one in color,” said Linda. When it comes to managing their business, for example, Seventh Wave can use their VMS to make better decisions quickly with reporting and visibility. Plus, they can manage all business lines in the system: micro markets, pantry service, office coffee, and more.
Once their warehouse expanded beyond their single closet, they knew that using pen and paper to keep track of inventory was no longer going to work. That’s when they brought on LightSpeed Mobile to help with their warehouse management. When they grew to 20-30 markets, they pulled the trigger on the full LightSpeed setup, knowing what they had and knowing where they were going growth wise. This expansion helped them gain 10 to 15 hours back a week through incorporating LightSpeed FastTrack.
As Seventh Wave explores the developing needs of their customers, they’ll continue to expand into new areas. If the customer wants to pair with local roasters for their office coffee, Seventh Wave will make it happen. If they want to introduce a new level of experience through an in-house barista, Seventh Wave will rise to that challenge. Linda described this as, “the flexibility to say, ‘you know what, let’s try it and see if it works.’”
As Seventh Wave continues to expand, 365 will help them bring those new ideas from their customers to fruition, and 365 will continue to support their existing accounts, so their business won’t miss a beat. “Seeing what 365 does on an ongoing basis to keep us up and running is what we’re all about,” said Dave Carroll, President and Co-Founder of Seventh Wave Refreshments.
A Partnership That Delivers Joy
Seventh Wave Refreshments offers custom solutions for their customers that bring joy to their workplace every day, and to continue doing so, they need a technology partner that continuously delivers from service to innovation to consistency. Tools like 365’s micro market technology, LightSpeed’s warehouse automations, and Parlevel’s VMS work seamlessly into their goals and continue to help them reach the next stages in their business.
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