In this edition of ‘What’s In Your Cup,’ we sat down with Jeff Knipping, a Regional Sales Director at the Cup. With over 20 years at Royal Cup, Jeff’s journey is marked by strong leadership, deep customer relationships, and a passion for building teams that feel more like family. His story is a true reflection of the people-first culture that defines Royal Cup.
We kicked off our chat by asking, ‘Jeff, What’s In Your Cup?’
“Fancy Gourmet all day long,” Jeff says with a grin. “I drink it black in the morning, but then at night, if I'm feeling like I need something sweet, I just do a little dash of cream and it's perfect.”
Jeff’s career at Royal Cup began 20 years ago. He started out as a Territory Manager running a route in Wilmington, N.C. “I always say the job found me,” Jeff recalls. After his first interview with Royal Cup, Jeff knew it was an instant match. From route management to Branch Manager, and eventually into his current role in Regional Sales, Jeff’s career path reflects steady growth, deep commitment, and a love for the food and beverage industry that began when he was a child.
Jeff grew up in upstate New York, where his mom owned a diner. “I remember doing homework on bags of flour or a table in the back room,” he says. While in college, Jeff found himself back in the foodservice world, working his way through the ranks at a beachside restaurant. “When I went to college, I didn’t think I wanted to do anything Food and Beverage related, but I guess we always fall back to our roots in some sorts,” Jeff said.
Jeff is a Regional Sales Director at the Cup and covers the Central region of the U.S. In his current position, Jeff oversees The Cup’s Regional Sales team. I help my team sell, stay focused, and serve our customers,” Jeff explained. While the sales strategy matters, Jeff emphasizes something just as crucial: building a team that feels like home.
That sense of family is something Jeff intentionally cultivates. “When people feel like they belong, they go the extra mile-not because they have to, but because they want to,” Jeff said.
When Jeff reflects on his proudest accomplishments and his biggest contributions, it’s not just numbers or titles he thinks of, it’s people. “I’m proud of the teams I’ve built,” Jeff shared, “and I’m proud of the customers I’ve brought on board and maintained strong relationships with like Eggs Up Grill, the Biltmore, Hall’s Chop House, among many others.”
For Jeff, the best part of the job has always been the people. “I’ve built some incredible relationships over the years,” he says. “Our customer base is so diverse—it’s not just the type of businesses, but the people behind them. That makes it exciting.”
Whether it's national chains or local favorites, Jeff takes pride in the long-term partnerships he’s helped grow. “When you build that kind of relationship, it’s not just transactional. You’re part of their success story, and they become part of ours. That’s what I love most.”
Next, we asked Jeff what sets Royal Cup apart from the competition.
“It’s our people and products,” he stated. “Our coffee is better than any coffee I've ever drank, and I drink a lot of coffee. I even try competitors’ coffee just to make sure I'm not biased. Our product and the level of support we offer to our customers is top-notch. I truly believe that we're the industry standard on the elevated experience from a coffee company. No one else can do it or has ever done it like we have,” Jeff said proudly.
Jeff believes that it’s more than just the product and support that separates Royal Cup from others, it’s also the care. “Our people care for every single customer. To us, they’re not just customers—they’re part of the family,” Jeff said. “That mindset goes all the way back to when I was a Territory Manager. You’d take care of them; they’d take care of you. That’s what we’re about.”
That culture of care extends internally too and is one of Jeff’s favorite things about his fellow Cuppers. “My colleagues—from marketing to finance—are like my second family. Even when we don’t agree, we all want what’s best for the company. That shared goal makes all the difference.”
As our chat with Jeff started to wrap up, we asked him what the best professional advice he’s been given and what advice he shares with others.
“I tend to move fast sometimes, we all do, so something I tell my team is you have to ‘slow down to go fast,” Jeff said. “When you take your time upfront and pay attention to the details, you avoid mistakes that would slow you down later on,” Jeff explains.
When things don’t go as planned, he turns to the words of Nelson Mandela: ‘I never lose, I learn.’ “If you learn from a loss, you’re still winning,” Jeff says. “That’s how I approach challenges now.”
When Jeff isn’t leading teams or visiting customers, he can usually be found working with his hands. “I like building stuff. I recently built a garden for my wife, and I do a lot of handyman work,” Jeff said with a smile. That’s another skill passed down through family as his dad owned a construction business, and summers were spent learning the craft alongside his brother. “There’s something about building or fixing something that gives you that instant sense of accomplishment,” Jeff said.
For Jeff, the secret to success isn’t just great coffee—it’s great people. Whether he’s mentoring his team, showing up for a customer, or rolling up his sleeves to solve a problem, Jeff leads with empathy and purpose. His journey is a reminder that at Royal Cup, it’s not just about what’s in your cup—it’s about who’s standing beside you.
