Changing Times
The times they were a changin’ in the late 80s. The Cold War was coming to an end, shares of Aqua Net were peaking and dudes were doing their best to look like chicks. There weren’t too many things that made it out of that era alive. Thankfully something important and totally awesome began during this time and continues to succeed today.
PRE-1988
Serendipity!
Like most great things, In-Room Plus began unintentionally. Wanda Jones and Michael Amrose were operating a small research marketing agency when a friend asked them to start pitching his chocolate chip cookies for hotels to carry in their minibars. Needless to say, Wanda and Michael were pleasantly shocked to find that there were no focused minibar product suppliers.
EUREKA
It Begins!
Thus In-Room Plus was born in October 1988 in Williamsville, New York, and began selling gourmet cookies. Candies, chips, gourmet cheeses and bottled water were eventually added before In-Room Plus moved into a larger 1,000 square foot space in the Tri-Main Building in Buffalo. The move allowed Wanda and Michael to focus more on their own brand of minibar items beginning with the Picnic Pack.
BIRTH
In-Room Plus Grows
Having moved into an even larger space by 1995, Wanda and Michael were being quoted in several national publications like The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, and gained a reputation as the “Minibar Experts” before moving into a 14,000 square foot space and launching the Banana Moon line of sweet and salty snacks.
EXPANSION
Automation
The modern In-Room Plus began to take shape in 2000 as the production of Banana Moon snacks became automated, doubling the products’ shelf life with the introduction of nitrogen flushing.
BANANA MOON
Award Winning
The Westin line of products won a Bronze Award in the NACD Packaging Design Competition, and became a minibar standard for all Westin Hotels in North America with tremendous success.
ACCOLADES
Branding Standards
In-Room Plus then created a modern brand standard for W Hotels and continues to reinvent the line so that it remains a successful extension of their brand. With preferred minibar vendor status with major chains such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Avendra, new product lines and successes became abundant. With both of Wanda’s children, Brett and Elizabeth, in leadership roles, Banana Moon went through several redesigns and the future direction of In-Room Plus became clear.
W HOTELS
Gone Global
In-Room Plus is global! We can ship to any freight forwarder in the US or ship directly. We also have a partnership with Eaglestar Amenities, our Canadian distributor.
Contact Eaglestar Amenities (905)257-3808 / azizeh@eaglestaramenities.com
JET-SETTING
Onward
Wanda Jones is now the sole owner of In-Room Plus, distributing minibar specific products to hotels all across the world. With over 20,000 square feet of production, warehouse and office space in Buffalo, In-Room Plus looks forward to continuing to create exceptional products for loyal existing customers and ones yet to be introduced. In-Room Plus can’t wait to welcome you into its close-knit family.
AND BEYOND