Olivia Ferdi is the Founder and Co-CEO of TRIP, a leading global beverage and lifestyle brand at the forefront of the functional wellness movement. Launched in 2019 alongside her husband Daniel Khoury, TRIP was created with a mission to “create calm in the everyday chaos,” offering award-winning functional beverages designed to support daily mental wellbeing. Olivia is a passionate brand-builder and innovator, tapping into the brand’s viral community on social media to scale its beverages globally. Under Olivia’s leadership, TRIP has grown into one of the most recognizable brands in modern wellness - helping define and lead the emerging “calm” category. Today, the company employs more than 100 people and its portfolio of magnesium and adaptogen-infused products is stocked in over 50,000 retail locations globally, including Whole Foods, Target, Sprouts, Walmart, Soho House and major grocery and convenience chains across the U.S., U.K., and Europe. Founders Olivia and Daniel met as students at Cambridge University. Law school followed where Olivia built her career as an attorney in London, then leaving the legal world to launch TRIP, with her husband. Olivia and Daniel have two young children, and split their time between the UK and the US.

Daniel Khoury is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of TRIP, a leading global beverage and lifestyle brand at the forefront of the functional wellness movement. Launched in 2019 alongside his wife Olivia Ferdi, TRIP was created with a mission to deliver “calm in a can,” offering award-winning functional beverages designed to support daily mental wellbeing. Under Daniel’s leadership, TRIP has grown into one of the most recognizable brands in modern wellness, helping define and lead the emerging calm category. Today, the company employs more than 100 people and its portfolio of magnesium and adaptogen-infused products is stocked in over 50,000 retail locations globally, including Whole Foods, Target, Sprouts, Walmart, Soho House and major grocery and convenience chains across the U.S., U.K., and Europe. With a background in finance, Daniel brings strategic and operational discipline to TRIP’s rapid expansion, overseeing capital strategy, global partnerships, and scale. He is focused on building an enduring, globally scaled brand shaping the future of beverage.

In her role as Senior Category Merchant for the newly established Adult Beverage Non-Alcoholic category at Whole Foods Market, Samantha Fletcher is helping to shape what this new category means for both the company and the broader alcohol and beverage industry. The Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage category is gaining attention within the industry and retail world as one of the fastest growing divisions with the potential to reshape the larger category as a whole. Drawing on her previous experience in category management, she brings a strong industry perspective and is focused on building a futurefacing program rooted in innovation, strategy, and cross-functional collaboration. Samantha also brings a unique blend of on-premise experience to a team with deep off-premise retail expertise—broadening the lens through which the category is developed and executed. Prior to joining Whole Foods Market in June 2024, Samantha held roles at H-E-B Grocery, The Culinary Institute of America and Walt Disney World, gaining experience across restaurant and retail operations as well as ever changing and growing culinary environments. Her background has given her insight into how to thoughtfully connect consumers with high-quality products and has equipped her to lead in a space where trends evolve rapidly and shopper expectations continue to grow. Outside of work, her passion for food and beverage continues. She enjoys supporting local businesses— especially those started by industry friends and former students that she’s seen grow from the ground up—and staying connected to what’s current and emerging across the industry.

Laura Taylor is the founder of Mingle Mocktails, the leading non-alcoholic beverage brand in the U.S. Recently named to Forbes’ 50 Over 50: Entrepreneurs, Laura launched Mingle in 2017 after growing frustrated with the lack of elevated, inclusive options in the non-alcoholic space. After two decades working across sales, marketing, strategy, and operations, she set out to create a booze-free brand that didn’t compromise on taste or social experience. Today, Mingle Mocktails’ ready-to-drink sparkling mocktails and functional beverages are sold nationwide at Amazon, Target, Walmart, Total Wine, and Whole Foods.

Chuck is a partner in Morrison Foerster’s Emerging Companies & Venture Capital team and its Food + Agriculture Industry group. He advises venture and growth-stage companies on raising capital, navigating investor and board relationships, negotiating key agreements, and executing successful exits. He also counsels investment funds targeting consumer products, agtech, and food tech. Known for his practical, business-savvy approach, Chuck has led over 200 financing and M&A deals, with deep expertise in consumer products including food, beverage, beauty and personal care. Key brand clients include David, Grüns, Crumbl, The Good Crisp Company, and Purely Elizabeth.

Daniel Faierman is a General Partner at Habitat Partners, an early stage VC firm based in NY focused on Pre-Seed to Series A investments across the consumer and software ecosystems. The fund was born out of the renowned creative and branding firm, Red Antler. Habitat Partner's active CPG portfolio includes Pop Up Bagels, Mezcla, Ayoh Foods, Muddy Bites, Original Sunshine, Roxberry Kids, Inn Beauty Project, Sincerely Yours, and several others. Daniel has been an investor and operator in the consumer space for nearly 10 years with prior experience at organizations such as PepsiCo, AB InBev, Selva Ventures, VMG Partners, and Lyra Collective. Daniel is also an active angel with personal investments in Mid-Day Squares, Nara Organics, Brightland, KilgourMD, Keychain, Tiny Health, and several others. Daniel holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BA from Yale University, where he was a former varsity tennis player.

Tom First is the founder and CEO of Culture Pop Soda, the fast-growing “functional soda” brand that he started in 2020.  Culture Pop has burst onto the national stage over the last 5 years to become one of the fastest growing brands in the country. He is also the founder of Nantucket Nectars, which he co-founded with his college friend and business partner Tom Scott in 1989. Over the course of 14 years, under the leadership of Tom and Tom, Nantucket Nectars grew from a grass-roots start-up company to one with national prominence. For five consecutive years, the company was named to Inc. Magazine’s “Inc. 500” list of fastest-growing U.S. companies. While building Nantucket Nectars, Tom won several awards, including the Mercury Award for Advertising, Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award, and several leadership and design awards. Nantucket Nectars was sold to Cadbury Schweppes (now Dr. Pepper Snapple (DPS – NYSE) in 2002.  A serial entrepreneur, Tom went on to found and lead several other ventures including Owater and Eleven Technologies, which was sold to Trimble (TRMB – Nasdaq) in 2005.  For years, Tom has invested in and advised emerging businesses in the food and beverage industry.  He was an early investor in Health-Ade Kombucha, Essentia Water, and Q Drinks.  He has a passion for product development, branding and team building.  Tom presently sits on the Boards of Directors of 88 Acres and Counter Culture Coffee. Tom graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in American History in 1989. Tom and his wife, Kristan (also a Brown graduate) live in Concord, Massachusetts and have three children.  Tom is a runner, swimmer, cyclist, races sailboats, and plays any other sport or game where competition can be found.

Elly Truesdell is Founder and Managing Partner of New Fare Partners, a venture capital fund centered on the modern eater and evolving American palate. As Global Director of Local Brands & Product Innovation at Whole Foods Market for nearly a decade, Elly played a pivotal role in driving the growth of the natural and organic food industry, propelling some of today’s most iconic consumer brands. Elly was the co-founder of Made by Nacho, a premium pet food brand with chef Bobby Flay. She was a Partner at venture fund Almanac, before founding New Fare. Elly holds a B.A in Media Studies from the University of Virginia, and sits on the Boards of Made by Nacho, Nara Organics, Tacombi & Actual Veggies.

Adam Kost is a consumer and beverage executive with a proven track record of building, scaling, and exiting brands across both startup and global CPG environments. As Founder and CEO of Dirty Shirley, Adam led the creation of a nationally distributed ready-to-drink cocktail brand, ultimately culminating in its acquisition by Sazerac, one of the largest spirits companies in the United States. His experience spans brand building, commercial strategy, and operational execution, with a particular strength in identifying emerging consumer patterns and translating them into high-growth businesses. Adam has held senior leadership roles across several prominent beverage companies. He served as Vice President of Marketing at Waterloo Sparkling Water, where he played a key role in the company’s successful exit, and at Milestone Brands, where he led portfolio growth and innovation initiatives. At ZX Ventures, the venture and innovation arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev, he led global eCommerce strategy, including assortment, sourcing, and operations across multiple markets. Earlier in his career, Adam held marketing and sales roles at Heineken and Pernod Ricard, working across some of the industry's most recognized brands. In addition to his operational roles, Adam is the founder of Heroes and Villains, a consulting firm that guides early-stage consumer startups through brand development, go-to-market strategy, and scaling. Through this work, he partners with founders to identify emerging trends, refine positioning, and build brands that resonate with modern consumers. Adam holds an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin with a focus on Finance and Marketing, as well as degrees from Johnson & Wales University in Hospitality and Restaurant Management. He is known for combining creative brand vision with disciplined execution, and for his ability to recognize patterns in consumer behavior and market dynamics to drive sustained growth and long-term value creation.

Nicolletta is a Senior Director of Merchandising at The Vitamin Shoppe, where she leads the On the Go and Protein categories in the specialty retail channel, driving growth across ready-to-eat, ready-to-drink, and protein businesses. Since joining the company in 2018, she has focused on identifying emerging trends, building strong brand partnerships, and bringing innovative, high-performing products to The Vitamin Shoppe customers.   She is known for her forward-looking approach to merchandising and her ability to translate consumer trends into scalable retail opportunities. Nicolletta is passionate about the intersection of convenience, functionality, and better-for-you innovation, and is always focused on what’s next in the evolving wellness space.

Rogers Healy is a multi-exited founder, entrepreneur, and investor with over 20 years of experience building businesses. He considers his secret weapon to be his eye for talent. Having built and exited multiple companies himself, Rogers knows firsthand what it takes to build something that lasts. Rogers' entrepreneurial journey began early, and in 2006, he founded what would become one of Texas's largest independently owned real estate firms — Rogers Healy and Associates Real Estate (RHA). Rogers quickly grew his real estate empire with Rogers Healy and Associates Land and Lake, Rogers Healy and Associates Commercial, Healy Global Real Estate and Relocation, and Healy Property Management, before exiting the portfolio in March 2026 to focus on venture capital full-time. In 2012, Rogers made his first venture capital investment in Mizzen+Main, sparking a passion for connecting the dots in the startup world. Over the next decade, he invested in various industries — from CPG to SaaS — before launching Morrison Seger Venture Capital Partners. "MoSe" quickly became known for backing game-changing companies, with investments spanning everything from tequila to trading cards, bringing a fresh perspective to venture capital. Most importantly, Rogers leads with faith and family. He and his wife, Abby, are proud parents to their daughters, Henley and Collins (named after Eagles frontman Don Henley and Phil Collins), their son Winwood (named after musician Steve Winwood), their dogs, and all their music memorabilia. Rogers has one of the largest collections of music memorabilia in the world. During his free time, Rogers enjoys relaxing with his family and friends at "Hotel California" — his 2,500-square-foot back house turned music oasis. As a veteran investor, Rogers is a part of some of the most well-known brands in the world.

Mark Rampolla is a visionary entrepreneur, investor, speaker, and writer known for inspiring mission-driven leaders to build businesses that matter—and lives of real freedom. As Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner of GroundForce Capital, he helps bold founders scale purpose-driven companies that generate massive impact including Liquid Death, Bobbie Baby Formula, Beyond Meat, Thrive Market, Vive Organics, OWYN and Humm Kombucha.  Previously, Mark founded ZICO Coconut Water, pioneering the multibillion-dollar coconut water category before selling to The Coca-Cola Company—and later, buying it back. Over his career, Mark has invested in more than 100 companies, served on over 20 boards, raised over $1 billion in capital, and helped generate more than $5 billion in enterprise value and create tens of thousands of jobs. A former Peace Corps volunteer and corporate executive, Mark blends Wall Street savvy with street-level soul. He is the best-selling author of two books: High-Hanging Fruit, a memoir and manifesto on building mission-aligned businesses and An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Freedom, a radical call to wake up from the myth of entrepreneurial freedom and discover what it truly means to be free—mentally, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. Since losing his home in the 2025 Pacific Palisades fires, Mark has been wandering—but not every wanderer is lost.

Ben Weiss is a highly respected entrepreneur and visionary in the beverage industry, best known as the founder of the iconic better-for-you drink brand Bai Brands and the innovative beverage companies Crook & Marker and Crooked (Crooked Pop and Crooked Tea). In 2009, Ben started Bai in the basement of his Princeton, New Jersey townhome, building it from a scrappy startup into one of the fastest-growing beverage brands of its time. His strategic leadership and consumer-first innovation led to Bai’s 2017 acquisition by Dr Pepper Snapple Group for $1.7 billion, one of the most notable exits in the beverage category. After Bai, Ben continued to disrupt conventions with Crooked, a USDA Organic, zero-sugar line of alcoholic beverages. He is also the author of Basementality, chronicling his entrepreneurial journey from basement startup to billion-dollar brand builder. Widely recognized for his impact on the beverage landscape, Ben is frequently featured in major media outlets and is a sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship, innovation, and challenging industry norms. His work continues to influence how brands rethink flavor, health, and category growth.

Jess Graham is a brand and commerce strategist and founder of Banquet, a consultancy helping brands navigate what happens when AI agents start doing the shopping. She writes The Feast, a Substack series exploring how brands build equity and get discovered in a world where algorithms increasingly decide what people buy. Jess spent eight years at Visa, where she watched payments go invisible and launched products and marketing programs at the heart of commerce. At Instagram, as Global Head of Consumer Product Marketing, she led Reels and 30+ product launches to 2B+ users and saw algorithms reshape how people discover what they want from inside the machine. As CMO at Hologram Sciences, a DSM-backed brand incubator, she took a functional nutrition product from concept to shelf in 81 days. One of her favorite projects was helping friends launch a small wine label that landed in local Sonoma, CA restaurants and sold to a neighbouring vineyard. Jess is also producing a documentary on AI from a human perspective, asking questions about the things AI will change about the way we live and make decisions about life, not just work. She lives in Brooklyn with her Great Dane, Philo, who has strong hydration needs and can be a bit of a messy drinker.

Kevin Senn is the CEO and Founder of AisleAI, a leading data and AI platform transforming how CPG brands understand and win in retail—especially within the fragmented but critical convenience channel. Under Kevin’s leadership, AisleAI has pioneered the use of AI to unify disparate data sources—from independent retailers to emerging digital signals—into a single, actionable platform that helps brands optimize pricing, placement, and growth strategy without requiring a team of data scientists. With a background spanning payments, data infrastructure, and go-to-market strategy, Kevin brings a unique perspective on how technology can unlock hidden market intelligence and drive real-world retail outcomes. He is particularly focused on how AI is reshaping the path to purchase—from discovery to shelf—and what it means for brands competing in an increasingly automated, data-driven landscape.

Lynn Altman is the CEO of Brand Now, a boutique brand strategy and innovation consultancy that has spent 18 years turning cultural shifts into products that actually move. Her client roster spans Fortune 500s and emerging brands alike, including Coca-Cola, GoMacro, Dole, PepsiCo, Gorton's, Wendy's, Nestlé, Nissin, and Lipton. Across all of them, Lynn has built a reputation for speed, sharp consumer insight, and a belief that the best makers create not just what's new, but what works. Lynn brings the rare perspective of both consultant and operator. She founded and sold two of her own brands, Mama Bare and Parentgiving.com, and is the author of Brand It Yourself: The Fast, Focused Way to Marketplace Magic. She's appeared on CNBC's On The Money and ABC's News Now, and served eight years on the board of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood. Outside of work, Lynn is always in motion, whether it's running, hiking, yoga, or martial arts-where she holds a third-degree black belt in traditional Japanese karate. She's found that a personal life built on momentum, discipline, and perseverance shows up everywhere in her professional one.

Trent Moffat is the founder of Gotham DSD (Direct Store Delivery), an independent distributor and sales organization focused on scaling emerging snack and beverage brands across the New York Metro market. Recognizing the need for cost-effective, high-performance distribution, Trent built Gotham DSD to help brands grow efficiently in one of the country’s most competitive retail environments. With over 25 years of experience spanning sales, manufacturing, marketing, and finance—including roles with global leaders such as Nestlé and Heineken—Trent brings a well-rounded, operator-first perspective to brand building. He also built and scaled one of the largest national merchandising companies, supporting leading brands such as LaCroix, Oatly, Our Home, and FIJI Water, which he successfully sold in 2022.

Daniel Grubbs is a Managing Director and Head of the Food & Beverage Practice at William Hood & Company. He is a senior executive with extensive experience operating, investing in, and acquiring high-growth consumer businesses. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Grubbs served as Chief Venturing & Investment Officer at PepsiCo, where he founded and built PepsiCo Ventures, the company’s global corporate venture capital platform. Under his leadership, the group deployed capital across three funds into early- and growth-stage companies spanning Consumer, AgTech, and Wellness, with portfolio companies generating more than $1.5 billion in aggregate revenue and 12 successful exits. In parallel, Mr. Grubbs led M&A scouting and evaluation for sub-$300 million transactions and played strategic leadership roles in acquisitions including Siete, Poppi, SodaStream, KeVita, and Bare. He holds a BS and MBA from the University of Southern California.

Jennifer Ross is the co-founder and co-CEO of Swoon, the zero-sugar beverage brand reinventing the classics, like lemonade and iced tea. She co-founded the brand alongside her friend and former Harvard Business School classmate, Cristina Ros Blankfein. Jennifer was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 6 and has long been an advocate for the advancement of diabetes research. While still in high school, she founded and organized Rock the Cure, a concert to benefit Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), which raised over $200,000. Now, she’s tackling sweetened beverages, knowing they’re the #1 source of added sugar. With Jennifer at the helm, Swoon is on track to eliminate one billion grams of sugar from the supply chain. Prior to receiving her M.B.A, Jennifer worked on marketing and operations at Fanvision, and previously served as an Analyst at Goldman Sachs in the Merchant Bank’s Real Estate Group. She holds a B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A from Harvard Business School.

Hank Spring is Managing Partner of KarpReilly, a Connecticut-based investment firm focused on growth companies across the consumer ecosystem. Since joining the firm in 2009, Hank has worked with businesses across food, beverage, restaurants, retail, wellness, apparel and other consumer categories. KarpReilly’s investments span multiple parts of the beverage value chain, including brands (Spindrift, KeVita, Koia and Remedy Organics, among others), retail (Hungryroot), and co-manufacturing (DrinkPAK). The firm’s broader current and exited portfolio includes Made In Cookware, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, Stio, WILDE Chips and Café Zupas. Hank holds a B.S. in Management, with concentrations in Finance and Accounting, from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management.

Diana Eberlein is the Chair and Founder of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives (CABA) and Chief Communications Officer of Vertosa, an emulsion supplier in the THC beverage market. In 2024, she founded CABA to unite industry leaders across the alcohol and intoxicating hemp beverage industries, creating a unified coalition to advance sensible regulation and policy for low-dose THC beverages. Through this work, she has become a central figure in guiding the conversation on responsible market development and regulatory frameworks nationwide. Beyond industry events, she has also advised policymakers and regulators across the U.S., providing the insights necessary to influence balanced policymaking and support the growth of this emerging category. In 2023, she was named to Marijuana Venture’s “40 Under 40,” and in 2024 she was honored as one of Benzinga’s “Top 20 Most Influential Women in Cannabis.”

Jill Johnson is the Founding Partner of Daizy’s Social Soda and a seasoned beverage industry leader with 17 years spent across alcoholic and non-alcoholic categories. She previously spent seven years at Owen’s Mixers, where she built the company’s national account and distributor network from the ground up. Across her career, Jill has scaled multiple brands to eight-figure revenue at exceptional speed, and is known for her ability to spot emerging trends and build consumer-driven brands.

Justin Ashby is a seasoned veteran in the beverage alcohol industry, bringing over two decades of experience from both the supplier and wholesale tiers. As the Chief Administrative Officer at Southern Crown Partners, a leading beverage distributor across the State of South Carolina and coastal Georgia, Ashby has been instrumental in expanding analytic and technology capabilities for the wholesale distribution tier. More recently, Ashby has also emerged as a vocal advocate for alcohol-like regulation governing hemp-derived consumable products.

Bill Shufelt is the visionary co-founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing Company, America’s largest dedicated non-alcoholic brewer. As an avid outdoor enthusiast and busy professional, Shufelt recognized the limitations alcohol placed on achieving his goals, leading him to embrace an alcohol-free lifestyle in 2013. Frustrated by the lack of satisfying non-alcoholic options, Shufelt decided to develop a range of brews that wouldn’t affect a drinker the next day. So, in 2017, Shufelt left a successful career in finance to establish the first U.S. brewery and taproom dedicated entirely to non-alcoholic beer, despite skepticism from industry insiders. Since its debut in 2018, Athletic Brewing has grown to become the sixth-largest craft brewer and the 15th-largest overall brewing company in the U.S. Athletic is the number one selling non-alcoholic beer brand in America, with nearly 20% market share. In 2025, Fast Company named Athletic one of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies. With over 190 prestigious taste awards, Athletic brews have become a staple on retail shelves and restaurant menus nationwide, and are now available at over 75,000 locations. The company operates custom breweries in Connecticut and California and donates up to $2 million annually to protect and restore outdoor spaces worldwide via its Two For The Trails environmental grant program, the largest of its kind in the craft brewing industry. Athletic Brewing is also a proud Certified B Corporation.

John Lawson has been a Forager for the last 4+ years of his 21 year career at Whole Foods Market, covering the Northeast from New Jersey and New York up through Massachusetts and Maine.  He identifies and supports emerging CPG brands that embody Whole Foods Market’s commitment to quality and sustainability.  With experience in product development, brand strategy, and retail partnerships, John operates at the intersection of entrepreneurship and consumer insight—helping mission-driven makers translate big ideas into scalable, shelf-ready success stories.  Passionate about strengthening local supply chains and championing the next generation of CPG innovators, John brings a creative yet pragmatic perspective to his work—connecting the dots between passion, product, and the practical realities of growth in today’s dynamic food marketplace.

Dee Charlemagne is Sr. Director of Emerging Brands at Walmart Merchandising, focused on helping Walmart discover emerging brands earlier and become the retailer founders choose first. Before Walmart, Dee co-founded AVEC, the premium beverage brand, where she experienced firsthand what it takes to build, fundraise, and scale a modern consumer brand. She now brings that founder perspective into how Walmart partners with the next generation of high-growth brands.

Henry Kasindorf is a seasoned serial entrepreneur who has built and scaled ventures in the technology, energy, and hospitality fields. He is currently the CEO and Co-Founder of Remedy Organics, a collaboration with his wife Cindy, a health and wellness expert and nutritional health counselor. Remedy Organics is disrupting the beverage industry by developing clean label, plant-based beverages with meaningful functional ingredients. The business is experiencing rapid growth nationally, with products available in leading stores such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, Walmart, 7-11, CVS, and online at Amazon and www.remedyorganics.com. Henry received a Bachelor of Science degree from Babson College. He is active in the NY chapter of the Entrepreneurs Organization of New York, a member of Leveraged Wisdom, and was selected to attend the Birthing of Giants program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program. Henry has served on the board of several companies and non-profit organizations and has a passion for building great companies.

Jennie Ripps is the co-founder and CEO of Owl’s Brew.  Committed to creating great-tasting drinks (sometimes boozy) from only real & excellent ingredients, Owl’s Brew is redefining what it means to “drink wise”, particularly in the bev-alc category, where there is often a lack of transparency.   Jennie is also co-founder of Wise Women Collective, the brand’s women-for-women initiative dedicated to amplifying women’s voices and supporting meaningful causes. Jennie is the co-author of Wise Cocktails: A DIY Guide to Crafting Tea-Based Cocktails (Rodale) and a certified tea sommelier. The beverages she has developed have received more than 40 industry accolades, including the Good Food Awards, Sip Awards, and Sofi Awards. Jennie and Owl’s Brew have been featured by The Today Show, The New York Times, and Forbes, among others. Owl’s Brew may be found at Yankees Stadium, TD Garden, SoFi Stadium, Whole Foods, Total Wine, and Trader Joe’s, among others.

Lesley Osorio is a Senior Merchant at Walmart, currently leading the Shelf-Stable Juice business and driving strategies that deliver value, innovation, and growth for customers. With more than 14 years of experience at Walmart, she has built a well-rounded career spanning multiple areas of merchandising, including merchandise operations and buying, giving her a deep understanding of the retail landscape and customer needs.   Prior to managing the Shelf-Stable Juice category, Lesley oversaw Protein Shakes and Bars, where she developed a passion for working with emerging and high-growth brands. Through that experience, she gained firsthand insight into the unique challenges and opportunities faced by innovative companies looking to scale within retail. She is particularly energized by building strong partnerships with entrepreneurs and founders, helping them navigate growth while bringing differentiated products to Walmart customers.   Known for her collaborative leadership style and customer-first mindset, Lesley enjoys creating category strategies that balance business performance with innovation. She is passionate about identifying trends, fostering meaningful supplier relationships, and championing products that meet evolving consumer needs. Her goal is not only to drive success for Walmart and its customers but also to support emerging brands in building sustainable, long-term growth.

With over three decades in the liquor industry, Stephen Jabour brings extensive expertise in sales, operations, and business growth. Starting in the industry in 1990, he built a successful business before selling it to Spec’s Family Partners in 2012. Now serving as Chief Sales and Operating Officer, Steve plays a key role in driving strategic initiatives, optimizing operations, and strengthening supplier and customer relationships. A results-driven leader, Steve is passionate about innovation, customer experience, and market expansion. Outside of work, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family.

Kyle Fitzpatrick is the founder & CEO of Paperboy Ventures, a venture media platform fueling the next wave of emerging consumer brands. What began as a newsletter and podcast sharing stories of early-stage CPG founders has since evolved into a venture fund, Paperboy Fund I. The fund targets early-stage food, beverage, and personal care brands south of $10M in net sales in seed / Series A raises. A seasoned CPG operator, Kyle has held leadership roles at Red Bull, Numerator, and The Feel Good Lab. Beyond the fund, he's an active advisor to a growing roster of emerging brands. Outside of work, Kyle coaches varsity basketball in his hometown of Woodbury, CT, where he lives with his wife and four young children.

Dace is Managing Partner at 1731 MGMT, an Atlanta-based venture partner that helps emerging consumer brands with capital, strategic guidance, and operational expertise. He is a global operations and supply chain leader with more than 20 years of experience driving efficiency, building strategic partnerships, and streamlining manufacturing operations. Dace has worked extensively across global markets, with deep expertise in Asia, supporting product development and end-to-end supply chain strategy. Prior to 1731 MGMT, he held roles with Target, Porsche Cars North America, The Coca-Cola Company, and Johnson & Johnson. He is passionate about solving complex operational challenges and creating long-term business value.

Brad partners with leading growth-stage food and beverage companies as an active Board member working with high performance CEOs to optimize their leadership effectiveness across all business dimensions in order to build/scale dynamic brands and create high value, category winning companies effectively positioned to sustainably drive strong, profitable growth and/or exit to strategic acquirers.  Current Boards: Country Archer, Gimme Foods, Biena and Barney Butter.  Prior Boards from early/growth stage through to Company Exit: Kevita (Pepsi), Simple Mills (Flowers Foods), Krave (Hershey), Flying Embers (JuneShine), Health Warrior (Pepsi), RightRice (Planting Hope), Zola (Karp Reilly), Fishpeople (Bornstein Seafood), Chameleon Cold Brew (Nestle), Red’s All Natural (Bansk Group) and Aura Bora (Next in Natural) … with cumulative exit value surpassing $1.5 billion.  After time spent in management consulting and investment banking, Brad’s food/bev journey began over twenty-five years ago as the Founder/CEO of the Fantasia Fresh Juice Co. which he built into a leading superpremium fresh juice/smoothie brand culminating in a merger with Naked Juice and subsequent acquisition by Pepsi.  He holds an MBA from the Stanford GSB and a true passion for unlocking the power of human transformation and possibility in life and leadership.

John Lawson has been a Forager for the last 4+ years of his 21 year career at Whole Foods Market, covering the Northeast from New Jersey and New York up through Massachusetts and Maine.  He identifies and supports emerging CPG brands that embody Whole Foods Market’s commitment to quality and sustainability.  With experience in product development, brand strategy, and retail partnerships, John operates at the intersection of entrepreneurship and consumer insight—helping mission-driven makers translate big ideas into scalable, shelf-ready success stories.  Passionate about strengthening local supply chains and championing the next generation of CPG innovators, John brings a creative yet pragmatic perspective to his work—connecting the dots between passion, product, and the practical realities of growth in today’s dynamic food marketplace.

Randy Ornstein is Senior Director of Beverages at Gopuff, where he leads strategy and merchandising across alcohol and non-alcohol beverage assortments.  Prior to Gopuff, Randy spent nearly 15 years at Anheuser-Busch, where he held leadership roles including Vice President of Beyond Beer, Vice President of Non-Alcohol Beverages, and Vice President of Sales for Walmart and Sam's Club.  Randy is also the author of Grow: The Essential Guide to Getting Promoted, a practical guide offering actionable strategies to accelerate career growth and performance.

Dr. Sebastian Dreher is a Los Angeles–based venture investor focused on emerging beverage brands and the future of consumer wellness. As Managing Director at Döhler Ventures, he has strong focus on product. He partners with early-stage founders across functional beverages, hydration, soda alternatives, protein drinks, and next-generation nutrition platforms. With nearly a decade of experience at the intersection of venture capital and the global beverage industry, Sebastian works closely with entrepreneurs on growth strategy, product positioning, commercialization, and scaling within the evolving CPG landscape.

Madeline Haydon is the Founder of nutpods, one of the leading brands of better-for-you coffee creamers. Initially launched as a Kickstarter project, nutpods debuted at #13 on Inc 5000 list of Fastest Growing Companies and was crowned as Amazon “Small Business of the Year” (both in 2019) and announced the company’s successful sale in 2024 to M-Pearlrock. Madeline is also a recognized business leader and has been covered in national publications:  Inc Magazine’s (Female Founders 200, 2023), Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year (2019) and Forbes who introduced Madeline (Meet the Women Leading the Future of Food, 2017). Madeline is a proud Seattleite and holds a BS from the University of Washington and an MBA from Seattle University.  She currently serves on private boards and is a frequent public speaker.  

Andy Steele is the Founder of Anonymous Consulting & Sales and the investment vehicle Fun'dsize, with a career built around scaling emerging consumer brands through small-format retail channels like convenience, drug, and foodservice. Earlier in his career, he oversaw C-store sales for vitaminwater from 2005 to 2009, later becoming Coca-Cola North America's vice president of business development for small format/Target/Supervalu, and previously held senior management positions with Store 24 and Shell Oil. In 2011, he founded Anonymous Consulting & Sales to assist new-to-market and startup brands with strategy, channel architecture, and launch plans, with clients including Krave Jerky and Pretzel Crisps. He later spent over four years as VP of Small Format Channels at BodyArmor, helping guide the brand through its landmark acquisition by Coca-Cola in 2021; he recently left a similar position at Olipop. His portfolio of transactions and current investments spans Olipop, High Brew Coffee, Throne Sport Coffee, Rip Van, and Kokada.

Will Bernat is a partner in Nutter’s Corporate and Transactions Department. He chairs the firm’s Emerging Companies Group and leads the firm’s Food and Beverage group. Clients routinely rely on Will to help them navigate through private equity, venture capital, and angel financing transactions, as well as mergers and acquisitions, commercial lending transactions, and other corporate governance issues. Tech, life sciences, consumer/retail, and food & beverage companies look to Will for assistance throughout their entire lifespans — from initial planning and formation to operations and exit. Will has counseled clients in angel and venture backed financings representing an aggregate of over $500 million in investment in local early-stage companies.

Bill Sipper is Managing Partner and co-founder of Cascadia Managing Brands, a U.S.-based brand management and sales execution firm specializing in food and beverage. Over a 30+ year career, he has guided brands from concept to commercialization to category leadership, holding senior positions at Evian, Nantucket Nectars, Fresh Samantha/Odwalla, Naked Juice, New Amsterdam Beer, and Clearly Canadian. Through Cascadia, Bill has advised an unusually broad range of clients — from global players like Coca-Cola, InBev, and Bain & Company, to foreign governments including Thailand and Costa Rica, to high-growth disruptors such as Zico Coconut Water, Hint Water, Liquid Death, Dirty Potato Chips, Too Good Gourmet, and Amedei Chocolate. He is the author of Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the Food & Beverage Industry (But Were Afraid to Ask), a no-nonsense operator's manual drawn from decades of building, scaling, and occasionally salvaging CPG brands.

Brian Dworkin is the President and CEO of Castle, a leading beverage manufacturing company he acquired out of bankruptcy in 2005. Coming from a family beverage business in Connecticut that dates back to 1904, Brian recognized the opportunity to transform Castle’s underutilized 500,000-square-foot facility into a world-class beverage production operation. Through strategic investment, operational excellence, and a focus on higher-quality products, he successfully rebuilt the company from a single production line into a rapidly growing operation that now runs eleven production lines across multiple shifts. Under Brian’s leadership, Castle became one of the few contract beverage producers in the United States capable of brewing bottled tea directly from tea leaves rather than powders or concentrates, allowing the company to produce premium-quality beverages for a growing roster of brands. In addition to Castle, Brian co-founded Full Circle Distributors, a full-service DSD distributor that has grown into the largest independent beverage distributor in the Pittsburgh market. Brian is also an accomplished investor with involvement in several innovative consumer brands and growth companies, including PLNT Burger, Sword Performance, Just Ice Tea, Hint Water, and Cumulus. His expertise spans beverage manufacturing, distribution, operations, brand growth, and strategic scaling of emerging consumer businesses. Brian sits on multiple boards including PLNT Burger, Protein 2o, and Sword Performance.

Claire Pelton is the Growth Marketing Manager for BELAY Financial Solutions, where she helps inventory-based brands improve profitability, cash flow, and operational efficiency through outsourced accounting, inventory management, tax, and CFO services. With more than 15 years of experience in marketing and business growth, Claire has spent much of her career working with consumer product companies. Prior to BELAY, she led marketing for Accountfully, an outsourced accounting firm recognized on the Inc. 5000 list, where she worked closely with inventory accounting specialists, CFOs, and operations experts serving food and beverage, health and wellness, and consumer product brands. In addition to her work in financial services, Claire has firsthand experience supporting inventory-based businesses, including product launches, channel growth, demand generation, and operational planning for consumer goods brands such as DPx Gear. This experience gives her a practical understanding of the challenges founders face as they balance growth with inventory management, cash flow, and profitability. Throughout her career, Claire has collaborated with hundreds of founders and operators navigating forecasting, landed costs, channel profitability, inventory planning, and retail expansion. Today, she works closely with beverage and CPG brands to help bridge the gap between growth strategy and the financial and operational systems required to scale successfully.

Scott brings more than three decades of executive experience leading commercial strategy, marketing, and client partnerships in the manufacturing sector.

Dana is a veteran engineering leader with extensive expertise in can manufacturing, equipment systems, and technical operations.

Alvin is an accomplished entrepreneur and strategic operator who has led multiple ventures including decades of executive experience in packaging solutions.

Simon has over 18 years of experience providing Financial due diligence on over 300 M&A transactions including buy and sell side support for Corporate and Private Equity firms. His experience includes acquisitions, sales/disposals, mergers, growth investments, debt investments, distressed/restructurings, SPAC and refinancing transactions, across a broad range of sectors.  Simon’s significant experience spans the  North America, UK and Europe, advising on transactions ranging in size from $5 million to $30 billion.  Simon works closely with investors, owners, CEO's and CFO's to review their financial and accounting information and prepare analysis and reports focused on the historical and forecast performance, and to assist them in the due diligence process.

Ross leads CMG's investment banking coverage across the Food & Beverage sector. Ross works closely with deal teams focused on M&A, capital markets, and transaction services across the food & beverage sector.  Over his 35+ year career, Ross has consummated over 100 transactions across the food and beverage value chain for suppliers, growers, processors, co-manufacturers, brand-owners, distributors and retailers. His transaction experience covers North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa.  Carter Morse & Goodrich is a boutique investment banking firm located in Southport, CT that specializes in M&A advisory services for founder and family-owned companies in transactions ranging for $25 to $300 million in transaction value.

Mike Bedrosian is the COO and Director of Sales at Fast Track Packaging, with over 40 years of experience in the packaging industry. Throughout his career, he has contributed to major innovations in flexographic printing, shrink sleeve technology, and aluminum beverage packaging, including work on iconic packaging designs such as the Tim Hortons Timbit Box. Known for combining technical expertise with strategic industry insight, Mike helps beverage brands launch and scale through flexible, high-performance packaging solutions.

Seth is a partner at Holland & Knight, where he focuses on private equity and M&A transactions in the CPG industry, with a particular focus on food and beverage. Over his 20+-year career, he has completed more than 100 transactions involving CPG companies ranging from under $50 million to more than $1 billion. His beverage industry experience spans buy-side and sell-side M&A (including platform and add-on acquisitions, dispositions, and carve-outs), financings, dividend recapitalizations, and joint ventures for private equity funds, their portfolio companies, strategics, and founder-owned businesses. He also regularly negotiates commercial agreements that support brand growth, including contract manufacturing, distribution, licensing, and supply chain arrangements.

Srinivas Jagannathan is the Chief Product Officer at BevGenie, where he leads the development of an AI-powered platform transforming how beverage suppliers access, analyze, and act on their own data and market intelligence. A seasoned product leader and entrepreneur, Srinivas has worked across the full spectrum of enterprise software — from global technology enterprises, through publicly-traded SaaS, to founder-led startups he's built and led. His experience spans product strategy, applied AI, and large-scale data systems, with a focus on turning complex data into actionable business outcomes.

Gauri Sharma is the Analytics Lead and Industry Advisor at BevGenie, where she helps translate real-world beverage industry decision-making into next-generation AI and decision intelligence capabilities. She plays a key role in ensuring the platform reflects how commercial, sales, and strategy decisions are actually made across the three-tier ecosystem. With over 20 years of experience, Gauri has led insights and analytics functions at Beam Suntory, Pernod Ricard, and Constellation Brands.

Shyam Jayakumar is the Founder & CEO of BevGenie, an emerging AI-driven intelligence platform helping beverage organizations turn fragmented commercial data into faster, more actionable business decisions. Through BevGenie and ConsumerIQ, Shyam is focused on helping beverage suppliers and commercial teams reduce decision latency, improve execution visibility, and move from passive reporting toward execution-oriented growth. A seasoned technology and data leader with more than 25 years of experience, Shyam has led high-impact digital transformation initiatives at global organizations including MicroStrategy, Salesforce, and Information Builders. He brings a unique combination of product vision, enterprise integration expertise, AI strategy, and operational execution to solving complex business challenges. Shyam is also the Founder of Twenty20 Systems, a global consulting and integration practice supporting enterprise clients across data, automation, analytics, and AI-driven workflow initiatives. His work sits at the intersection of AI, commercial intelligence, and scalable systems architecture — helping organizations operate faster and compete more effectively in an increasingly fragmented market landscape.

Neha Soi is the SVP of Operations at BERO, a premium non-alcoholic beer line co-founded by Tom Holland. She is an experienced and ambitious global supply chain operations leader with a proven track record of driving results for both established and emerging brands across diverse industries. With expertise in building sustainable business models, she excels in executing end-to-end supply chains with an acute focus on leveraging systems, technology and now AI to drive results. Neha's extensive experience spans retail and DTC operations, reflecting her passion for translating organizational vision into measurable business growth and profitability. Her impressive career includes roles at The Lemon Perfect Company, L'Oréal, Taco Bell, Starbucks, and more, showcasing her commitment to excellence and innovation.

Dan Weisbach is Vice President at L.A. Libations, where he leads the SoCal Incubation Program and supports emerging beverage brands across retail strategy, distribution, and growth. He works closely with founders, retailers, and industry partners to help brands navigate the evolving CPG landscape. Dan is passionate about identifying emerging trends and helping brands build sustainable momentum at retail. He brings a practical perspective shaped by day-to-day work with both early-stage and established beverage companies.

Akash Raju is the Co-Founder & CEO at Glimpse. Akash was previously a Program Manager at Microsoft, a Software Engineer at Tesla, and a Software Engineer at VERISIGN. Akash has also served as a Teaching Assistant at Purdue University and a Researcher at U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. Akash Raju is a graduate of Purdue University, where he studied computer engineering and entrepreneurship. Akash also holds a bachelor's degree in industrial management from the same school. Prior to attending Purdue, he attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

As a flavorful & seasoned beverage executive, Brad Nichols has over two decades of experience in comanufacturing, flavor, formulation, packaging, retail & wholesale distribution along with brand ownership – specializing in the entire beverage process. Currently, Brad serves as Director, Business Development at MetaBrand located in Edison, NJ, one of the Top 3 Formulation & Comanufacturing businesses for Beverages in the United States. Brad ‘s prior professional experience includes senior leadership at Alltech, Best Bev, Dogfish Head Brewing, Flavorman & Moonshine University, Heidelberg Distributing, Sheehan Family Companies, Wild Pack & additional organizations. Brad holds a B.A. from Western Kentucky University and is actively pursuing a Master of Science in Library Science with a focus in Beverage Education & Research, and has completed trainings at U.C. Davis, Seibel Institute, Brewing & Distilling Analytical Services, along with being an instructor at Moonshine University - the official education site of the Kentucky Distillers Association.

Craig Fortin is the founder and CEO of MetaBrand, the turnkey beverage formulation and manufacturing company he built starting in 2016. With a platform engineered to take brands from concept to commercialization, MetaBrand has established a proven track record across three of the industry's most demanding categories — alcohol, Delta-9 THC-infused beverages, and functional wellness drinks — backed by highly scalable production capabilities that grow with a brand from early development runs through national distribution. Under Fortin's leadership, MetaBrand operates as a true commercialization partner: combining proprietary formulation expertise, regulatory acuity, and co-manufacturing infrastructure to give emerging and established operators the speed and precision needed to compete at the highest levels of the beverage market.

Keagen Edwards is the Senior Director of Operations at Leisure Hydration, where he oversees the brand's supply chain infrastructure. By building strong supplier, co-manufacturer, vendor, and customer relationships, Keagen is responsible for the operational foundation that allows a growing CPG brand to scale efficiently and sustainably. His approach centers on lean processes, automation, and cross-functional alignment to enable that growth. Before moving into CPG, Keagen spent time in the insurance technology, venture capital, and decentralized finance industries - experience that informs his current focus on systems thinking and scalable process design. Based in Portland, Oregon, Keagen brings a hands-on, data-driven perspective to the operational challenges facing emerging CPG brands.

Co-founder/Co-CEO - coaqua