He may be known by industry insiders as “the beverage whisperer,” but when Ken Sadowsky speaks, the message comes through loud and clear.
Sadowsky’s CV does most of the talking, to be fair: he boasts an incredible track record of investing in and advising many of the fastest-growing and most successful new beverages over the last 20 years, including Glaceau/VitaminWater, Vita Coco, Hint and LifeAID. As the senior beverage advisor for Verlinvest and the executive director of the Northeast Independent Distributors Association, Sadowsky brings a range of perspectives and a depth of understanding as to how the industry works from the production floor up to the board room.
In this speaker session from BevNET Live Winter 2020, Ken shares his thoughts about the current state of the industry, framing how current trends, corporate strategies and innovative products are shaping the beverage landscape today. Topics include the rising impact of better-for-you products, the difference between evolutionary and revolutionary brands, how to effectively build teams and how the market is adjusting to pandemic and post-pandemic consumer habits and business practices — including the rise of e-commerce, ghost kitchens and contactless transactions. Afterwards, Ken caught up to chat further with BevNET editor-in-chief Jeff Klineman and answer questions from the audience.