The preliminary agenda is officially live for BevNET Live NYC 2026! We’re heading back to the Metropolitan Pavilion on June 10-11 for two days of high-octane networking, strategic deep dives, and the best brand-building insights in the business.

Here’s a look at the goodies waiting for you in NYC:

• The Investment Landscape: Capital remains elusive, but we’ve got ways to track it down. From an eye on the strategics from ex-PepsiCo M&A chief Daniel Grubbs, to talks with power players like Elly Truesdell (New Fare), Hank Spring (KarpReilly), and Rogers Healy (Morrison Seger) on what makes a brand “investment grade” in 2026, to tactical looks at negotiations and terms sheets with Daniel Faierman (Habitat Capital) and Chuck Cotter (Morrison Foerster), this lineup has dividends for everyone.
• Retailer Access: Go behind the scenes with the decision-makers. We’ll feature a deep-dive retailer profile with Nicolletta Payne of The Vitamin Shoppe, plus an insightful founder-buyer conversation featuring Samantha Fletcher of Whole Foods Market alongside Mingle founder Laura Taylor. (And arranged 1:1 meetings with buyers including Whole Foods, GoPuff, Spec’s, Vitamin Shoppe, Top 10 Liquors and more!)
• The Founder’s Playbook: Learn from the legends and the rising stars. Ben Weiss (Bai, Crooked Pop) returns to the stage to share his wisdom on brand building, while Tom First (Culture Pop) discusses the challenger mindset. Plus, hear scaling strategies from Richard Laver (Lucky Energy), Adam Kost (Dirty Shirley), and the team behind UK-breakout Trip Beverage.
• Future-Proofing Your Brand: We’re tackling the industry’s biggest shifts head-on, with a critical “Strategy on Deadline” session regarding the future of cannabis beverages and a special tactical presentation on Agentic Commerce—where experts from Brand Now, Banquet, and Aisle AI show you how to make your brand legible to AI agents.
• Back to School: Kick things off Wednesday morning with Beverage School, featuring a curriculum designed to help new emerging brands learn the launch codes. We’ll cover everything from financial fluency and co-packing to route-to-market strategies with veterans like Bill Sipper, Brian Dworkin and Madeline Haydon (Nutpods).
• The Competition: It wouldn’t be BevNET Live without the New Beverage Showdown. Watch emerging brands battle it out in the semi-finals on Wednesday, culminating in the high-stakes finals and the winner announcement on Thursday afternoon.

Registration for BevNET Live NYC is moving at record pace – hundreds of attendees are already signed on for June 10+11. Join them!

Register for BevNET Live NYC 2026 >>

About BevNET Live

BevNET Live is the beverage industry’s premier event, bringing together brands, distributors, retailers, investors, and service providers to explore what’s ahead for the industry. Featuring top-tier speakers and the fan-favorite New Beverage Showdown, each event draws hundreds of brands from across the country.