WINTER 2021 | DEC. 6+7 | SANTA MONICA
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Two Days of Beverage Industry Analysis, Advice & Partnership

Please note: All times US Pacific Time

  • Meeting and Pitching Investors
    • Arif Fazal
      , Founder and Managing Director, Blueberry Ventures
      Arif Fazal, Founder and Managing Director, Blueberry Ventures -

      Arif Fazal

      Founder and Managing Director, Blueberry Ventures

      Arif invests in and works with innovative brands and companies led by inspiring entrepreneurs and management teams, and collaborates closely alongside similarly focused co-investors and value chain partners. Bringing two decades of consumer and retail experience to the table, Arif partners with teams building the next generation nutrition landscape by providing early & growth stage capital and operational support to help empower growth and build great businesses. Select investments and board responsibilities include Vive Organic, Flying Embers, REBBL, 4th & Heart, High Brew Coffee, Ripple Foods, Barnana, Revive Kombucha (acquired by Peet’s Coffee), Rhythm Superfoods, Fishpeople Seafood, Biena Snacks, Sufferfest Beer Company (acquired by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company), Bonafide Provisions, Nutriati, Austin Eastciders, Pique Tea & RightRice.

    • Arif Fazal, Founder and Managing Director, Blueberry Ventures
  • Best Practices for Changing Grocery Industry Logistics, Sponsored by Zipline Logistics
    • Andrew Lynch
      , President, Zipline Logistics
    • Andrew Lynch, President, Zipline Logistics
  • Ecommerce for Beverage!
    • Betsy McGinn
      , CEO & Founder, McGinn EComm
      Betsy McGinn, CEO & Founder, McGinn EComm -

      Betsy McGinn

      CEO & Founder, McGinn EComm

      Betsy is the co-author of The Amazon Roadmap: How Innovative Brands are Reinventing the Path to Market, the quintessential start-to-finish guide for brands who want to launch, recalibrate, or optimize their Amazon business and ensure continued growth on this powerful platform. As Seventh Generation’s first eCommerce channel director, Betsy pioneered the company’s innovative eComm strategy and created a thriving multimillion-dollar partnership with Amazon and other key online retailers. Since founding McGinn eComm in 2014, Betsy has worked with hundreds of natural and specialty food and beverage brands to establish and strengthen their strategic direction on Amazon and their own Direct-to-Consumer eCommerce. From product development and profitability analysis to guiding organizational change, McGinn eComm leads clients through every step of this complex channel, helping to ensure successful and profitable online businesses. With more than a decade of eCommerce experience, Betsy is a thought-leader and regular speaker at workshops and conferences globally. Visit Betsy at mcginnecomm.com

    • Betsy McGinn, CEO & Founder, McGinn EComm
  • Capital Efficient CPG
    • Elliot Begoun
      , CEO, TIG Brands
      Elliot Begoun, CEO, TIG Brands -

      Elliot Begoun

      CEO, TIG Brands

      Elliot Begoun is a 30-year industry veteran, author, and the Founder of TIG, a 1:1 customized alternative accelerator focused on helping emerging natural product brands grow. TIG works with its entrepreneurs to build nimble, capital- efficient, resilient brands that become tardigrades not unicorns. Catch him at FoodBytes, the Hirshberg Entrepreneurship Institute, the Natural Products Business School, and find his articles in publications such as the Huffington Post, SmartBrief, and New Hope.

    • Elliot Begoun, CEO, TIG Brands
  • Understanding Channel Strategy, Sponsored by Cascadia Managing Brands
    • Bill Sipper
      , Managing Partner, Cascadia Managing Brands, LLC
      Bill Sipper, Managing Partner, Cascadia Managing Brands, LLC -

      Bill Sipper

      Managing Partner, Cascadia Managing Brands, LLC

      BILL SIPPER is a food and beverage industry leader who has guided numerous brands from concept to commercialization to category leadership. He held senior and C Level positions at leading brands including Evian, Nantucket Nectars, Fresh Samantha/Odwalla, Naked Juice and Clearly Canadian. Bill’s strategic expertise and executional focus helped those brands succeed and can help your brand succeed, too.? Consulting closely with client leaders as they consider a sale or acquisition, Bill has supported several brands through the process. (Naked Juice was sold to Pepsico, Fresh Samantha/Odwalla was sold to Coca Cola, and Nantucket Nectars was sold to Ocean Spray). Bill has significant international experience, and works with clients in Asia, Europe, South America and the Middle East. He draws on this expertise to help international brands establish presence in the US and to help US brands expand internationally.? Bill is active in philanthropic causes: He served as president of Robert Kennedy Jr.’s clean water charity, Tear of the Clouds; was an advisor to The Walden Woods Project; and served on the Board of Directors of the National Osteoporosis Foundation.? Bill has been featured on Food Network’s “Unwrapped” and in the PBS documentary “The Water Wars.” He has been a featured speaker at Columbia University School of Business, The Bottled Water Congress (Torino, Italy), the Pan Arab Congress on Osteoporosis (Tunisia), and at virtually every major US food and beverage show, including Natural Products Expo, BevNet, Nosh Live and more. His articles have appeared in leading trade publications, and he is frequently quoted in media including The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s and the New York Times.

    • Bill Sipper, Managing Partner, Cascadia Managing Brands, LLC
  • Beverage Packaging Decisions
    • Michael Zuckerman
      , President, Zuckerman Honickman
      Michael Zuckerman, President, Zuckerman Honickman -

      Michael Zuckerman

      President, Zuckerman Honickman

      Michael Zuckerman is the President of Zuckerman Honickman Inc ("ZH"), a privately held packaging company founded in the early 1900’s, which provides beverage clients with turnkey solutions for their procurement and packaging needs. ZH is one of the largest suppliers of Cans, Plastic and glass bottles to the beverage industry in North America and provides its' customers with high-quality, low cost, customized, packaging solutions. With sustainability always in mind, ZH has recently been focused on other alternative packaging solution, which has lead the company to partner with some of the leaders in the biodegradable space. Under Michael’s leadership, ZH has continued to strengthen its reputation for excellence, best of breed customer service, superior buying power, and industry knowledge. ZH enables beverage brands to capitalize on economies of scale associated with their can, glass and plastic purchases. Michael’s passion for the beverage industry has been an integral part in the companies tireless focus on beverage product development. ZH has been instrumental in helping many regional companies grow into national brand names, including but not limited to: Snapple, Honest Tea, Glaceau, Fuze Bai Brands, Body Armor, Spindrift, and many more.

    • Michael Zuckerman, President, Zuckerman Honickman
  • Getting Hold of COGS
    • Rob Leichman
      , Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group
      Rob Leichman, Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group -

      Rob Leichman

      Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group

      Rob has been involved in the specialty food trade for over twenty years, with a proven record of success in global sales, strategic planning, packaging, team-building, new product development, distribution, procurement and import/export management. He has deep and established relationships with buyers in every major distribution channel: specialty retail, grocery, club stores, foodservice, direct to consumer, drug and export. His long-standing sales relationships include retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Williams-Sonoma, Target, Walmart, Publix, The Fresh Market and Dean & DeLuca.

    • Rob Leichman, Founder/CEO, The Lyric Group
  • CPG Branding & Design Best Practices, Sponsored by GRO Agency
    • Kelly Criswell
      , Chief Creative Officer, The GRO Agency
      Kelly  Criswell, Chief Creative Officer, The GRO Agency -

      Kelly Criswell

      Chief Creative Officer, The GRO Agency

      As The GRO Agency Chief Creative Officer, Kelly Criswell lives and breathes CPG packaging. After 17 years steeped in the space, she still spends her days studying packaging design with a keen eye for impact, identity, hierarchy, and clarity.

    • Kelly Criswell, Chief Creative Officer, The GRO Agency
  • Beverage Operations
    • Pete Grego
      , Corporate Director, Sales & Business Development, Nor-Cal Beverage Co
      Pete Grego, Corporate Director, Sales & Business Development, Nor-Cal Beverage Co -

      Pete Grego

      Corporate Director, Sales & Business Development, Nor-Cal Beverage Co

      Pete Grego is the Director of Contract Manufacturing with Nor-Cal Beverages. Pete specializes in beverage brand building and beverage management. As well as customer development and strategic planning.

    • Pete Grego, Corporate Director, Sales & Business Development, Nor-Cal Beverage Co

Please note: All times US Pacific Time

  • 3:00 PM
    -
    5:30 PM
    BevNET Cocktail Showdown 2 Finals

    The BevNET Cocktail Showdown will take place on Sunday, December 5th, from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM PT in the Palisades Salon at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. RTD cocktail brands will pitch their products to a panel of expert judges for immediate feedback. 

    There will be sampling of the RTD cocktail products presented in the showdown. You must be a registered attendee of BevNET Live and an ID is required.

    • Saeed House
      , Founder, Cocktails By Hawk
      Saeed House, Founder, Cocktails By Hawk -

      Saeed House

      Founder, Cocktails By Hawk

      Saeed “Hawk” House is a full-time social media content creator and part-time craft cocktail bartender. He has been in the service industry for 9+ years, working at various places, from high volume nightclubs to well-respected craft cocktail bars in Bay Area and Los Angeles. Listed on Foodandwine.com’s “20 Black Mixologists You Need on Your Radar”, He has helped curate new cocktail menus for multiple restaurants in the LA area. His eye for cocktail photography is just as exquisite as his love for creating cocktails. As a photographer, his cocktail photos have been published in numerous print and web publications ranging from Variety Magazine, Forbes Magazine, Esquire, Eater, and TimeOut LA. You can see his work on Instagram and Tik Tok at @CocktailsByHawk.

    • Tiffany Vandom
      , VP of Sales, Q Mixers
      Tiffany Vandom, VP of Sales, Q Mixers -

      Tiffany Vandom

      VP of Sales, Q Mixers

      Tiffiny is a beverage industry executive with more than 25 years proven success in managing businesses and bringing innovative brands to market. She has deep experience and knowledge within adult beverage working for the Diageo and Bacardi brand portfolios, and various start-ups over the years. Currently, as Vice President of Sales at Q Mixers, she is leading double digit growth working through and with distributors, and sTiffiny earned her MBA from University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business and her B.A. in Pre-Law from University of California, Santa Barbara. She was raised near San Francisco and currently resides in Redondo Beach, CA with her husband, John Karem.

    • Dr. Sebastian Dreher
      , Managing Director, Döhler Ventures
    • CJ Fowler
      , Managing Partner, Goat Rodeo Capital
      CJ Fowler, Managing Partner, Goat Rodeo Capital -

      CJ Fowler

      Managing Partner, Goat Rodeo Capital

      Carlton is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Political Science and University of Michigan with an MBA in Strategy and Marketing. Hailing from the Sierra Nevadas, you can often find him enjoying the natural splendor of Northern California. Two things make him happiest: eating/drinking well with friends & family and tilting against the windmill that is the three tiered beverage alcohol system (we all concede he probably needs some healthier hobbies...).

    • Saeed House, Founder, Cocktails By Hawk
    • Tiffany Vandom, VP of Sales, Q Mixers
    • Dr. Sebastian Dreher, Managing Director, Döhler Ventures
    • CJ Fowler, Managing Partner, Goat Rodeo Capital

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  • 5:00 PM
    -
    6:30 PM
    BevNET Live Welcome Reception
    The BevNET Live Welcome Reception will take place December 5th, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM PT on the 5th floor of the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel outside the Arcadia Ballroom. You must be a registered attendee and an ID is required.

Please note: All times US Pacific Time

  • 7:30 AM
    -
    8:00 AM
    Breakfast & Registration
    Breakfast, coffee and beverages are served from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM PT and are included with registration. Registration and badge pick up opens for the day at 7:30 AM PT. 
  • 8:00 AM
    -
    9:30 AM
    New Beverage Showdown Semifinals
    The New Beverage Showdown is the leading business pitch competition for the beverage industry. Designed to support and showcase new products and promising founders, it focuses on the innovators and entrepreneurs designing the products of tomorrow.

    Watch Video

  • 9:30 AM
    -
    10:00 AM
    Networking Break & Livestream Studio
  • 10:00 AM
    -
    10:05 AM
    Welcome Remarks
    • John Craven
      , CEO & Founder, BevNET.com
    • Jeff Klineman
      , Editor in Chief, BevNET
    • John Craven, CEO & Founder, BevNET.com
    • Jeff Klineman, Editor in Chief, BevNET
  • 10:05 AM
    -
    10:30 AM
    Introductory Panel: Resilience and the Return
    We’ll dive right into a panel on the state of the beverage business, chopping it up through the eyes of individual entrepreneurs, investors, dealmakers and distributors, with folks like Mark Rampolla, Nick Giannuzzi, Eddie Simeón and more sharing experiences and expectations, providing a touchpoint on the climate for the beverage business from store aisles to the boardroom.
    • Eddie Simeón
      , Co-Founder & CMO, Hella Cocktail Co.
      Eddie Simeón, Co-Founder & CMO, Hella Cocktail Co. -

      Eddie Simeón

      Co-Founder & CMO, Hella Cocktail Co.

      In 2021, Eddie Simeón has, in many ways, come full circle both professionally and personally. Long before breaking into the Food & Beverage space, or the competitive Media and Entertainment Technology industries in NYC, Eddie got his start behind the bar as a barback for one of the Bay Areas trendiest and most cocktail-driven fine dining establishments, À Côté. It was there at the green age of eighteen that he was first introduced to the delightfully bubbly and bracing Bitters & Soda that he is best known for today. But before he launched Hella Cocktail Co. with his best pals in Brooklyn, NY, his career would take him on a full lap around the commercial media and entertainment space. MTV, Martha Stewart, ADWEEK are among the myriad of brands and websites he helped build as a Product Manager and PMP certified operations expert. Today, he resides once again on the left coast, Los Angeles where he upholds his post as a founding partner of the craft cocktail company, Hella Cocktail Co. There, he heads up all things relating to Direct-to-Consumer (D2C), e-commerce, and underlying communication and supply chain systems. He believes that great brands define and own a clear space in which they plant their flag. Everyday, his gold is to remain curious and work to design that space at the intersection of consumer insights, company DNA, and categorical awareness, while utilizing the culture surrounding all of us.

    • Mark Rampolla
      , Co-Founder & Managing Partner; Founder, Zico, PowerPlant Partners
      Mark Rampolla, Co-Founder & Managing Partner; Founder, Zico, PowerPlant Partners -

      Mark Rampolla

      Co-Founder & Managing Partner; Founder, Zico, PowerPlant Partners

      Mark is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of PowerPlant Partners, a growth equity firm that supports world-changing, plant-centric companies that deliver better nutrition in more sustainable and ethical ways. PowerPlant investments include Beyond Meat, Thrive Market, Appel Sciences, REBBL, Flying Embers, Vive Organic, Miyoko’s, and Zico. Prior to starting PowerPlant, Mark was the Founder and CEO of ZICO Beverages, one of the trailblazers of today’s $8B global coconut water category.  Under Mark’s leadership, ZICO delivered nine years of explosive growth, became one of the fastest growing beverage brands in the world and was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company in 2013 with a recent reacquisition by PowerPlant in 2021. Mark has advised more than 100 CEOs, raised more than $250MM, served on more than 20 boards and personally invested in over 30 social-impact startups across, food, beverage, health, technology and energy. Mark was recognized as Bevnet’s 2010 Beverage Innovator of the Year and has been featured in major media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg, CNBC and Conscious Company. He is the Author of High Hanging Fruit: Build Something Great by Going Where No One Else Will. Prior to launching ZICO, Mark held a variety of management positions for International Paper. These included global marketing manager for the Aseptic Packaging Division and Managing Director for the Beverage and Food Service Packaging divisions in Latin America and the Caribbean where he oversaw five plants with 300 employees and customers in 20 countries. Mark began his career as a small-business development volunteer for the Peace Corps in Costa Rica. He is a graduate of Marquette University and has an MBA and Masters of Environmental Management from Duke University. Mark and his family live in Redondo Beach, CA.

    • Nick Giannuzzi
      , Managing Partner, The Giannuzzi Group, LLP
      Nick Giannuzzi, Managing Partner, The Giannuzzi Group, LLP -

      Nick Giannuzzi

      Managing Partner, The Giannuzzi Group, LLP

      From Harvard University to New York University School of Law to a chic business residence in the Meatpacking District of NYC, Nicholas Giannuzzi is a partner and founder of The Giannuzzi Group, LLP. Started in 2011, the “Giannuzzi Group” has since become the leading law firm for nearly 500 high-growth consumer brand companies in the natural, better for you food and beverage industry. Among the firm's many clients – both present and historic – are some of the industry’s most successful and fastest growing companies such as Glaceau (creator of VitaminWater and SmartWater), Pirate’s Booty, Pretzel Crisps, Vita Coco, Siggi’s, WTRMLN WTR, Mamma Chia, Sir Kensington’s, Hint, Califia Farms, Krave, HappyBaby, Chameleon Cold Brew, Essentia, Rhythm Superfoods, Peeled, Runa, Oatmega, Sugarfina, Juice Press and many more. In addition to day-to-day legal services, advice and guidance the Giannuzzi Group has assisted its clients in over 500 financing transaction and in nearly 50 exits to strategics and PE funds, including but not limited to sales to Coke, Pepsi, General Mills, Group Danone, Hersheys, Hain Celestial, Amplify, Bacardi, White Wave and many other multi-national companies and some of the largest PE funds. In the last year, the firm has overseen the sale of KRAVE Jerky to The Hershey Company, the partial sale of Suja Juice to The Coca-Cola Company, the acquisition of Wallaby Yogurt by WhiteWave Foods, the sale of YummyEarth to the Riverside Company and the firm is currently working on multiple sales transactions in the 100s of millions of dollars for its other food and beverage clients. The Giannuzzi Group has an un-paralleled understanding of the industry and works tirelessly to serve its clients and to create positive relationships with all of the investors, co-packers, distributors, brokers, acquirers, service providers and difference makers throughout the industry so that we can shares these relationships with our clients.

    • Nicole Bernard Dawes
      , CEO, Nixie
      Nicole Bernard Dawes, CEO, Nixie -

      Nicole Bernard Dawes

      CEO, Nixie

      Nicole Bernard Dawes is a pioneering business owner whose lifelong dedication to transforming the food and beverage industry by creating delicious, organic options resulted in her founding Late July Snacks, one of the country’s most successful organic snack brands, in 2003, and most recently Nixie Sparkling Water in 2019, the #4 and fastest growing sparkling water brand in natural. Nicole has been named among Food & Wine and Fortune Magazine’s ‘Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink’ and Forbes Magazine’s ‘Top Five Women Breaking Barriers in Food and Beverage.’

    • Brian Barr
      , Account Executive, DPI Specialty Foods
      Brian Barr, Account Executive, DPI Specialty Foods -

      Brian Barr

      Account Executive, DPI Specialty Foods

      Brian Barr has been with DPI for 15 years. During that time he was National Director of Sales over Kroger for 6 years, before that National Director over Safeway for DPI. Currently he is overseeing all Natural Categories for Smart&Final.

    • Eddie Simeón, Co-Founder & CMO, Hella Cocktail Co.
    • Mark Rampolla, Co-Founder & Managing Partner; Founder, Zico, PowerPlant Partners
    • Nick Giannuzzi, Managing Partner, The Giannuzzi Group, LLP
    • Nicole Bernard Dawes, CEO, Nixie
    • Brian Barr, Account Executive, DPI Specialty Foods

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  • 10:30 AM
    -
    11:00 AM
    Sarah Frey: Inspiration, Negotiation, and Tenacity
    Sarah Frey, CEO of Frey Farms, will discuss both her personal story in beating the odds to create one of America’s most vibrant agricultural businesses, as well as her thoughts on negotiation and hiring.
    • Sarah Frey
      , Founder & CEO, Frey Farms
      Sarah Frey, Founder & CEO, Frey Farms -

      Sarah Frey

      Founder & CEO, Frey Farms

      Sarah Frey is the founder and CEO of Frey Farms, a Certified Woman Owned Business headquartered in Wayne County, Illinois that specializes in multi-state growing, packing, and shipping of fresh market produce. Sarah also oversees the diverse operations of the Frey Family of Companies and founded the first nationally distributed fresh watermelon juice brand, Tsamma. Sarah’s entrepreneurial spirit was nurtured at the young age of eight, while accompanying her mother on a summer produce route selling farm-fresh produce to grocery retailers in southern Illinois. The summer she turned 16, Sarah took over the delivery route and expanded it from 12 independent grocery stores to over 150. She managed her business while attending high school and college simultaneously. At age 19, starting with less than 100 acres of land that she purchased from the family, Sarah negotiated with Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest retailer, and successfully secured fresh produce contracts. Sarah turned her vision into reality with this expansive growth into retail grocery, which enabled her to bring her four older brothers into the business to help with business development and farm operations. Her negotiation skills with Wal-Mart became the subject of a Harvard business case study. She has built one of the nation’s largest fresh produce growing and shipping operations, spanning across seven states and thousands of acres. Striving for more pieces of the value chain, she diversified the Frey Farms agricultural product oferings, creating more market share with the nation’s top retailers. She developed specialty product lines and new consumer packaged goods for grocery retailers as well as exclusive Fall items for the home improvement giant Lowe’s. She has long held the belief that maintaining environmentally sustainable business practices and lowering COGS are not mutually exclusive. Acting on these principles, Sarah’s most recent venture at Frey Farms focuses on eliminating food waste on the farm with vertically integrated food ingredient manufacturing. Ultimately, lowering the cost of goods for her retail and food service partners while pioneering sustainable business practices in agriculture. Sarah serves on many industry-leading association boards, including the United Fresh Produce Association and was appointed by Agricultural Secretary Vilsak to the National Watermelon Promotion Board. She has been highlighted as one of the most influential women in agriculture serving in bipartisan Ag Advisory roles for multiple members of the US Congress and the Governor of the State of Illinois. Sarah has provided expert testimony to congress on issues ranging from the Farm Bill to Comprehensive Immigration Reform. She actively advocates for better nutrition in impoverished rural communities and provides dedicated support and resources to the nonprofit Feeding America. Sarah attributes her American success story to humble beginnings on a small family farm, hard work and a healthy dose of Midwestern moxie. Her work continues in bettering the lives of those living in rural poverty providing scholarships and internships to students interested in pursuing a higher education with a focus on agriculture.

    • Sarah Frey, Founder & CEO, Frey Farms

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  • 11:00 AM
    -
    11:30 AM
    Nik Sharma: The D2C Formula
    The online/in-store world will again be discussed, but from a more tactical view: first, a special session with D2C brand builder, investor, advisor and writer Nik Sharma will give brands straight advice on the life-cycle and staffing needs of their online sales operations, both for startups and for established companies looking to grow that channel.
    • Nik Sharma
      , CEO, Sharma Brands
      Nik Sharma, CEO, Sharma Brands -

      Nik Sharma

      CEO, Sharma Brands

      Widely known as “The DTC Guy” on the internet, a Forbes 30 Under 30 member, AdWeek’s Young & Influential and a resource brands and investors turn to for growth, Nik is a 25-year old DTC investor, advisor, and operator who has both assisted and led revenue growth at multiple organizations, including hint water and VaynerMedia. Prior to entering the world of commerce, Nik worked on social media campaigns for A-list celebrities including Pitbull, Priyanka Chopra, MAGIC!, to natively increase distribution as well as increase fan interaction and engagement for the purpose of driving album sales. Today, Nik words alongside brands and publishers to execute ROI-positive campaigns through cohesive digital strategies using paid, earned, and owned media properties.

    • Nik Sharma, CEO, Sharma Brands

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  • 11:30 AM
    -
    12:00 PM
    Authentic Appeal: Deploying Talent and Building Brands
    Shaun Neff, founder / investor of Neff, Orro, Sun Bum, Pattern, Beis, Moon, and Beach House, will talk through his career and offer lessons in matching the right breakthrough product to the right influential personality, as well as the ways companies can foster authentic relationships between brands and talent.
    • Shaun Neff
      , Founder / Investor / Advisor, Neff, Sun Bum, Orro, Pattern, Beis, Moon, Beachhouse
      Shaun Neff, Founder / Investor / Advisor, Neff, Sun Bum, Orro, Pattern, Beis, Moon, Beachhouse -

      Shaun Neff

      Founder / Investor / Advisor, Neff, Sun Bum, Orro, Pattern, Beis, Moon, Beachhouse

      Shaun Neff is a Founder, Investor, and Advisor.

    • Shaun Neff, Founder / Investor / Advisor, Neff, Sun Bum, Orro, Pattern, Beis, Moon, Beachhouse

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  • 12:00 PM
    -
    12:15 PM
    Best Of 2021 Awards + New Beverage Showdown Finalist Announcements
    We’ll take a break from discussion to celebrate: BevNET’s Best of 2021 and New Beverage Showdown Finalists will be presented right before lunch.

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  • 12:15 PM
    -
    1:45 PM
    Lunch, Sampling & Livestream Studio
  • 1:45 PM
    -
    2:30 PM
    Breakout Session I: Inclusive from the Start: Incorporating DEI in Beverage Brands
    Location: Arcadia
    TaChelle Lawson, a DEI and brand consultant, will present ways entrepreneurs can build or incorporate cultures of inclusivity early on, and the ways that companies can benefit and profit from diversity.
    • TaChelle Lawson
      , President, FIG Strategy Consulting
      TaChelle Lawson, President, FIG Strategy Consulting -

      TaChelle Lawson

      President, FIG Strategy Consulting

      As Founder and President of FIG Strategy & Consulting, Lawson counsels a diverse and elite clientele who’ve come to rely on her brand-building and preservation prowess. Services include brand strategy, business management consulting, culture transformation, leadership training, diversity & inclusion, and strategic sourcing. To date, Lawson’s client brands include: Louis Vuitton, Lexus, NASCAR, Porsche, Red Bull, Coca-Cola, Nike, Sprint, Toyota, Tyson Foods, Heineken, Lamborghini, and Lancôme, to name several. She’s also worked with the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sonoma Motor Speedway, the America’s Cup, the U.S. Open, and the James Beard Foundation. Lawson is also a strong believer in and champion of a diverse workforce; to wit, she is actively working to change the narrative of diversity and inclusion by challenging companies to go beyond agency-centric metrics to instead focus on creating lasting value for their clients. Lawson is DEI Certified by Cornell University, and Diverse Business certified by Dartmouth College. She is a member of UNLV’s Leadership Advisory Board, Clark County Business Development Advisory Council (BDAC) and on the Advisory Board for Bar & Restaurant Tradeshow. She is also an active mentor and member of the National Diversity Council.

    • TaChelle Lawson, President, FIG Strategy Consulting

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  • 1:45 PM
    -
    2:30 PM
    Breakout Session I: Supply Chain Pain: Surviving the Bullwhip Effect
    Location: Palisades
    Beverage companies are worried about raising prices, increasing costs, the potential margin impacts that will roll into fundraising valuations and more. A highly experienced panel, including manufacturing consultant Will Madden, Neil Kimberly of Essentia Water, and Encore Consumer Capital’s Kate Wallman will explain best practices for avoiding the “Bullwhip Effect” and some ideas on how brands can roll through the supply chain crisis.
    • Kate Wallman
      , Managing Director, Encore Consumer Capital
      Kate Wallman, Managing Director, Encore Consumer Capital -

      Kate Wallman

      Managing Director, Encore Consumer Capital

      Kate Wallman is a Managing Director at Encore Consumer Capital where she is responsible for deal origination and execution as well as portfolio company oversight. Encore Consumer Capital is a private equity firm focused on investing in food and consumer products manufacturing, marketing and distribution companies. Prior to joining Encore, she worked at Lineage Capital where she focused on investing in owner-managed businesses in the lower middle market. Kate received a BA in Economics from Boston College and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Kate lives in Marin with her husband and son. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, running, hiking, and exploring Northern California.

    • Will Madden
      , Senior Partner, Whole Brain Consulting
      Will Madden, Senior Partner, Whole Brain Consulting -

      Will Madden

      Senior Partner, Whole Brain Consulting

      William Madden is one of Whole Brain Consulting's founders, an outsourced operations consulting firm with over 600 clients in 23 countries. Whole Brain Consulting's primary business is assisting brands with aligning their operations for explosive growth. Over the years, Madden has become a trusted partner of multiple investment funds in the industry who depend on Whole Brain Consulting to confirm they're "buying a boat, not an anchor." Before founding Whole brain Consulting, Madden held various senior leadership roles at Nestle, Hearthside Foods, and Little Lady Foods. While at Little Lady Foods, Madden developed and managed over $100 Million in revenue. In addition, Madden is a serial entrepreneur, having started Dulce Foods while in college, and Madson Foods, later in life. While at Dulce Foods, Madden oversaw the integration of four co-packers, one self-owned manufacturing site, and two acquisitions before exiting to a competitor. In Madden's free time, he enjoys collecting comics, scuba diving, white water rafting, and traveling to warm, sunny destinations.

    • Neil Kimberley
      , CSO, Essentia Water
      Neil Kimberley, CSO, Essentia Water -

      Neil Kimberley

      CSO, Essentia Water

      Creative, dynamic and passionate leader in the beverage and food category, Neil is the Chief Strategy Officer at Essentia. Best known as one of the leaders that turned around Snapple after its decline under Quaker, and more recently as an acknowledged expert in the development of new beverages, speaking frequently at industry events. Neil has a background in marketing, innovation & strategy, which he's used both at major corporations (Hershey, Cadbury, Snapple) and start-up brands.

    • Kate Wallman, Managing Director, Encore Consumer Capital
    • Will Madden, Senior Partner, Whole Brain Consulting
    • Neil Kimberley, CSO, Essentia Water

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  • 1:45 PM
    -
    2:30 PM
    Sponsored Breakout Session I: Making "Good for You" Beverages Taste Great
    Location: Catalina Ballroom
    Over the last two years, consumers have been heavily focused on improving their overall health. Thisheightened interest has trickled into everything we consume across all categories of food and beverage.From functional ingredients to more natural selections, each decision comes with its own challenges tomake sure your product performs while still tasting great. Join Beck Flavors as their marketing and R&Dteams discuss the latest health & wellness trends in food and beverage, along with ways that flavorsandcustom formulations can help to overcome any challenges that these health-driven trends may bring.
    • Adam Berge
      , Application Technology, Beck Flavors
      Adam Berge, Application Technology, Beck Flavors -

      Adam Berge

      Application Technology, Beck Flavors

      Adam has over 6 years of experience as an application technologist developing finished concepts. He drives innovation by evaluating flavors and ingredients in application systems to determine proper usage, performance, and stability of every formulation

    • Nick Viriyasir
      , Flavor Scientist, Beck Flavors
      Nick  Viriyasir, Flavor Scientist, Beck Flavors -

      Nick Viriyasir

      Flavor Scientist, Beck Flavors

      Nick brings over 4 years of experience as a flavor scientist. Using his culinary expertise and taste for local and global cuisines, he can create new, unique flavor concepts within all categories of food and beverage that can help products stand out from the competition.

    • Megan Gibson
      , Marketing Manager, Beck Flavors
      Megan Gibson, Marketing Manager, Beck Flavors -

      Megan Gibson

      Marketing Manager, Beck Flavors

      Megan has over 11 years of marketing experience within the CPG space. She brings a deep understanding of the influences that drive consumer buying behavior, utilizing that insight to help our customers design a winning product that will meet market demands.

    • Messina Truttman
      , VP, Sales & Marketing, Beck Flavors
      Messina Truttman, VP, Sales & Marketing, Beck Flavors -

      Messina Truttman

      VP, Sales & Marketing, Beck Flavors

      Messina has over 15 years of marketing experience within the retail, CPG and F&B industry. Through the evaluation of market data, product trends, flavor influences and identification of gaps in the marketplace, she ensures that Beck continues to evolve its offerings and bring innovation to the customer.

    • Adam Berge, Application Technology, Beck Flavors
    • Nick Viriyasir, Flavor Scientist, Beck Flavors
    • Megan Gibson, Marketing Manager, Beck Flavors
    • Messina Truttman, VP, Sales & Marketing, Beck Flavors

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  • 2:30 PM
    -
    2:45 PM
    Networking Break
  • 2:45 PM
    -
    3:30 PM
    Breakout Session II: Diversifying Funding and Opportunity
    Location: Arcadia
    TaChelle Lawson will join experienced entrepreneurs like Madeline Haydon (Nutpods), Todd Carmichael (La Colombe) and Mark Feinberg (OTHERSource), as well as investor Maxi Kozler (LDR Ventures) for an important discussion: how to reshape the capital flows within the CPG industry to allow for greater investment in women and minority-owned brands, as well as create a panel’s worth of advice for gaining and growing capital access for those companies.
    • TaChelle Lawson
      , President, FIG Strategy Consulting
      TaChelle Lawson, President, FIG Strategy Consulting -

      TaChelle Lawson

      President, FIG Strategy Consulting

      As Founder and President of FIG Strategy & Consulting, Lawson counsels a diverse and elite clientele who’ve come to rely on her brand-building and preservation prowess. Services include brand strategy, business management consulting, culture transformation, leadership training, diversity & inclusion, and strategic sourcing. To date, Lawson’s client brands include: Louis Vuitton, Lexus, NASCAR, Porsche, Red Bull, Coca-Cola, Nike, Sprint, Toyota, Tyson Foods, Heineken, Lamborghini, and Lancôme, to name several. She’s also worked with the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sonoma Motor Speedway, the America’s Cup, the U.S. Open, and the James Beard Foundation. Lawson is also a strong believer in and champion of a diverse workforce; to wit, she is actively working to change the narrative of diversity and inclusion by challenging companies to go beyond agency-centric metrics to instead focus on creating lasting value for their clients. Lawson is DEI Certified by Cornell University, and Diverse Business certified by Dartmouth College. She is a member of UNLV’s Leadership Advisory Board, Clark County Business Development Advisory Council (BDAC) and on the Advisory Board for Bar & Restaurant Tradeshow. She is also an active mentor and member of the National Diversity Council.

    • Maxine Kozler
      , Co-Managing Director, LDR Ventures Partners LLC
      Maxine Kozler, Co-Managing Director, LDR Ventures Partners LLC -

      Maxine Kozler

      Co-Managing Director, LDR Ventures Partners LLC

      Maxi is the Co-Managing Director of LDR Ventures, a California based, female led consulting and venture capital firm. Her expertise includes: early-stage capital raising, deal structuring and syndication, strategies for growth, marketing and scaling. She invests in and advises founders to help grow their businesses from proof-of-concept to market leadership. ??LDR consults to and invests in companies at the seed, growth and transformational stages with a focus on consumer lifestyles including: Functional Foods & Beverages, E-Commerce, Marketplaces, AgTech, Consumer Products and Services, Health & Wellness, Media and Entertainment. Investments and Advisory roles include: Thrive Market, sweetgreen, Territory Foods, junzi kitchens, Shaka Tea, Sourse, Moku, Hyperice, Harvestly, The.com and Parachute Home.   Maxi also gives her time as a Pod Leader for Declare (fka Parity Partners) and as a mentor for SheWorx and the Black Girls Making Millions Academy founded by Mahisha Dillenger of Curls. In addition to investing, Maxi spearheads events in LA, SF and NYC with other female investors to teach women how to invest at the Angel and Seed levels in order to address the funding disparity of capital that goes to Female Founders.

    • Mark Feinberg
      , CEO, OTHERSource and OTHERStore.com
      Mark Feinberg, CEO, OTHERSource and OTHERStore.com -

      Mark Feinberg

      CEO, OTHERSource and OTHERStore.com

      Mark Feinberg is Managing Partner of Feinberg Capital Advisors (“FCA”), a boutique investment & advisory firm and is an investor and also serves as CEO of OTHRSource (in-store support and merchandising) and OTHRStore.com (an e-commerce platform supporting and promoting underrepresented brand founders). Mark has held numerous board positions and also served as COO and CFO for High Road/Ciao Bella Ice Cream. Prior to becoming an investor and operator, Mark held senior level roles with Ernst & Young & IBM. Mark is a founding partner of the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce, is a lead mentor at The Farm (Comcast/NBC internal incubator) graduated from Leadership Atlanta and holds multiple degrees from Goizueta Business School at Emory (MBA02, BBA96). Investment Focus: Food & Beverage Companies with a unique product offering CPG Services companies (ie. merchandising, demo services, data/analytics, eCommerce, trade promotion management) Founders that exhibit strong community and human interest (a requirement) Typically early stage; under $1M in revenue (although have made exceptions) Southeast location preferred but not a requirement Flexible with structure (in service to the entrepreneur and their individual stage and goals) In addition Mark sits on the board, is an advisor and supports numerous charities fighting for and supporting a wide range of social and equal justice initiatives and programs.

    • Madeline Haydon
      , Founder & CEO, Nutpods
      Madeline Haydon, Founder & CEO, Nutpods -

      Madeline Haydon

      Founder & CEO, Nutpods

      Madeline Haydon is the Founder & CEO of nutpods, the best-selling plant-based creamer brand, and an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Madeline developed nutpods based on a personal need: a rich and creamy, dairy-free coffee creamer without artificial ingredients and 0g of sugar. nutpods has since grown to be a top 3 brand in the exploding plant-based, non-dairy creamer category by cultivating and leveraging a passionate consumer following. Initially launched as a Kickstarter project, nutpods is now the fastest growing brand of refrigerated plant-based creamers in national retailers and still the #1 selling brand on Amazon. The brand’s success was driven initially by Madeline’s unconventional route to market, starting direct to consumer, but is now being propelled by her prescience for consumers’ interest in no and low sugar products. nutpods was ranked #13 on the 2019 Inc 5000 list of Fastest Growing Companies and was also selected as the Amazon “Small Business of the Year”. As an Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” Madeline is a popular speaker at the Specialty Food Association Conferences, Natural Products Expos and Hirshberg Entrepreneurship Institute. Her approach to seeding brands and nutpods’ ongoing success has been covered in publications including Forbes, Inc., BevNet, Seattle Business, Food Navigator, and One Green Planet and multiple podcasts. Madeline holds a BS from the University of Washington and an MBA from Seattle University.

    • Amit Pandhi
      , CEO, Velocity Snack Brands
      Amit Pandhi, CEO, Velocity Snack Brands -

      Amit Pandhi

      CEO, Velocity Snack Brands

      Amit Pandhi is the CEO of Velocity Snack Brands (VSB), a data and digital driven better-for-you snacking platform that seeks to acquire, incubate and grow a portfolio of iconic brands in the salty snacks, sweets and nutrition bar category. VSB’s first acquisition was Popchips, one the leading better for you snack brands in North America. Amit also is a Founding Member of the Naturally Network, a non-profit that supports a national ecosystem to galvanize and grow the natural and organic products industry. He sits on the Executive Committee overseeing Affiliate Growth and expansion. Prior to joining VSB, Amit served as President and CEO of Arctic Zero, a low-calorie ice cream, bootstrapping the brand from inception to being in over 18,000 doors. Prior to becoming an operator, he was a member of the founding team of the private equity firm, HGGC, helping raise $1.1 billion in their initial fund. Pandhi currently serves as a board member for various food companies including Dang Foods.

    • TaChelle Lawson, President, FIG Strategy Consulting
    • Maxine Kozler, Co-Managing Director, LDR Ventures Partners LLC
    • Mark Feinberg, CEO, OTHERSource and OTHERStore.com
    • Madeline Haydon, Founder & CEO, Nutpods
    • Amit Pandhi, CEO, Velocity Snack Brands

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  • 2:45 PM
    -
    3:30 PM
    Breakout Session II: Redbud Brands: What Entrepreneurs Miss
    Location: Palisades
    Experience can be a great teacher, and that leaves the founders of RedBud Brands ready to open the classroom. Founded by investor Brian Goldberg, RedBud’s staff of brand co-founders includes Arthur Gallego (SunDaze) and Laura Brooks (Napjitsu), the RedBud team has worked with, worked for, invested in, and helped start and grow legendary entrepreneurial brands -- and they’ll bring advice that has come from helping founders throughout their careers.
    • Brian Goldberg
      , Founder, Redbud Brands LLC
      Brian Goldberg, Founder, Redbud Brands LLC -

      Brian Goldberg

      Founder, Redbud Brands LLC

      Brian Goldberg is the founder of Redbud Brands LLC, one of the most dynamic venture studios operating today, with a focus on redefining the convergence of consumer-focused new venture creation, product innovation, and capital. Redbud has over a dozen new brands in development across ‘better-for-you’ food and beverage, health and wellness, beauty, and pet care.  Goldberg is widely respected in the CPG industry and was a top executive at Amplify Snack Brands (makers of SkinnyPop Popcorn) through its exit to The Hershey Company in 2018. He has also played a significant role in the success of trusted brands like Sweet Leaf Tea, Deep Eddy Vodka, Waterloo Sparkling Water, Kettle & Fire and Nutrabolt/C4 Energy.

    • Arthur Gallego
      , CEO & Co-Founder, SunDaze
      Arthur Gallego, CEO & Co-Founder, SunDaze -

      Arthur Gallego

      CEO & Co-Founder, SunDaze

      Arthur Gallego is the co-founder and CEO of SunDaze (a Redbud brand), a new line of RTD canned cocktails created with an exclusive fermentation technology that is defining clean-label alcohol drinks. SunDaze was launched in 2021. Arthur is also a long-time beverage industry marketing exec recognized for not only growing brands but building categories like digestive health soda and coconut water. Gallego has advised many of the most recognizable brands in the market, including Olipop, Health-Ade, LIFEAID Beverage Co., Flow Spring Water, Vita Coco, Bulletproof, SkinTe, UGLY, and snack brands Chomps and MUSH.

    • Laura Brooks
      , CEO & Co-Founder, Napjitsu
      Laura Brooks, CEO & Co-Founder, Napjitsu -

      Laura Brooks

      CEO & Co-Founder, Napjitsu

      Laura Brooks is a 12-year CPG veteran and today co-founder and CEO of the revolutionary supplements brand NAPJITSU (a Redbud brand), created to improve sleep, energy and focus. She has extensive expertise building brands and e-comm businesses from the ground up, with two successful exits with Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP and Solid Gold Pet. While at Clorox, Laura was a part of growing iconic, household brands through marketing, e-comm and business insights functions.

    • Brian Goldberg, Founder, Redbud Brands LLC
    • Arthur Gallego, CEO & Co-Founder, SunDaze
    • Laura Brooks, CEO & Co-Founder, Napjitsu

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  • 2:45 PM
    -
    3:30 PM
    Sponsored Breakout Session II: Trends & Challenges in Functional Beverage
    Location: Catalina Ballroom
    Consumers have higher expectations for functional beverages now, as the breadth and depth of the category continues to grow. The impact of the pandemic has shifted consumer’s priorities in beverage, giving brands further opportunities to exceed expectations. Understanding the trends and challenges in this new, important market will set up your company for long-term success. Join Kerry as they highlight the trends and challenges that have shaped the functional beverage category in recent years, and how to implement those moving forward.
    • Rajesh Potineni
      , VP, RD&A Taste, Kerry
      Rajesh Potineni, VP, RD&A Taste, Kerry -

      Rajesh Potineni

      VP, RD&A Taste, Kerry

      Rajesh is Vice President RD&A, Taste, at Kerry, a world innovator in science-backed flavor and nutrition for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Rajesh’s responsibilities include leading Kerry’s Taste creation and technical processing strategy and the company’s Taste innovation pipeline. He also oversees the Taste product portfolio, including leading strategic alignment, collections development and support commercial effectiveness while also managing the ongoing evolutions of sensory, analytical and process advancements. Under Rajesh’s leadership, Kerry developed Tastesense™ Modulation technologies that enable sugar reduction or sugar removal while maintaining good taste, mask protein and sweeteners, bitter notes and other flavors, and bring back the mouthfeel perception of in low calorie and fat products, resulting in cleaner labels. Prior to joining Kerry, Rajesh had more than 15 years of experience in the taste and food industries, including serving as a Senior Research Manager with Givaudan and as a R&D Director with PepsiCo. He earned a Ph.D. and master’s degree in Food Science from Pennsylvania State University with an emphasis in flavor chemistry, confectionary processing, dairy science and food emulsions. He also holds an MBA degree from Xavier University.

    • David DiVirgilio
      , Business Development Director, Kerry
      David DiVirgilio, Business Development Director, Kerry -

      David DiVirgilio

      Business Development Director, Kerry

      David is the Director of Business Development for Proactive Health at Kerry, contributing his expertise to the organization for four years. As a member of leadership, David helps to oversee sales, commercialization, and expansion of Kerry’s science backed portfolio of brands. David has held various roles in R&D, technical sales, and business development over his twelve year career in the industry, and holds a BS in Food Science. He is passionate about health and wellness, and enjoys bringing new technologies to market.

    • Rajesh Potineni, VP, RD&A Taste, Kerry
    • David DiVirgilio, Business Development Director, Kerry

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  • 3:30 PM
    -
    5:30 PM
    BevNET Live Tabletop Expo & Livestream Studio
    Location: Venice Salon (4th floor)
    Following the panel discussions and presentations we’ll work our way downstairs to the Venice Salon for the BevNET Live Expo, which is the only table-top exhibit exclusively showcasing beverage-specific industry supplier and service companies. Also at the Expo will be Sarah’s Book Club, a special opportunity to discuss entrepreneurship with Sarah Frey while having her sign a complementary copy of her book, “The Growing Season”.
  • 6:00 PM
    -
    8:00 PM
    BevNET Live Official Party Presented by ForceBrands
    Location: Museum of Flying @ 3100 Airport Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90405
    After the Expo attendees are invited to continue their conversations over drinks at the BevNET Live Official Party Presented by ForceBrands. The networking event will take place from 6 PM to 8 PM PT at the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica, CA. Only registered attendees with a valid badge will be allowed entrance.

Please note: All times US Pacific Time

  • 8:30 AM
    -
    9:00 AM
    Breakfast & Registration
  • 9:00 AM
    -
    9:30 AM
    New Revenue Streams: Coke's Innovation Evolution
    The leaders of the Coca-Cola Co.’s New Revenue Streams group will stop by to discuss the ways that the company’s approach to emerging brands and partnerships has evolved. Attendees will learn how innovation and M&A will look under New Revenue Streams during this talk with Dan White, Matt Hughes, and Surbhi Lal.
    • Daniel White
      , Chief of New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company
      Daniel White, Chief of New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company -

      Daniel White

      Chief of New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company

      Dan has extensive global experience in general management, operations, and marketing. As the leader of new revenue streams, Dan will drive new business models and opportunities beginning with category expansion into alcohol and coffee, the integration of fast-growing premium brands including Topo Chico Mineral Water and BodyArmor, and the evolving consumer access through new dispensing platforms. Dan comes from Brian Smith’s Office of the COO where he developed new marketing models and the long-term transformation model resulting in the Enterprise-Wide Initiatives. Prior to this, he was the Senior Vice President and GM of the North America Sparkling Business Unit. Dan worked as the global CMO for the McDonald’s Global Division and was SVP, GM of McDonald’s USA business. He has had deep experience on M&A including the leadership of the Global Energy business culminating into equity investment with Monster Energy as well as the merger of IBP Beef and Tyson Foods to become the world’s largest protein company. Dan has held marketing and general management positions at Tyson, Bausch & Lomb, and Ray-Ban, and has led agency side strategic planning for brands in apparel, financial services, and fast consumer goods. In his spare time, Dan is a founding partner of Venture 53, a start-up venture capital fund and a specialty accelerator solely focused on the transportation trucking and logistics business. Dan has taught at several well-known universities including Wake Forest University and University of Georgia and was successful in his own entrepreneurial venture in creating developing and operating one of the largest and most successful live outdoor amphitheaters, The Arkansas Music Pavilion/The AMP, which was ultimately bought by the Walton Family Foundation/Walmart. He has 3 great kids (Meghan Kate, and Will), 2 OK dogs (Echo and Ridge) and saintly spouse (Amy).

    • Surbhi Lal
      , Director, New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company
      Surbhi Lal, Director, New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company -

      Surbhi Lal

      Director, New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company

      Surbhi Lal is a Director within New Revenue Streams at The Coca-Cola Company, focused on transformational growth and building new businesses. Previously, she led multiple growth efforts within Venturing & Emerging Brands (VEB), and delivered strategic initiatives for smartwater as part of the brand team. Surbhi’s experiences also include corporate finance at General Mills, non-profit start-up in India, and investment banking at Houlihan Lokey. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from Yale University.

    • Matt Hughes
      , Vice President, Emerging Brands Incubation, VEB Coca-Cola
      Matt Hughes, Vice President, Emerging Brands Incubation, VEB Coca-Cola -

      Matt Hughes

      Vice President, Emerging Brands Incubation, VEB Coca-Cola

      As VP Emerging Brands Incubation for Venturing & Emerging Brands, Matt Hughes leads emerging brand commercial strategies across channels and routes to market, and drives emerging brand sales in the Natural channel. He's been in the industry for over 30 years, and launched three entrepreneurial beverage brands prior to joining The Coca-Cola Company. He has served as COO of a mid-sized beverage company and led a regional bottling company as Division President. With a keen knowledge and awareness of business opportunity, Matt is able to identify niche markets, develop relevant strategy and implement to success. Matt's entrepreneurial background makes him a keen observer who's on the leading edge of trends.

    • Daniel White, Chief of New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company
    • Surbhi Lal, Director, New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company
    • Matt Hughes, Vice President, Emerging Brands Incubation, VEB Coca-Cola

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  • 9:30 AM
    -
    10:00 AM
    Mining the Niche: G-Fuel Grabs Gamers
    G-Fuel CEO Cliff Morgan will speak about building growth in niche audiences, as well as the challenges that take place when trying to springboard out of that specific group into the larger discussion. G-Fuel has made tremendous in-roads within the computer gaming community — the methods of building that niche group, and growing from it, will all be on the table.
    • Cliff Morgan
      , CEO, G-Fuel
      Cliff Morgan, CEO, G-Fuel -

      Cliff Morgan

      CEO, G-Fuel

      Cliff Morgan is the Founder and CEO of Gamma Labs, maker and marketer of G FUEL energy drink. Originally a Sports Nutrition company, Gamma transitioned to a direct-to-consumer e-commerce business through the early adoption of influencer marketing. The brand integration within the eSports and online communities, combined with the exponential growth within the space, has powered G FUEL’s global expansion. G FUEL currently maintains over 800 active influencer relationships, with a combined reach of over 900 million people a month across all social media platforms. Authentic integration is the cornerstone of the brand’s success, resulting in all digital media content uniquely prepared for the influencer’s audience. All content is created in-house by team members deeply immersed within the influencer/eSports ecosystem. GFUEL has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the United States for six consecutive years by the Inc. 5000. The Town of Babylon has declared September 12th Gamma Labs Day, for our continued contributions to our local community. During the 14 years prior to his forming the Company, Morgan was an investment banker with several Wall Street firms specializing in the capitalization and financing of public and private companies.

    • Cliff Morgan, CEO, G-Fuel

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  • 10:00 AM
    -
    10:30 AM
    From Online to Omnichannel: Making the Transition
    Whether it’s through Amazon or their own sites, or a combination of platforms, brands that start by selling online rarely keep it as their sole retail outlet. A panel featuring Nutpods’ Madeline Haydon and United Sodas of America’s Marisa Zupan will talk about the ways they looked to extend into the world of brick-and-mortar during our 10 a.m. panel.
    • Madeline Haydon
      , Founder & CEO, Nutpods
      Madeline Haydon, Founder & CEO, Nutpods -

      Madeline Haydon

      Founder & CEO, Nutpods

      Madeline Haydon is the Founder & CEO of nutpods, the best-selling plant-based creamer brand, and an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Madeline developed nutpods based on a personal need: a rich and creamy, dairy-free coffee creamer without artificial ingredients and 0g of sugar. nutpods has since grown to be a top 3 brand in the exploding plant-based, non-dairy creamer category by cultivating and leveraging a passionate consumer following. Initially launched as a Kickstarter project, nutpods is now the fastest growing brand of refrigerated plant-based creamers in national retailers and still the #1 selling brand on Amazon. The brand’s success was driven initially by Madeline’s unconventional route to market, starting direct to consumer, but is now being propelled by her prescience for consumers’ interest in no and low sugar products. nutpods was ranked #13 on the 2019 Inc 5000 list of Fastest Growing Companies and was also selected as the Amazon “Small Business of the Year”. As an Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” Madeline is a popular speaker at the Specialty Food Association Conferences, Natural Products Expos and Hirshberg Entrepreneurship Institute. Her approach to seeding brands and nutpods’ ongoing success has been covered in publications including Forbes, Inc., BevNet, Seattle Business, Food Navigator, and One Green Planet and multiple podcasts. Madeline holds a BS from the University of Washington and an MBA from Seattle University.

    • Marisa Zupan
      , Founder & CEO, United Sodas of America
      Marisa Zupan, Founder & CEO, United Sodas of America -

      Marisa Zupan

      Founder & CEO, United Sodas of America

      Marisa Zupan is the founder & CEO of United Sodas of America, a modern brand redefining what soda can and should be today. For over 12 years Marisa has been working to help modernize some of the world’s most iconic brands. Prior to starting United Sodas, Marisa worked at agencies (Anomaly, 360i, Redscout) on brands such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Absolut, Jameson, Clinique, MAC, IWC, Vox Media, and Target, leading innovation in the form of new product development, branding, internal mission setting, and organizational strategy. She also has experience in fashion having worked with Ralph Lauren, fashion label Maiyet, various menswear brands. Marisa graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and concentration in Digital Media from Kenyon College in 2006.

    • Madeline Haydon, Founder & CEO, Nutpods
    • Marisa Zupan, Founder & CEO, United Sodas of America

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  • 10:30 AM
    -
    11:00 AM
    Networking Break & Livestream Studio
  • 11:00 AM
    -
    11:35 AM
    New Beverage Showdown Finals - Round 1

    Watch Video

  • 11:35 AM
    -
    12:05 AM
    Interview: Scaling Success
    Brian Kelley of PearlRock Partners will share his experiences in scaling Keurig and how beverage brands can face the demands of investors, retailers, and consumers.
    • Brian Kelley
      , Chairman & CEO, PearlRock Partners
      Brian Kelley, Chairman & CEO, PearlRock Partners -

      Brian Kelley

      Chairman & CEO, PearlRock Partners

      Brian Kelley is the CEO of PearlRock Partners, a joint venture between 84.51°, Kroger’s data, marketing, and analytics arm, and Fremont Macanta, a private family investment firm based in New York, designed to identify, invest in, and grow the world’s next generation of leading consumer brands. Brian brings 30+ years of consumer product industry experience to PearlRock. He began his career at Proctor & Gamble before serving as the CEO of Keurig Green Mountain, President of Lincoln Mercury at Ford Motor Company, and President of the Coca-Cola Company’s North American operations.

    • Brian Kelley, Chairman & CEO, PearlRock Partners

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  • 12:05 PM
    -
    12:30 PM
    Forget the Formula, Fire it Up
    A panel featuring sales execution leaders Michael “Goldy” Goldstein of Vita Coco, Jake DeCicco of Kitu Super Coffee and Jessica Pratt of Pop & Bottle will energize the audience with tactics and tales from inside the store — a place entrepreneurs will have to focus their attention as COVID-19 recedes.
    • Jessica Pratt
      , Chief Sales Officer, Pop&Bottle
      Jessica Pratt, Chief Sales Officer, Pop&Bottle -

      Jessica Pratt

      Chief Sales Officer, Pop&Bottle

      With 20 years of CPG experience and a genuine adoration for growing and scaling brands, Jessica's expertise lies in the strategic planning and execution required to achieve rapid revenue growth and brand adoption. She has extensive experience leading sales strategy, implementation, business development, innovation, and has a sharp eye for compelling branding and packaging design. Jessica leads sales strategy at Pop & Bottle, creator of organic + dairy free RTD lattes. Since joining in 2019, she has secured national multi-channel distribution, driving triple digit YoY growth and elevating Pop & Bottle to a category leader status. She is also an industry advisor for Silverwood Partners Investment Bank and Mentor for The Founder Institute. Previously, she was founding team member and VP of Sales at Suja Juice, the #1 cold pressed juice brand in the US. Prior to that, she worked as a natural food/beverage broker for both Presence Marketing and Dynamic Presence, for the marketing team at Clif Bar, and as a In-Store Specialist + Product Educator Lead for Trader Joe's.

    • Jake DeCicco
      , CRO, Super Coffee
      Jake DeCicco, CRO, Super Coffee -

      Jake DeCicco

      CRO, Super Coffee

      Three brothers, Jimmy (CEO), Jake (CRO), and Jordan DeCicco (COO) founded Super Coffee in 2015 as tired collegiate student-athletes. Sick of unhealthy bottled coffees and energy drinks, the DeCicco brothers invented a sugar free, enhanced coffee in Jordan’s dorm room and challenged Big Sugar head on. Today, Super Coffee is the fastest growing food and beverage company in the country (Inc. 5000, 2020) and has been recognized by Inc Magazine as one of the best places to work. The DeCicco brothers appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2018 (Season 9, Episode 22), made the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in 2019, and were EY’s Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2020 (NYC Region). Jordan dropped out of college in 2017 to accept the coveted Peter Thiel Fellowship for young entrepreneurs. Super Coffee is nationally distributed by Anheuser Busch and is available in over 50,000 stores in the US. As COO, Jordan is in charge of innovation and operations launching over 30 SKUs from concept to shelf. As CRO, Jake leads our sales efforts with our retailers, distributors, and sales team selling over $125 million worth of Super Coffee since inception. As CEO, Jimmy has raised over $65 million in venture capital over the last 5 years, attracting big name investors like Anheuser Busch, 7 Eleven, Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez, Aaron Rodgers, Baron Davis, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and more.

    • Michael "Goldy" Goldstein
      , VP, Market Development, Vita Coco
      Michael "Goldy" Goldstein, VP, Market Development, Vita Coco -

      Michael "Goldy" Goldstein

      VP, Market Development, Vita Coco

      Michael Goldstein, known as “Goldy” to most, started his beverage career on the tennis courts of S. Hampton, NY, in 2001 where 1 of his players was starting a beverage co., glaceau fruitwater, smartwater, soywater and vitaminwater. By the end of the Summer, he hung up his tennis rackets in exchange for a cooler backpack to start pushing vw in the street in NYC w/ their only distributor at the time, Big Geyser. From there Goldy learned the game quickly from Darius Bikoff & Mike Repole, replicating the NYC success story on the streets of LA (Tony Haralambos), A&W Pac NW, John Lenore in SD and eventually DPSG/KDP for the national footprint in 2004. During that time, at the Fancy Food Show in 2003 Goldy met what would eventually be his future wife who is from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. As he started spending time in Brazil, and understanding beverage consumption there, luck would have it that 2 kids from NYC , Mike Kirban & Ira Liran were putting together their future global coconut water power house, Vita Coco. It only made sense for Goldy to pour his newly found passion in 2008 (Brazil and his wife, Priscila) into bringing brand Vita Coco into action on the streets of NYC as well as building the best street team possible to make that a reality. “Beating Coke & Pepsi in the coconut water category in the early days drove us to be the best we could be….Competing and building out a better for you innovation platform is what drives us today”.

    • Jessica Pratt, Chief Sales Officer, Pop&Bottle
    • Jake DeCicco, CRO, Super Coffee
    • Michael "Goldy" Goldstein, VP, Market Development, Vita Coco

    Watch Video

  • 12:30 PM
    -
    2:00 PM
    Lunch, Sampling & Livestream Studio
  • 2:00 PM
    -
    2:30 PM
    New Beverage Showdown Finals - Round II

    Watch Video

  • 2:30 PM
    -
    2:55 PM
    Retail on the Move: Winning the Virtual Store
    A panel of “virtual retailers” — delivery services like Ohi and Good Eggs — will explain the way they work with entrepreneurs and the particular advantages and challenges of the emerging channel.
    • Ben Jones
      , Founder & CEO, Ohi
      Ben Jones, Founder & CEO, Ohi -

      Ben Jones

      Founder & CEO, Ohi

      Prior to founding Ohi, Ben Jones spent several years in fixed income sales and trading at HSBC. When a serious back injury left him temporarily paralyzed and stuck at home, reliant on e-commerce and frustrated by having to wait three to five days to receive online orders, he realized that most e-commerce companies were unable to keep up with Amazon’s delivery model. He subsequently left banking to found Ohi, whose mission is to enable every brand to offer an “instant” post-purchase experience. Jones holds a BA and an MA from The University of Cambridge and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

    • Thuy Nguyen
      , Category Manager, Good Eggs
      Thuy Nguyen, Category Manager, Good Eggs -

      Thuy Nguyen

      Category Manager, Good Eggs

      Thuy Nguyen is a Category Manager at Good Eggs, an e-commerce grocery business based in the Bay Area. She oversees the assortment for Prepared Foods, Bakery, Drinks, and Vitamins & Supplements, among several other categories. Thuy graduated summa cum laude from New York University and has over 12 years of experience working within all facets of the food industry and supply chain from farmer's market manager, to wholesale coordinator, to small business owner. Throughout her years working within food companies like Hot Bread Kitchen, FarmBox, and Good Eggs, she found the most joy in discovering small emerging brands and helping them grow. When she isn't focused on trying the latest innovative ready-to-drink beverage, she spends time baking and thinking about ways to increase representation and diversity in the food world.

    • Ben Jones, Founder & CEO, Ohi
    • Thuy Nguyen, Category Manager, Good Eggs

    Watch Video

  • 2:55 PM
    -
    3:20 PM
    Panel: Investment Horizons
    Investors will take the stage, giving the inside info on the trends in financial backing for entrepreneurial brands, their thoughts on where valuations, access, and deal-making are headed, and what’s attracting growth financing now and in the near future. This panel will bring in Noramay Cadena of Supply Change Capital, Brian Goldberg of RedBud Brands and Filipp Chebotarev of Cambridge SPG for a final survey of the changing state of capital availability.
    • Brian Goldberg
      , Founder, Redbud Brands LLC
      Brian Goldberg, Founder, Redbud Brands LLC -

      Brian Goldberg

      Founder, Redbud Brands LLC

      Brian Goldberg is the founder of Redbud Brands LLC, one of the most dynamic venture studios operating today, with a focus on redefining the convergence of consumer-focused new venture creation, product innovation, and capital. Redbud has over a dozen new brands in development across ‘better-for-you’ food and beverage, health and wellness, beauty, and pet care.  Goldberg is widely respected in the CPG industry and was a top executive at Amplify Snack Brands (makers of SkinnyPop Popcorn) through its exit to The Hershey Company in 2018. He has also played a significant role in the success of trusted brands like Sweet Leaf Tea, Deep Eddy Vodka, Waterloo Sparkling Water, Kettle & Fire and Nutrabolt/C4 Energy.

    • Noramay Cadena
      , Managing Partner, Supply Change Capital
      Noramay Cadena, Managing Partner, Supply Change Capital -

      Noramay Cadena

      Managing Partner, Supply Change Capital

      Noramay Cadena is a Managing Partner at Supply Change Capital, an early stage venture firm investing at the intersection of food, culture, and technology. Noramay is also a Managing Partner at MiLA Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm in Los Angeles investing in tech you can touch. Prior to venture capital, Noramay spent over a decade at Boeing leading large teams working on new complex aviation/aerospace programs. As an engineer and business leader, she specializes in manufacturing, scaling, and supply chain, and couples that technical expertise with coaching on strategy, operations and culture. In the community, Noramay is a lead investor in Portfolia's Rising America fund investing in Latinx, Black and LGBTQ founders, an advisory board member of the Homeboy Industries Ventures and Jobs Fund, an appointed board member of the Housing Authority Commission of Los Angeles, and a founding board member of LatinxVC, an organization increasing the Latino ecosystem of funders and founders. In 2020, she was named one of 50 renowned women in robotics and one of the top 100 influential Latinas in the United States. Noramay is a Kauffman Fellow and holds a MBA, a Master’s in Engineering Systems and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering – all from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

    • Filipp Chebotarev
      , Managing Partner & COO, Cambridge SPG
      Filipp Chebotarev, Managing Partner & COO, Cambridge SPG -

      Filipp Chebotarev

      Managing Partner & COO, Cambridge SPG

      Filipp Chebotarev is the Managing Partner and COO at Cambridge SPG. Cambridge SPG is one of the leading investors in the better for you CPG sector. Since 2016, Cambridge has invested over $150M of equity across 30 consumers products businesses, $50M of which went into Beverage Brands such as Lifeaid Beverage Company, Owl's Brew, Vive Organics, Tiesta Tea, Hfactor Water, Bruvi, Apres, and others. Non Beverage consumer investments include Once Upon a Farm, Carbon38, Snow Teeth Whitening, Cora, Better Choice Company and Halo Pet Food, Starbird Chicken, 4th & Heart, Tosi, Ancient Nutrition, Prive Revaux, Nona Lim and more.

    • Brian Goldberg, Founder, Redbud Brands LLC
    • Noramay Cadena, Managing Partner, Supply Change Capital
    • Filipp Chebotarev, Managing Partner & COO, Cambridge SPG

    Watch Video

  • 3:20 PM
    -
    3:30 PM
    New Beverage Showdown Winner Announcement & Closing Remarks

    Watch Video

REGISTER

The Leading Beverage Industry Event is Back!

For more than a decade, the CPG industry has bonded and learned together in Santa Monica during BevNET Live -- our signature event series that brings together the thought leaders and next generation of brands in beverage to help us all grow and thrive.

It’s with great excitement thatBevNET Live is returning to the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel thisDecember. After a year off, we’re just going to have to make up for it with more knowledge, more collaboration, and more fun

Register

BevNET Live Winter 2021 Speakers

On Dec. 6 and 7, the beverage industry will gather in-person to learn and take action. Experts will speak to the community about innovations and challenges within the industry with opportunities for questions and answers as well as one to one meetings.

The event will mix high-profile speakers and informative panels with special networking opportunities, including interactive breakout sessions, sampling opportunities and the BevNET Live Expo. BevNET will maintain our mission to offer the community the opportunities it needs to build together, to learn together, and to succeed together.

BevNET Live features 30+ beverage industry leaders, innovators and experts. Stay tuned for additional speaker announcements!

  • Sarah Frey, Founder & CEO, Frey Farms - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Sarah Frey

    Founder & CEO, Frey Farms

    Sarah Frey, Founder & CEO, Frey Farms - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Sarah Frey

    Founder & CEO, Frey Farms

    Sarah Frey is the founder and CEO of Frey Farms, a Certified Woman Owned Business headquartered in Wayne County, Illinois that specializes in multi-state growing, packing, and shipping of fresh market produce. Sarah also oversees the diverse operations of the Frey Family of Companies and founded the first nationally distributed fresh watermelon juice brand, Tsamma. Sarah’s entrepreneurial spirit was nurtured at the young age of eight, while accompanying her mother on a summer produce route selling farm-fresh produce to grocery retailers in southern Illinois. The summer she turned 16, Sarah took over the delivery route and expanded it from 12 independent grocery stores to over 150. She managed her business while attending high school and college simultaneously. At age 19, starting with less than 100 acres of land that she purchased from the family, Sarah negotiated with Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest retailer, and successfully secured fresh produce contracts. Sarah turned her vision into reality with this expansive growth into retail grocery, which enabled her to bring her four older brothers into the business to help with business development and farm operations. Her negotiation skills with Wal-Mart became the subject of a Harvard business case study. She has built one of the nation’s largest fresh produce growing and shipping operations, spanning across seven states and thousands of acres. Striving for more pieces of the value chain, she diversified the Frey Farms agricultural product oferings, creating more market share with the nation’s top retailers. She developed specialty product lines and new consumer packaged goods for grocery retailers as well as exclusive Fall items for the home improvement giant Lowe’s. She has long held the belief that maintaining environmentally sustainable business practices and lowering COGS are not mutually exclusive. Acting on these principles, Sarah’s most recent venture at Frey Farms focuses on eliminating food waste on the farm with vertically integrated food ingredient manufacturing. Ultimately, lowering the cost of goods for her retail and food service partners while pioneering sustainable business practices in agriculture. Sarah serves on many industry-leading association boards, including the United Fresh Produce Association and was appointed by Agricultural Secretary Vilsak to the National Watermelon Promotion Board. She has been highlighted as one of the most influential women in agriculture serving in bipartisan Ag Advisory roles for multiple members of the US Congress and the Governor of the State of Illinois. Sarah has provided expert testimony to congress on issues ranging from the Farm Bill to Comprehensive Immigration Reform. She actively advocates for better nutrition in impoverished rural communities and provides dedicated support and resources to the nonprofit Feeding America. Sarah attributes her American success story to humble beginnings on a small family farm, hard work and a healthy dose of Midwestern moxie. Her work continues in bettering the lives of those living in rural poverty providing scholarships and internships to students interested in pursuing a higher education with a focus on agriculture.

  • Nik Sharma, CEO, Sharma Brands - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Nik Sharma

    CEO, Sharma Brands

    Nik Sharma, CEO, Sharma Brands - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Nik Sharma

    CEO, Sharma Brands

    Widely known as “The DTC Guy” on the internet, a Forbes 30 Under 30 member, AdWeek’s Young & Influential and a resource brands and investors turn to for growth, Nik is a 25-year old DTC investor, advisor, and operator who has both assisted and led revenue growth at multiple organizations, including hint water and VaynerMedia. Prior to entering the world of commerce, Nik worked on social media campaigns for A-list celebrities including Pitbull, Priyanka Chopra, MAGIC!, to natively increase distribution as well as increase fan interaction and engagement for the purpose of driving album sales. Today, Nik words alongside brands and publishers to execute ROI-positive campaigns through cohesive digital strategies using paid, earned, and owned media properties.

  • Surbhi Lal, Director, New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Surbhi Lal

    Director, New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company

    Surbhi Lal, Director, New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Surbhi Lal

    Director, New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company

    Surbhi Lal is a Director within New Revenue Streams at The Coca-Cola Company, focused on transformational growth and building new businesses. Previously, she led multiple growth efforts within Venturing & Emerging Brands (VEB), and delivered strategic initiatives for smartwater as part of the brand team. Surbhi’s experiences also include corporate finance at General Mills, non-profit start-up in India, and investment banking at Houlihan Lokey. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from Yale University.

  • Jake DeCicco, CRO, Super Coffee - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Jake DeCicco

    CRO, Super Coffee

    Jake DeCicco, CRO, Super Coffee - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Jake DeCicco

    CRO, Super Coffee

    Three brothers, Jimmy (CEO), Jake (CRO), and Jordan DeCicco (COO) founded Super Coffee in 2015 as tired collegiate student-athletes. Sick of unhealthy bottled coffees and energy drinks, the DeCicco brothers invented a sugar free, enhanced coffee in Jordan’s dorm room and challenged Big Sugar head on. Today, Super Coffee is the fastest growing food and beverage company in the country (Inc. 5000, 2020) and has been recognized by Inc Magazine as one of the best places to work. The DeCicco brothers appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2018 (Season 9, Episode 22), made the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in 2019, and were EY’s Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2020 (NYC Region). Jordan dropped out of college in 2017 to accept the coveted Peter Thiel Fellowship for young entrepreneurs. Super Coffee is nationally distributed by Anheuser Busch and is available in over 50,000 stores in the US. As COO, Jordan is in charge of innovation and operations launching over 30 SKUs from concept to shelf. As CRO, Jake leads our sales efforts with our retailers, distributors, and sales team selling over $125 million worth of Super Coffee since inception. As CEO, Jimmy has raised over $65 million in venture capital over the last 5 years, attracting big name investors like Anheuser Busch, 7 Eleven, Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez, Aaron Rodgers, Baron Davis, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and more.

  • Shaun Neff, Founder / Investor / Advisor, Neff, Sun Bum, Orro, Pattern, Beis, Moon, Beachhouse - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Shaun Neff

    Founder / Investor / Advisor, Neff, Sun Bum, Orro, Pattern, Beis, Moon, Beachhouse

    Shaun Neff, Founder / Investor / Advisor, Neff, Sun Bum, Orro, Pattern, Beis, Moon, Beachhouse - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Shaun Neff

    Founder / Investor / Advisor, Neff, Sun Bum, Orro, Pattern, Beis, Moon, Beachhouse

    Shaun Neff is a Founder, Investor, and Advisor.

  • Noramay Cadena, Managing Partner, Supply Change Capital - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Noramay Cadena

    Managing Partner, Supply Change Capital

    Noramay Cadena, Managing Partner, Supply Change Capital - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Noramay Cadena

    Managing Partner, Supply Change Capital

    Noramay Cadena is a Managing Partner at Supply Change Capital, an early stage venture firm investing at the intersection of food, culture, and technology. Noramay is also a Managing Partner at MiLA Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm in Los Angeles investing in tech you can touch. Prior to venture capital, Noramay spent over a decade at Boeing leading large teams working on new complex aviation/aerospace programs. As an engineer and business leader, she specializes in manufacturing, scaling, and supply chain, and couples that technical expertise with coaching on strategy, operations and culture. In the community, Noramay is a lead investor in Portfolia's Rising America fund investing in Latinx, Black and LGBTQ founders, an advisory board member of the Homeboy Industries Ventures and Jobs Fund, an appointed board member of the Housing Authority Commission of Los Angeles, and a founding board member of LatinxVC, an organization increasing the Latino ecosystem of funders and founders. In 2020, she was named one of 50 renowned women in robotics and one of the top 100 influential Latinas in the United States. Noramay is a Kauffman Fellow and holds a MBA, a Master’s in Engineering Systems and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering – all from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

  • Eddie Simeón, Co-Founder & CMO, Hella Cocktail Co. - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Eddie Simeón

    Co-Founder & CMO, Hella Cocktail Co.

    Eddie Simeón, Co-Founder & CMO, Hella Cocktail Co. - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Eddie Simeón

    Co-Founder & CMO, Hella Cocktail Co.

    In 2021, Eddie Simeón has, in many ways, come full circle both professionally and personally. Long before breaking into the Food & Beverage space, or the competitive Media and Entertainment Technology industries in NYC, Eddie got his start behind the bar as a barback for one of the Bay Areas trendiest and most cocktail-driven fine dining establishments, À Côté. It was there at the green age of eighteen that he was first introduced to the delightfully bubbly and bracing Bitters & Soda that he is best known for today. But before he launched Hella Cocktail Co. with his best pals in Brooklyn, NY, his career would take him on a full lap around the commercial media and entertainment space. MTV, Martha Stewart, ADWEEK are among the myriad of brands and websites he helped build as a Product Manager and PMP certified operations expert. Today, he resides once again on the left coast, Los Angeles where he upholds his post as a founding partner of the craft cocktail company, Hella Cocktail Co. There, he heads up all things relating to Direct-to-Consumer (D2C), e-commerce, and underlying communication and supply chain systems. He believes that great brands define and own a clear space in which they plant their flag. Everyday, his gold is to remain curious and work to design that space at the intersection of consumer insights, company DNA, and categorical awareness, while utilizing the culture surrounding all of us.

  • Cliff Morgan, CEO, G-Fuel - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Cliff Morgan

    CEO, G-Fuel

    Cliff Morgan, CEO, G-Fuel - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Cliff Morgan

    CEO, G-Fuel

    Cliff Morgan is the Founder and CEO of Gamma Labs, maker and marketer of G FUEL energy drink. Originally a Sports Nutrition company, Gamma transitioned to a direct-to-consumer e-commerce business through the early adoption of influencer marketing. The brand integration within the eSports and online communities, combined with the exponential growth within the space, has powered G FUEL’s global expansion. G FUEL currently maintains over 800 active influencer relationships, with a combined reach of over 900 million people a month across all social media platforms. Authentic integration is the cornerstone of the brand’s success, resulting in all digital media content uniquely prepared for the influencer’s audience. All content is created in-house by team members deeply immersed within the influencer/eSports ecosystem. GFUEL has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the United States for six consecutive years by the Inc. 5000. The Town of Babylon has declared September 12th Gamma Labs Day, for our continued contributions to our local community. During the 14 years prior to his forming the Company, Morgan was an investment banker with several Wall Street firms specializing in the capitalization and financing of public and private companies.

  • TaChelle Lawson, President, FIG Strategy Consulting - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    TaChelle Lawson

    President, FIG Strategy Consulting

    TaChelle Lawson, President, FIG Strategy Consulting - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    TaChelle Lawson

    President, FIG Strategy Consulting

    As Founder and President of FIG Strategy & Consulting, Lawson counsels a diverse and elite clientele who’ve come to rely on her brand-building and preservation prowess. Services include brand strategy, business management consulting, culture transformation, leadership training, diversity & inclusion, and strategic sourcing. To date, Lawson’s client brands include: Louis Vuitton, Lexus, NASCAR, Porsche, Red Bull, Coca-Cola, Nike, Sprint, Toyota, Tyson Foods, Heineken, Lamborghini, and Lancôme, to name several. She’s also worked with the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sonoma Motor Speedway, the America’s Cup, the U.S. Open, and the James Beard Foundation. Lawson is also a strong believer in and champion of a diverse workforce; to wit, she is actively working to change the narrative of diversity and inclusion by challenging companies to go beyond agency-centric metrics to instead focus on creating lasting value for their clients. Lawson is DEI Certified by Cornell University, and Diverse Business certified by Dartmouth College. She is a member of UNLV’s Leadership Advisory Board, Clark County Business Development Advisory Council (BDAC) and on the Advisory Board for Bar & Restaurant Tradeshow. She is also an active mentor and member of the National Diversity Council.

  • Mark Rampolla, Co-Founder & Managing Partner; Founder, Zico, PowerPlant Partners - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Mark Rampolla

    Co-Founder & Managing Partner; Founder, Zico, PowerPlant Partners

    Mark Rampolla, Co-Founder & Managing Partner; Founder, Zico, PowerPlant Partners - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Mark Rampolla

    Co-Founder & Managing Partner; Founder, Zico, PowerPlant Partners

    Mark is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of PowerPlant Partners, a growth equity firm that supports world-changing, plant-centric companies that deliver better nutrition in more sustainable and ethical ways. PowerPlant investments include Beyond Meat, Thrive Market, Appel Sciences, REBBL, Flying Embers, Vive Organic, Miyoko’s, and Zico. Prior to starting PowerPlant, Mark was the Founder and CEO of ZICO Beverages, one of the trailblazers of today’s $8B global coconut water category.  Under Mark’s leadership, ZICO delivered nine years of explosive growth, became one of the fastest growing beverage brands in the world and was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company in 2013 with a recent reacquisition by PowerPlant in 2021. Mark has advised more than 100 CEOs, raised more than $250MM, served on more than 20 boards and personally invested in over 30 social-impact startups across, food, beverage, health, technology and energy. Mark was recognized as Bevnet’s 2010 Beverage Innovator of the Year and has been featured in major media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg, CNBC and Conscious Company. He is the Author of High Hanging Fruit: Build Something Great by Going Where No One Else Will. Prior to launching ZICO, Mark held a variety of management positions for International Paper. These included global marketing manager for the Aseptic Packaging Division and Managing Director for the Beverage and Food Service Packaging divisions in Latin America and the Caribbean where he oversaw five plants with 300 employees and customers in 20 countries. Mark began his career as a small-business development volunteer for the Peace Corps in Costa Rica. He is a graduate of Marquette University and has an MBA and Masters of Environmental Management from Duke University. Mark and his family live in Redondo Beach, CA.

  • Jessica Pratt, Chief Sales Officer, Pop&Bottle - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Jessica Pratt

    Chief Sales Officer, Pop&Bottle

    Jessica Pratt, Chief Sales Officer, Pop&Bottle - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Jessica Pratt

    Chief Sales Officer, Pop&Bottle

    With 20 years of CPG experience and a genuine adoration for growing and scaling brands, Jessica's expertise lies in the strategic planning and execution required to achieve rapid revenue growth and brand adoption. She has extensive experience leading sales strategy, implementation, business development, innovation, and has a sharp eye for compelling branding and packaging design. Jessica leads sales strategy at Pop & Bottle, creator of organic + dairy free RTD lattes. Since joining in 2019, she has secured national multi-channel distribution, driving triple digit YoY growth and elevating Pop & Bottle to a category leader status. She is also an industry advisor for Silverwood Partners Investment Bank and Mentor for The Founder Institute. Previously, she was founding team member and VP of Sales at Suja Juice, the #1 cold pressed juice brand in the US. Prior to that, she worked as a natural food/beverage broker for both Presence Marketing and Dynamic Presence, for the marketing team at Clif Bar, and as a In-Store Specialist + Product Educator Lead for Trader Joe's.

  • Madeline Haydon, Founder & CEO, Nutpods - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Madeline Haydon

    Founder & CEO, Nutpods

    Madeline Haydon, Founder & CEO, Nutpods - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Madeline Haydon

    Founder & CEO, Nutpods

    Madeline Haydon is the Founder & CEO of nutpods, the best-selling plant-based creamer brand, and an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Madeline developed nutpods based on a personal need: a rich and creamy, dairy-free coffee creamer without artificial ingredients and 0g of sugar. nutpods has since grown to be a top 3 brand in the exploding plant-based, non-dairy creamer category by cultivating and leveraging a passionate consumer following. Initially launched as a Kickstarter project, nutpods is now the fastest growing brand of refrigerated plant-based creamers in national retailers and still the #1 selling brand on Amazon. The brand’s success was driven initially by Madeline’s unconventional route to market, starting direct to consumer, but is now being propelled by her prescience for consumers’ interest in no and low sugar products. nutpods was ranked #13 on the 2019 Inc 5000 list of Fastest Growing Companies and was also selected as the Amazon “Small Business of the Year”. As an Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” Madeline is a popular speaker at the Specialty Food Association Conferences, Natural Products Expos and Hirshberg Entrepreneurship Institute. Her approach to seeding brands and nutpods’ ongoing success has been covered in publications including Forbes, Inc., BevNet, Seattle Business, Food Navigator, and One Green Planet and multiple podcasts. Madeline holds a BS from the University of Washington and an MBA from Seattle University.

  • Daniel White, Chief of New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Daniel White

    Chief of New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company

    Daniel White, Chief of New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Daniel White

    Chief of New Revenue Streams, The Coca-Cola Company

    Dan has extensive global experience in general management, operations, and marketing. As the leader of new revenue streams, Dan will drive new business models and opportunities beginning with category expansion into alcohol and coffee, the integration of fast-growing premium brands including Topo Chico Mineral Water and BodyArmor, and the evolving consumer access through new dispensing platforms. Dan comes from Brian Smith’s Office of the COO where he developed new marketing models and the long-term transformation model resulting in the Enterprise-Wide Initiatives. Prior to this, he was the Senior Vice President and GM of the North America Sparkling Business Unit. Dan worked as the global CMO for the McDonald’s Global Division and was SVP, GM of McDonald’s USA business. He has had deep experience on M&A including the leadership of the Global Energy business culminating into equity investment with Monster Energy as well as the merger of IBP Beef and Tyson Foods to become the world’s largest protein company. Dan has held marketing and general management positions at Tyson, Bausch & Lomb, and Ray-Ban, and has led agency side strategic planning for brands in apparel, financial services, and fast consumer goods. In his spare time, Dan is a founding partner of Venture 53, a start-up venture capital fund and a specialty accelerator solely focused on the transportation trucking and logistics business. Dan has taught at several well-known universities including Wake Forest University and University of Georgia and was successful in his own entrepreneurial venture in creating developing and operating one of the largest and most successful live outdoor amphitheaters, The Arkansas Music Pavilion/The AMP, which was ultimately bought by the Walton Family Foundation/Walmart. He has 3 great kids (Meghan Kate, and Will), 2 OK dogs (Echo and Ridge) and saintly spouse (Amy).

  • Matt Hughes, Vice President, Emerging Brands Incubation, VEB Coca-Cola - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Matt Hughes

    Vice President, Emerging Brands Incubation, VEB Coca-Cola

    Matt Hughes, Vice President, Emerging Brands Incubation, VEB Coca-Cola - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Matt Hughes

    Vice President, Emerging Brands Incubation, VEB Coca-Cola

    As VP Emerging Brands Incubation for Venturing & Emerging Brands, Matt Hughes leads emerging brand commercial strategies across channels and routes to market, and drives emerging brand sales in the Natural channel. He's been in the industry for over 30 years, and launched three entrepreneurial beverage brands prior to joining The Coca-Cola Company. He has served as COO of a mid-sized beverage company and led a regional bottling company as Division President. With a keen knowledge and awareness of business opportunity, Matt is able to identify niche markets, develop relevant strategy and implement to success. Matt's entrepreneurial background makes him a keen observer who's on the leading edge of trends.

  • Brian Kelley, Chairman & CEO, PearlRock Partners - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Brian Kelley

    Chairman & CEO, PearlRock Partners

    Brian Kelley, Chairman & CEO, PearlRock Partners - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Brian Kelley

    Chairman & CEO, PearlRock Partners

    Brian Kelley is the CEO of PearlRock Partners, a joint venture between 84.51°, Kroger’s data, marketing, and analytics arm, and Fremont Macanta, a private family investment firm based in New York, designed to identify, invest in, and grow the world’s next generation of leading consumer brands. Brian brings 30+ years of consumer product industry experience to PearlRock. He began his career at Proctor & Gamble before serving as the CEO of Keurig Green Mountain, President of Lincoln Mercury at Ford Motor Company, and President of the Coca-Cola Company’s North American operations.

  • Neil Kimberley, CSO, Essentia Water - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Neil Kimberley

    CSO, Essentia Water

    Neil Kimberley, CSO, Essentia Water - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Neil Kimberley

    CSO, Essentia Water

    Creative, dynamic and passionate leader in the beverage and food category, Neil is the Chief Strategy Officer at Essentia. Best known as one of the leaders that turned around Snapple after its decline under Quaker, and more recently as an acknowledged expert in the development of new beverages, speaking frequently at industry events. Neil has a background in marketing, innovation & strategy, which he's used both at major corporations (Hershey, Cadbury, Snapple) and start-up brands.

  • Arthur Gallego, CEO & Co-Founder, SunDaze - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Arthur Gallego

    CEO & Co-Founder, SunDaze

    Arthur Gallego, CEO & Co-Founder, SunDaze - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Arthur Gallego

    CEO & Co-Founder, SunDaze

    Arthur Gallego is the co-founder and CEO of SunDaze (a Redbud brand), a new line of RTD canned cocktails created with an exclusive fermentation technology that is defining clean-label alcohol drinks. SunDaze was launched in 2021. Arthur is also a long-time beverage industry marketing exec recognized for not only growing brands but building categories like digestive health soda and coconut water. Gallego has advised many of the most recognizable brands in the market, including Olipop, Health-Ade, LIFEAID Beverage Co., Flow Spring Water, Vita Coco, Bulletproof, SkinTe, UGLY, and snack brands Chomps and MUSH.

  • Ben Jones, Founder & CEO, Ohi - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Ben Jones

    Founder & CEO, Ohi

    Ben Jones, Founder & CEO, Ohi - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Ben Jones

    Founder & CEO, Ohi

    Prior to founding Ohi, Ben Jones spent several years in fixed income sales and trading at HSBC. When a serious back injury left him temporarily paralyzed and stuck at home, reliant on e-commerce and frustrated by having to wait three to five days to receive online orders, he realized that most e-commerce companies were unable to keep up with Amazon’s delivery model. He subsequently left banking to found Ohi, whose mission is to enable every brand to offer an “instant” post-purchase experience. Jones holds a BA and an MA from The University of Cambridge and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

  • Thuy Nguyen, Category Manager, Good Eggs - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Thuy Nguyen

    Category Manager, Good Eggs

    Thuy Nguyen, Category Manager, Good Eggs - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Thuy Nguyen

    Category Manager, Good Eggs

    Thuy Nguyen is a Category Manager at Good Eggs, an e-commerce grocery business based in the Bay Area. She oversees the assortment for Prepared Foods, Bakery, Drinks, and Vitamins & Supplements, among several other categories. Thuy graduated summa cum laude from New York University and has over 12 years of experience working within all facets of the food industry and supply chain from farmer's market manager, to wholesale coordinator, to small business owner. Throughout her years working within food companies like Hot Bread Kitchen, FarmBox, and Good Eggs, she found the most joy in discovering small emerging brands and helping them grow. When she isn't focused on trying the latest innovative ready-to-drink beverage, she spends time baking and thinking about ways to increase representation and diversity in the food world.

  • Nick Giannuzzi, Managing Partner, The Giannuzzi Group, LLP - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Nick Giannuzzi

    Managing Partner, The Giannuzzi Group, LLP

    Nick Giannuzzi, Managing Partner, The Giannuzzi Group, LLP - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Nick Giannuzzi

    Managing Partner, The Giannuzzi Group, LLP

    From Harvard University to New York University School of Law to a chic business residence in the Meatpacking District of NYC, Nicholas Giannuzzi is a partner and founder of The Giannuzzi Group, LLP. Started in 2011, the “Giannuzzi Group” has since become the leading law firm for nearly 500 high-growth consumer brand companies in the natural, better for you food and beverage industry. Among the firm's many clients – both present and historic – are some of the industry’s most successful and fastest growing companies such as Glaceau (creator of VitaminWater and SmartWater), Pirate’s Booty, Pretzel Crisps, Vita Coco, Siggi’s, WTRMLN WTR, Mamma Chia, Sir Kensington’s, Hint, Califia Farms, Krave, HappyBaby, Chameleon Cold Brew, Essentia, Rhythm Superfoods, Peeled, Runa, Oatmega, Sugarfina, Juice Press and many more. In addition to day-to-day legal services, advice and guidance the Giannuzzi Group has assisted its clients in over 500 financing transaction and in nearly 50 exits to strategics and PE funds, including but not limited to sales to Coke, Pepsi, General Mills, Group Danone, Hersheys, Hain Celestial, Amplify, Bacardi, White Wave and many other multi-national companies and some of the largest PE funds. In the last year, the firm has overseen the sale of KRAVE Jerky to The Hershey Company, the partial sale of Suja Juice to The Coca-Cola Company, the acquisition of Wallaby Yogurt by WhiteWave Foods, the sale of YummyEarth to the Riverside Company and the firm is currently working on multiple sales transactions in the 100s of millions of dollars for its other food and beverage clients. The Giannuzzi Group has an un-paralleled understanding of the industry and works tirelessly to serve its clients and to create positive relationships with all of the investors, co-packers, distributors, brokers, acquirers, service providers and difference makers throughout the industry so that we can shares these relationships with our clients.

  • Filipp Chebotarev, Managing Partner & COO, Cambridge SPG - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Filipp Chebotarev

    Managing Partner & COO, Cambridge SPG

    Filipp Chebotarev, Managing Partner & COO, Cambridge SPG - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Filipp Chebotarev

    Managing Partner & COO, Cambridge SPG

    Filipp Chebotarev is the Managing Partner and COO at Cambridge SPG. Cambridge SPG is one of the leading investors in the better for you CPG sector. Since 2016, Cambridge has invested over $150M of equity across 30 consumers products businesses, $50M of which went into Beverage Brands such as Lifeaid Beverage Company, Owl's Brew, Vive Organics, Tiesta Tea, Hfactor Water, Bruvi, Apres, and others. Non Beverage consumer investments include Once Upon a Farm, Carbon38, Snow Teeth Whitening, Cora, Better Choice Company and Halo Pet Food, Starbird Chicken, 4th & Heart, Tosi, Ancient Nutrition, Prive Revaux, Nona Lim and more.

  • Michael "Goldy" Goldstein, VP, Market Development, Vita Coco - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Michael "Goldy" Goldstein

    VP, Market Development, Vita Coco

    Michael "Goldy" Goldstein, VP, Market Development, Vita Coco - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Michael "Goldy" Goldstein

    VP, Market Development, Vita Coco

    Michael Goldstein, known as “Goldy” to most, started his beverage career on the tennis courts of S. Hampton, NY, in 2001 where 1 of his players was starting a beverage co., glaceau fruitwater, smartwater, soywater and vitaminwater. By the end of the Summer, he hung up his tennis rackets in exchange for a cooler backpack to start pushing vw in the street in NYC w/ their only distributor at the time, Big Geyser. From there Goldy learned the game quickly from Darius Bikoff & Mike Repole, replicating the NYC success story on the streets of LA (Tony Haralambos), A&W Pac NW, John Lenore in SD and eventually DPSG/KDP for the national footprint in 2004. During that time, at the Fancy Food Show in 2003 Goldy met what would eventually be his future wife who is from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. As he started spending time in Brazil, and understanding beverage consumption there, luck would have it that 2 kids from NYC , Mike Kirban & Ira Liran were putting together their future global coconut water power house, Vita Coco. It only made sense for Goldy to pour his newly found passion in 2008 (Brazil and his wife, Priscila) into bringing brand Vita Coco into action on the streets of NYC as well as building the best street team possible to make that a reality. “Beating Coke & Pepsi in the coconut water category in the early days drove us to be the best we could be….Competing and building out a better for you innovation platform is what drives us today”.

  • Nicole Bernard Dawes, CEO, Nixie - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Nicole Bernard Dawes

    CEO, Nixie

    Nicole Bernard Dawes, CEO, Nixie - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Nicole Bernard Dawes

    CEO, Nixie

    Nicole Bernard Dawes is a pioneering business owner whose lifelong dedication to transforming the food and beverage industry by creating delicious, organic options resulted in her founding Late July Snacks, one of the country’s most successful organic snack brands, in 2003, and most recently Nixie Sparkling Water in 2019, the #4 and fastest growing sparkling water brand in natural. Nicole has been named among Food & Wine and Fortune Magazine’s ‘Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink’ and Forbes Magazine’s ‘Top Five Women Breaking Barriers in Food and Beverage.’

  • Jeff Klineman, Editor in Chief, BevNET - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Jeff Klineman

    Editor in Chief, BevNET

  • John Craven, CEO & Founder, BevNET.com - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    John Craven

    CEO & Founder, BevNET.com

  • Martín Caballero, Managing Editor, BevNET - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Martín Caballero

    Managing Editor, BevNET

    Martín Caballero, Managing Editor, BevNET - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Martín Caballero

    Managing Editor, BevNET

    Martín writes news articles and feature stories covering the non-alcoholic beverage industry for BevNET. A graduate of Boston University, Martín's previous work has appeared in USA Today, The Boston Globe and The Boston Herald.

  • Brian Barr, Account Executive, DPI Specialty Foods - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Brian Barr

    Account Executive, DPI Specialty Foods

    Brian Barr, Account Executive, DPI Specialty Foods - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Brian Barr

    Account Executive, DPI Specialty Foods

    Brian Barr has been with DPI for 15 years. During that time he was National Director of Sales over Kroger for 6 years, before that National Director over Safeway for DPI. Currently he is overseeing all Natural Categories for Smart&Final.

  • Marisa Zupan, Founder & CEO, United Sodas of America - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Marisa Zupan

    Founder & CEO, United Sodas of America

    Marisa Zupan, Founder & CEO, United Sodas of America - BevNET Live Winter 2021

    Marisa Zupan

    Founder & CEO, United Sodas of America

    Marisa Zupan is the founder & CEO of United Sodas of America, a modern brand redefining what soda can and should be today. For over 12 years Marisa has been working to help modernize some of the world’s most iconic brands. Prior to starting United Sodas, Marisa worked at agencies (Anomaly, 360i, Redscout) on brands such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Absolut, Jameson, Clinique, MAC, IWC, Vox Media, and Target, leading innovation in the form of new product development, branding, internal mission setting, and organizational strategy. She also has experience in fashion having worked with Ralph Lauren, fashion label Maiyet, various menswear brands. Marisa graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and concentration in Digital Media from Kenyon College in 2006.

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Reconnect, In Real Life at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel

We’re back to in-person networking, and BevNET Live features a variety of safe experiences for attendees. The two-day event takes place at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, which is an open air hotel with a variety of outdoor spaces. We will be taking advantage of the SoCal weather, views of the Santa Monica Pier and magnificent sunsets. Lunch and networking breaks will take place outside by the pool, weather permitting.

For registered attendees, discounted rooms are available first come, first served. All past room blocks have sold out. Register today to reserve your room.

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These Beverage Companies are Registered for BevNET Live

BevNET Live Registered Attendees

New Beverage Showdown 22: Your Beverage in the Hot Seat

Catapult you and your company into the spotlight. New Beverage Showdown participants are the celebrities of BevNET Live. Be the center of attention among hundreds of industry executives and gatekeepers, receive instant feedback from an expert panel of judges, and compete for a prize valued at $10,000.

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Health & Safety Protocols

In the interest of making our events as safe as possible for both attendees and staff, we will be implementing enhanced safety protocols similar to other industry events, professional and college sporting events and restaurant practices. 

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