BevNET Live Winter 2023 — Agenda

December 3-5, 2023

Pacific Time

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2023

  1. 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

    Beverage School Presentations + Networking

    Location: Bayview Ballroom - Rooftop
    The day before BevNET Live, industry newcomers can learn the basics of running a beverage business and jumpstart their networking at Beverage School. Experts will present on the 5 topics early-stage beverage brands need to know, including finance, sales, marketing, design, and operations.

    Following the presentations, attendees will have the opportunity to sit down with the experts and ask them their toughest questions.
  2. 12:05 PM – 12:30 PM

    Beverage School: Understanding Retail Channels

    • Bill Sipper, Managing Partner (Cascadia Managing Brands)
  3. 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM

    Beverage School: Financial Instruments for Growth

    • Jeremy Halpern, Partner (Nutter, McClennen & Fish LLP)
  4. 1:00 PM – 1:20 PM

    Beverage School: Trademarks

    • Amanda Roach, Officer (Greensfelder)
    • Angela Kalsi, Officer (Greensfelder)
  5. 1:20 PM – 1:40 PM

    Beverage School: Beverage Design Basics

    • Derek Springston, Chief Creative Officer (Moxie Sozo)
  6. 1:40 PM – 2:00 PM

    Beverage School: Distribution Q&A - Inside DSD with Classic Beverages

    • Matt Lukich, Director of Brand Development (Classic Distributing & Beverage)
  7. 2:00 PM – 2:20 PM

    Beverage School: Early Stage Tinkering and Iterating

    Ways founders can monitor feedback from consumers and customers to look at product or design changes or repositioning to find a pathway to a successful brand foundation.
    • Neil Kimberley, Consultant
  8. 2:20 PM – 3:00 PM

    Beverage School: Expert Round Tables

  9. 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

    RTD Spirits Entrepreneurial Track + BevNET Cocktail Showdown

    Location: California Ballroom - Lobby Level
    On Sunday, December 3rd, from 3PM to 5:00 PM PT, the BevNET team will kickstart BevNET Live with a spotlight on spirits and RTD cocktails. The program will include an investor panel and the Cocktail Showdown pitch competition, featuring the most promising new RTD cocktail brands on the market. Attendees will be able to sample the products of all participants, as well as continue their networking at the BevNET Live Welcome Reception.

    Our spirits coverage will carry over to day 1 of BevNET Live with a morning main stage presentation and afternoon breakout session track. Registered attendees of BevNET Live are invited to attend the Sunday spirits program.

    If you're looking to dive deeper into beverage alcohol, stick around for Brewbound Live on December 6th and 7th to boil down all aspects of the beer and beyond business so you can keep up (and stay ahead) between batches.
  10. 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

    The Ready-to-Drink Spirits Revolution: Data and Statistics

    In an exclusive presentation from NIQ's Beverage Alcohol Vertical, we'll break down the details and future of this fast-growing spirits movement, analyzing brand-level data to understand the category's evolving conventions around brand values, momentum, premiumization, and other key characteristics.
    • Jon Berg, Thought Leadership VP (Beverage Alcohol Vertical, Nielsen IQ)
    • Kaleigh Theriault, Director of Thought Leadership (NIQ Beverage Alcohol Vertical)
  11. 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

    The State of Spirits Investment

    • Taylor Foxman, Partner (Alethia Ventures)
    • Giuseppe Infusino, Chief Investment Officer (InvestBev)
    • Mike Solow, Founding Partner (99 Proof Partners)
  12. 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

    BevNET Live Cocktail Showdown

    Designed to support and showcase new products and promising founders, the BevNET Cocktail Showdown focuses on the innovators and entrepreneurs designing the products of tomorrow. The competition provides a platform for the hottest new RTD cocktail brands to gain awareness amongst the industry.
    Judges Include:
    • Giuseppe Infusino, Chief Investment Officer (InvestBev)
    • Grace Venus, President (Venus Research and Development)
    • Taylor Cathala, Senior Category Merchant – Spirits (US & Canada) (Whole Foods Market)
  13. 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

    BevNET Live Welcome Reception

    Location: California Ballroom Prefunction Area
    Join us for beverages, light appetizers and networking. BevNET Live registration and a valid ID are required to attend.

Please note that event agendas are subject to change.