BevNET Live L.A. 2025 - AGENDA
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2025
12:00 PM - 2:30 PM -- Beverage School -- --

Location: California Ballroom - Lobby Level
On the first day of 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
12:00 PM - 12:10 PM Welcome and Introduction to Beverage School --
12:10 PM - 12:30 PM The Life of a Founder: An Interview with Oded Brenner -- The entrepreneur behind beverage CPG brand Blue Stripes, and before that chocolate brand Max Brenner, offers advice and lessons from his long career. 
with Oded Brenner, CEO & Founder, Blue Stripes
12:30 PM - 12:50 PM Make Your Branding & Packaging Unforgettable --

In this session, attendees walk through the brand foundations that set the stage for standout packaging, a method for testing whether its positioning is truly unique, and how to translate that positioning into branding and packaging that actually works (on shelf, online, and in the consumer’s life).


with Kelly Criswell, Founder, Mudge
12:50 PM - 1:10 PM Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Food and Beverage Distribution But Were Afraid to Ask -- This discussion provides a concise overview of the beverage industry's distribution and retail landscape. It emphasizes that success hinges on great execution, not just a great brand. The talk covers essential topics such as different types of distributors, sales channels, pricing and margins, and the real costs of getting a product on the shelf. It also highlights common mistakes made by founders and offers practical advice for navigating the competitive beverage market, where shelf space is a battlefield.
with Bill Sipper, Managing Partner, Cascadia Managing Brands
1:10 PM - 1:30 PM Coffee Break --
1:30 PM - 1:50 PM Exotic Ingredients and Bold Claims: Avoiding Legal Pitfalls in Beverage Innovation -- This fast-paced session explains the essential steps for ensuring your ingredients are truly GRAS and your product claims are fully substantiated—turning regulatory challenges into marketing strengths. Walk away with actionable tips to vet novel botanicals, navigate the latest FDA standards, and protect your brand from costly litigation. With a discussion of precisely what regulators are watching and how shrewd marketing keeps your products safe and competitive in 2025.
with Todd Harrison, Partner, Venable LLP
1:50 PM - 2:10 PM Understanding Equity and Convertible Notes -- This session will cover the basics of common stock, preferred stock, stock options, and convertible notes, and the common ways they are used in a company’s growth, including structuring founder equity, building the team, expectations of investors, and dilution.
with Ellie Myers, Associate, Nutter
2:10 PM - 2:30 PM Getting it Made: Inside Input Costs and Copacking -- Experts in sourcing supplies and manufacturing capabilities, Brown and Near show attendees how to think about finding ingredients, packaging, and the machinery to get your idea flowing into the bottle -- without drowning in debt. 
with Beth Brown, Founder, S3 Connect; Tim Near, Partner, Agrowgate
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM Expert Round Tables --

Location: Outdoor Sinder Lounge - Lobby Level

Meet with our expert speakers for individual questions and group discussion during this Beverage School networking period.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM -- Cannabis Unit -- -- Location: California Ballroom - Lobby Level
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM From Online to In-Store: Cannabis Distribution Strategy for Brick and Mortar --
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Cannabis Issues for the Coming Year --
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Sponsored Workshop: Hitting the Sweet Spot in Beverages -- Location: Malibu - Lower Level
Join us to learn about consumer perceptions around sweetness, plus tips and tricks for selecting the perfect sweetener system to create great tasting beverages. From masking off notes to achieving a balanced sweetness profile, gain insights that will take consumers from trial to loyalty! Come thirsty. We’ll taste along the way!
with Emily Berg, Marketing Manager, Beverages, Cargill; Leanne Pinsonneault, Senior Food Scientist, Beverages, Cargill
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM -- RTD Spirits Unit -- -- Location: California Ballroom - Lobby Level
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Data Overview: The Market for RTDs --
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM Appetite for Disruption: Sales & Marketing Tactics for RTDs --
with Marian Leitner-Waldman, Founder & CEO, Archer Roose Wines
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM BevNET Live Welcome Reception -- Location: Outer Foyer - Lobby Level
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.