We’re pleased to announce that BevNET Live Winter 2016 will feature a special edition of Beverage School, BevNET’s signature introduction to the beverage business. The session is a key learning and networking opportunity for early-stage beverage entrepreneurs and industry newcomers.

Held on Sunday, Dec. 4 — the day before BevNET Live begins — at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica, Calif., Beverage School is an intensive, half-day “Beverages 101″ program that will provide participants with valuable information, including lessons on product development, sales and marketing, supply chain management, distribution and more.

Attendees will be encouraged to engage speakers with questions during presentations and have an opportunity to introduce their brands, products and business strategies during the Beverage School session. There will also be a program break allowing for attendees to network and make important contacts.

The final 90 minutes of the program will feature a series of roundtable talks providing direct networking with instructors and other experts from specific areas of the beverage business. Attendees will be asked to spend a few minutes at each table for informal discussions with speakers and fellow classmates; think “speed dating” but for new entrepreneurs.

Beverage School is open exclusively to attendees of BevNET Live who are new (or relatively new) beverage company entrepreneurs. There is no additional cost for the program. Supplier companies may attend Beverage School for $199/person.

The program is limited to approximately 100 attendees.

If you have already signed up for BevNET Live and wish to attend Beverage School, please notify Jon Landis TODAY.

Register for Beverage School at BevNET Live Winter ‘16 >>

Beverage School is sponsored by Sovereign Flavors and McLean Design.

Here is the agenda in full:

• Registration (11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)

• Introduction to Beverage School (12:00 – 12:10 p.m.)
  • Ray Latif, Managing Editor, BevNET; David Ames, President, Sovereign Flavors

• Shaping Your Business Development and Planning Strategy (12:10 – 12:40 p.m.)
  • Neil Kimberley, VP Strategy & Development, Essentia Water

• Package and Label Design — What You Need to Know (12:40 – 1:10 p.m.)
  • Rifle Hughes, Managing Director, McLean Design

• The Basics of Contract Manufacturing and Scaling Your Brand (1:10 – 1:40 p.m.)
  • Pete Grego, Director, Contract Manufacturing, Nor-Cal Beverage Company

• Intermission (1:40 – 2:10 p.m)

• Building a Foundation for an Effective Branding and Marketing Strategy (2:10 – 2:40 p.m.)
  • Rachel Andersson, Sr. Director, Modern Marketing, Brand Sense Partners

• Mapping Out Your Retail and Distribution Strategy (2:40 – 3:10 p.m.)
  • Richard Medina, Co-Founder, Los Angeles Distributing Company

• The Entrepreneur’s Journey (3:10 – 3:30 p.m.)
  • Janie Hoffman, Founder/CEO, Mamma Chia

Roundtable Networking Session (3:30 – 5:00 p.m.)

Open platform for Q&A and discussion with experts in various areas of the beverage industry.

• Legal & Regulatory — Justin Prochnow, Partner, Greenberg Traurig LLP
• Package Design — Rifle Hughes, Managing Director, McLean Design
• Natural Channel Strategies — Bob Sipper, Managing Partner, Cascadia Managing Brands
• Business Planning — Neil Kimberley, VP Strategy & Development, Essentia Water
• Distribution Strategies — Richard Medina, Co-Founder, L.A. Distributing Company
• Ingredient Sourcing/Operations — Debbie Wildrick, Chief Strategy Officer, MetaBrand
• Branding/Marketing — Rachel Andersson, Sr. Director, Modern Marketing, Brand Sense Partners
• Contract Manufacturing — Pete Grego, Director – Contract Manufacturing, Nor-Cal Beverage Company
• Making Your Beverage Taste Great — David Ames, President, Sovereign Flavors