EVENTS

Our 2019 event was held at The Beach Club in beautiful Santa Monica, followed by cocktails and dinner in Venice at Felix Trattoria, a James Beard 2019 “Best New Restaurant”. We explored a wide range of topics and why executives and entrepreneurs with a varied background could be the best equipped for success in this ever-evolving beverage industry climate.

Speakers

  1. DR. JEFF CHEN
    DIRECTOR
    UCLA CANNABIS RESEARCH INITIATIVE

    Who gave an introduction to the cannabis revolution

  2. ANDY THOMAS
    CEO
    CRAFT BREW ALLIANCE (CBA)

    Who spoke about how to filter our own echo chamber to hear the consumer

  3. CAITLIN LANDESBERG
    FOUNDER
    SUFFERFEST BEER COMPANY

    Who answered questions around the acquisition of Sufferfest by Sierra Nevada

  4. CHELSEA LEYLAND
    DEEJAY, ACTIVIST & PRODUCER OF ‘SEPARATING THE STRAINS’

    Who spoke about her journey with epilepsy and medical cannabis

  5. CHERYL DURZY
    FOUNDER & CEO
    LIBDIB

    Who spoke about evolving the 3-tier system with technology

  6. JEFF WHITE
    CEO
    SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO

    Who answered questions around the acquisition of Sufferfest by his company, Sierra Nevada

  7. JESSICA ASSAF
    CO-FOUNDER
    PRIMA

    Who spoke about CBD as the gateway to the sober-curious generation

  8. NIK MODI
    MANAGING DIRECTOR
    RBC CAPITAL MARKETS

    Who spoke about what the consumer landscape will look like in 2025

  9. PADDY SPENCE
    CEO
    ZEVIA

    Who spoke about his leadership lessons learned through a health scare

  10. ROBYN O’BRIEN
    VICE PRESIDENT
    REPLANT CAPITAL

    Who spoke about stakeholders and the role they play in the food system

  11. RUSS ROSENZWEIG
    CEO
    ROUND TABLE GROUP

    Who gave us tips on getting our inboxes to zero

  12. STEVE CAHILLANE
    CEO AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
    KELLOGG COMPANY

    Who spoke about lessons learned through his leadership roles in CPG

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[BLUE BOX] 2018 returned for a second year to the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, followed by a cocktail reception at award-winning Felix Trattoria in Venice.   The event’s theme was “The Difference Makers”.

Speakers

  1. IAN BEACRAFT
    VP AND GROUP DIRECTOR, DIGITAL STRATEGY
    EPSILON

    Who spoke about the future of technology and the beverage industry

  2. VIVIEN AZER
    MANAGING DIRECTOR
    COWEN AND COMPANY

    Who spoke about the interaction between cannabis and alcohol

  3. GEORGE TAYLOR
    FOUNDER AND CEO
    TRU COLORS BREWING

    Who spoke about the TRU Colors story

  4. JEFF WHITE
    COO
    JEFF WHITE

    Who had a fireside chat with Joe Heron about lessons learned from starting beverage cos in multiple categories

  5. JOE HERON
    FOUNDER
    COPPER & KINGS, CRISPIN CIDER AND NUTRISODA

    Who had a fireside chat with Jeff White about lessons learned starting beverage cos in multiple categories

  6. DUKE STUMP
    FORMER EXECUTIVE
    NIKE, SEVENTH GENERATION, LULULEMON

    Who spoke about the power of emotion and deepening relevance and resonance with internal team and consumers

  7. OSMAN KHAN
    FOUNDER
    PADDLE8

    Who spoke about implementing and using blockchain technology in the luxury goods space

  8. ZAK NORMANDIN
    CO-FOUNDER AND CEO
    DIRTY LEMON

    Who spoke about how his company is reinventing CPG branding, selling and distribution through C-commerce

  9. MARK RAMPOLLA
    FOUNDER
    ZICO BEVERAGES

    Who spoke about aligning social good and the bottom line

  10. DAVID OLSEN
    CEO
    COS BAR

    Who participated in a fireside chat about omni-channel failures and successes

  11. CAITLIN LANDESBERG
    FOUNDER AND CEO
    SUFFERFEST BEER COMPANY

    Who spoke about lessons learned in her company’s first year

[BLUE BOX] 2017 was held at the historic Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica and was followed by a reception and dinner at the Venice hotspot, Gjelina. The theme for the day was “Celebrating the Power of Small,” covered from many angles and perspectives by an eclectic lineup of speakers.

Speakers

  1. CHRISTOPHER GAVIGAN
    FOUNDER AND CHIEF PURPOSE OFFICER THE HONEST COMPANY

    Who spoke about his journey from environmental enthusiast to chief executive

  2. NICK BILTON
    BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

    Who spoke about a life in the future

  3. CAROLINE LEVY
    ENIOR BEVERAGE ANALYST OF MACQUARIE CAPITAL

    Who spoke about trends and statistics in alc and non-alc and where the beverage market is moving

  4. BRIAN HALWEIL
    EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF EDIBLE BROOKLYN, EDIBLE EAST END, EDIBLE LONG ISLAND AND EDIBLE MANHATTAN MAGAZINES

    Who spoke about why drinking is an agricultural act and how the food movement helps beverage makers

  5. JODY LEVY
    CO-FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF WTRMLN WTR

    Who mused on micro and how we can celebrate the power of entrepreneurial small to make big change

  6. PADDY SPENCE
    CEO OF ZEVIA

    Who spoke about the evolution of sweet and how sugar reduction is changing the food and beverage landscapes

  7. GREG OWSLEY
    FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE STORIED BRAND

    Who, as part of a marketing panel titled Why David is Winning, moderated by Richard McDonald, Agency President of Epsilon, gave a case study on the cultural shift to small, authentic and experiential when it comes to brands connecting with their customers

  8. NIK ENTWISTLE
    FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF AGENCY TK

    Who, as part of the marketing panel, walked us through marketing and branding campaigns with content that pushes the envelope and which create individual connections that customers crave

  9. ALIA TABET
    DIRECTOR OF MARKETING OF THE NFL NETWORK

    Who, as part of the marketing panel, talked through how big companies are using “small” techniques to be more agile and connected with fans and audiences

  10. JUAN CORONADO 2
    INNOVATOR AND MIXOLOGIST / BACARDI CATEGORY RUM AMBASSADOR

    Who, along with Jody Levy, held a charming fireside chat about the spirits industry during our cocktail hour

  11. LISA ODENWELLER
    FOUNDER OF BEAMING

    Who gave us the good, the great and the ugly of her founder story and how she is sharing the power of plant-based food as medicine through her Beaming brand and beyond

  12. MATT LICKLIDER
    FOUNDER OF LIOCO

    Who spoke about how facts tell but stories sell

First Beverage Group held its second [BLUE BOX] dinner in New York at Landmarc, chef Marc Murphy’s contemporary bistro inside the Time Warner Center. The dinner featured an all-female lineup of speakers.

Speakers

  1. LISA DERMAN
    PRESIDENT & CEO GEM&BOLT

    Who delivered a presentation on the emerging beverage industry trend of using botanicals and herbs in healthier-for-you drinks.

  2. RHONDA KALLMAN
    FOUNDER & CEO
    BOSTON HARBOR DISTILLERY

    Who spoke on the beverage industry’s next revolution of craft distilled spirits. Rhonda is the former founding partner and executive VP of the Boston Beer Company.

  3. MICHELE MELOY BURCHFIELD
    FOUNDER & OPERATOR
    BLUME HONEY WATER

    Who spoke about her experience as a founding sales team consultant to some of the beverage industry’s leading craft and non-alc brands.

The first-ever [BLUE BOX] dinner was a relaxed evening gathering of beverage industry influencers and was held at Smog Shoppe, a converted smog check center and one of the most sustainably designed urban spaces in LA. Speakers came from craft beer, technology and philanthropy.

Speakers

  1. DAVID YEUNG
    FOUNDER OF
    BLUE MONDAY

    Who spoke about his social startup that aims to tackle climate change and global food insecurity by making low-carbon and sustainable living simple, viral and actionable

  2. RICHARD MCDONALD

    AGENCY PRESIDENT
    EPSILON

    Who spoke about understanding “third wave” craft beverage consumers

  3. KATHERINE DESHAW
    PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPOLOGY

    Who spoke about philanthropic giving in the US and the impact brands can have on the world through volunteer efforts and corporate giving

  4. DAVID WALKER
    CO-FOUNDER OF FIRESTONE WALKER

    Who shared the story of their now-iconic brand & leading craft brewery

The inaugural [BLUE BOX] was held in beautiful Boulder, CO and featured two half-days of speaker presentations and panels, a guided hike in the Flatiron Mountains, and dinner including a fireside chat with entrepreneur and environmentalist Kimbal Musk at his Boulder restaurant, The Kitchen.

Speakers

  1. KIM JORDAN
    CO-FOUNDER & CEO NEW BELGIUM BREWING

    Who spoke about the changing nature of the craft beer industry

  2. CAROLINE LEVY/ NIK MODI
    LEADING BEVERAGE INDUSTRY ANALYST/
    MANAGING DIRECTOR
    RBC CAPITAL MARKETS

    Who spoke about the decline of the empire and the decaying of big brands (or not?)

  3. DR. JAMES ROUSE
    ENTREPRENEUR & CO-FOUNDER
    SKOOP

    Who spoke about cultural contagion

  4. JODY LEVY
    CO-FOUNDER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF WTRMLN WTR

    Who mused on micro and how we can celebrate the power of entrepreneurial small to make big change

  5. PHILL NOSWORTHY
    FOUNDER
    SWITCH INC.

    Who spoke about best practices for meaning, branding & avoiding the zombie apocalypse

  6. HAYDEN SLATER
    CO-FOUNDER & CEO
    PRESSED JUICERY

    Who spoke about how to go big and still stay small

  7. GREG OWSLEY
    FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE STORIED BRAND

    Who, as part of a marketing panel titled Why David is Winning, moderated by Richard McDonald, Agency President of Epsilon, gave a case study on the cultural shift to small, authentic and experiential when it comes to brands connecting with their customers

  8. JIM BAREUTHER
    RETIRED COO
    BROWN-FORMAN

    Who spoke about the engine driving spirits consumption in the 21st century

  9. RICHARD MCDONALD

    AGENCY PRESIDENT
    EPSILON

    Who spoke about understanding “third wave” craft beverage consumers

  10. DOUG EVANS
    FOUNDER & CEO
    JUICERO

    Who spoke about the design CEO

  11. SETH GOLDMAN
    CO-FOUNDER & TEAEO
    HONEST TEA

    Who spoke about keeping it honest

  12. KAVITA SHUKLA
    FOUNDER & CEO
    FENUGREEN

    Who spoke about the power of simple

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