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Keynote #1
Gavin Hattersly
Gavin Hattersly
Molson Coors
CEO
Prior to his current position, Mr. Hattersley served as chief executive officer of MillerCoors, the U.S. division of Molson Coors, since September 2015. Prior to joining MillerCoors, Mr. Hattersley served as chief financial officer of Molson Coors from June 2012 to September 2015. From July 2008 to June 2012, Mr. Hattersley served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of MillerCoors. He also served as senior vice president of finance for Miller Brewing Company from October 2002 to July 2008. He came to Miller Brewing Company from SAB Limited of Johannesburg, South Africa, where he held several financial management positions before becoming chief financial officer in 1999. Prior to joining SAB Limited in 1997, Mr. Hattersley spent almost 10 years with Barloworld Limited in various finance positions.
Keynote #2
Will McDonald
Will McDonald
Walmart
VP - DMM Beverages
Will is currently the Vice President DMM that leads the merchandising team over beverages for Walmart US. Will began his career at Walmart in the Finance organization before moving into Merchandising. He has had a variety of experiences in the Food division at Walmart, including the front-end checkout area, seasonal candy and carbonated soft drinks. Prior to joining the Beverage team, Will led the Candy Team and had responsibility for the everyday and seasonal candy businesses. Will lives in Northwest Arkansas with his wife, two daughters, and son.
Keynote #4
Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain
Chamberlain Coffee
Founder
Emma Chamberlain is busy taking over the world as an internet phenomenon, fashion icon, award winning podcast host, global brand ambassador and entrepreneur with a combined social media following of more than 25 million. The Los Angeles-based creator and ultimate cool-girl never takes herself too seriously. Her authenticity and candor have landed her the cover of Cosmopolitan and Allure Magazines as well as The New York Times and she has appeared in W, V Magazine, Forbes, The Atlantic, Nylon, Vogue, TMRW and Marie Claire to name a few. Elle Magazine names her a "trendsetter with palpable influence on style and culture for Gen Z." Vogue calls her a "YouTube sensation." Time Magazine included her in their 2019 list of The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet as well as the Time Magazine 100 Next List. Emma also landed on Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2020.

Chamberlain has always had a love for fashion and has certainly solidified herself as an icon in the space. In 2021, Vogue tapped Emma to host their digital red-carpet coverage at the MET Gala where she was dressed in custom Louis Vuitton. Vogue asked her to return to host the carpet again in 2022, where she announced her ambassadorship with Cartier. Her red-carpet interviews garnered Vogue's YouTube channel over 100 million views.

Emma's wildly successful podcast Anything Goes, now a Spotify exclusive, has consistently been a top podcast globally since 2022. In the show, Emma examines life and Flaunt magazine describes how she, ?unrelentingly dissects the post-adolescent existence, packaging each with learned succinction.? She was named Best Podcaster at the 2020 Shorty Awards and won the Pop Podcast category at the 47th People?s Choice Awards. Emma?s loyal fanbase combined with her cultural currency makes her one of the most valuable podcast hosts today.

Adding the title of founder of Chamberlain Coffee in 2019 was a passion project for Emma. Her love for coffee is undeniable and she took an everyday hobby and turned it into an online business bringing high quality, organic, sustainably sourced coffee beans straight to your door. The line has grown exponentially since inception and now offers beans, steepable bags, ground coffee, matcha, unlimited accessories and all things coffee straight to consumers. Chamberlain Coffee is the best selling coffee on GoPuff and in retail at Erewhon.
Keynote #4
Chris Gallant
Chris Gallant
Chamberlain Coffee
CEO
Chris Gallant is CEO of Chamberlain Coffee, the brainchild of Youtube phenomenon Emma Chamberlain. Since joining in the Fall of 2021, Chris has led the brand through multiple fundraises, executed countless new product launches and helped Chamberlain Coffee achieve monumental brand growth. With his passion for bringing innovative and customer-driven products to life, Chris has worked hand-in-hand with Emma in developing and executing Chamberlain Coffee’s strategy.

Prior to joining the Chamberlain Coffee team, Chris has 15+ years in strategic and commercial beverage industry operating roles, both large (Heineken, Red Bull) and small/startup (Bronx Brewery, Kona Red, Aqua ViTea). Through these roles, Chris has garnered exceptional experience leading consumer companies through growth and contributing to their greater success. Chris is also a former Bain & Co consultant and holds an MBA from MIT Sloan.
Keynote #4
Josh Wand
Josh Wand
Force Brands Family Fund
Founder
Josh Wand is the Founder and CEO of ForceBrands, a strategic talent for consumer brands that provides end-to-end hiring solutions designed to help today’s most innovative companies match talent strategy to growth strategy. Josh is also the founder of PINATA, a task management software that optimizes operational field management and data transparency. His latest endeavor, The Family Fund, is a specialized venture capital firm he launched alongside fellow entrepreneurs that invests in top-tier firms and repeat entrepreneurs.
Keynote #6
Pete Marino
Pete Marino
Pritzker Private Capital
Advisor
Pete Marino is currently an advisor to Pritzker Private Capital helping them scale two whiskey businesses in their portfolio, Bardstown Bourbon Company and Green River. Prior to his role with Pritzker Private Capital, Marino spent the previous 11 years with Molson Coors where his most recent role was the President of Emerging Growth Division. Marino was tasked with moving one of the world’s largest and most recognizable beer companies beyond beer. Marino led the company’s entries into non-alcohol beverages with Zoa Energy Drink, Spirits with the development of the Coors Whiskey Company and Cannabis Beverages with the Truss JV.
Panel #1: The Creator/ Influencer/ Celebrity Paradigm
Trevor Drinkwater
Trevor Drinkwater
Trusted Influence
Founder & CEO
Trevor Drinkwater is the Founder and CEO of Trusted Influence Inc. Mr. Drinkwater started his career with Nestle Waters nearly 30 years ago as a sales representative and became the youngest ever General Manager of the company before he turned 30 years of age. After Nestle Waters, Trevor joined Warner Bros Home Entertainment as its SVP of Sales, where he helped the company launch the highly successful DVD format. He then joined Take Two Interactive as its COO before deciding to leave to become an entrepreneur. Mr. Drinkwater has an extensive background in content development and production as well as commercializing entertainment-based products in traditional retail environments. Trusted Influence is a full-service consumer products platform dedicated to helping established and emerging brands excel in today's dynamic marketplace. TI accelerates the process from ideation to commercialization by offering a comprehensive suite of services, including product development, sourcing and manufacturing, supply chain and inventory management, capitalization, strategic sales, merchandising, and marketing.
Panel #1: The Creator/ Influencer/ Celebrity Paradigm
Cameron Gould Saltman
Cameron Gould Saltman
TikTok Shop
Head of Food and Beverage
Cameron is the Head of Food and Beverage (SMB) at TikTok Shop, where he oversees the growth and management of emerging brands in the food and beverage space. Cameron has over a decade of experience in the grocery and CPG industry, where he most recently led category and program management teams at Amazon Fresh. Cameron holds a BS from The Ohio State University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Panel #1: The Creator/ Influencer/ Celebrity Paradigm
Naseeb Gill
Naseeb Gill
CAA
Client Strategy
Naseeb Gill is an Agent in the Global Client Strategy group at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), with key offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Nashville, and Beijing. She is based in Los Angeles, where she works on behalf of many of the world’s top musicians, actors, and influencers of pop culture, helping maximize their enterprise value by creating overall and cohesive brand strategies and launching talent-led and scalable consumer businesses.

Most recently, she worked closely with client Tom Hanks to create H*A*N*X For Our Troops, a consumer packaged goods company, on a mission to do good by committing to donating 100% of its net profits to Veterans and their families. Founded by Hanks, H*A*N*X launched in November 2022 with a range of coffee products and will continue to expand its product offerings. She also worked with clients and parenting duo Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade to launch Proudly, the first baby skin and bum care brand formulated by experts of color, taking into consideration the skin needs of babies and children with melanin-rich skin tones.

Gill began her career at CAA in 2010 in the Motion Pictures group, and, in 2011, transitioned to an Executive role as Chief of Staff to Co-Chairman Richard Lovett. In this role, she managed a team to support the day-to-day business operations of the agency and worked with Lovett to direct the agency’s overall business, including innovation and growth to create more opportunities and resources for clients and the company.

Gill received a J.D. from Whittier Law School, and graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Business-Cinema/Television. She is a native of Los Angeles and mother to three children.
Panel #1: The Creator/ Influencer/ Celebrity Paradigm
Buster Houston
Buster Houston
Albertsons
VP National Merchendising
Meet Buster Houston, the Vice President of National Merchandising for Ready-to-Eat products at Albertson's Companies. With a 34-year career between Safeway and Albertson's Companies, Buster has a wealth of experience in the industry. In his current role, he oversees a wide range of products, including snacks, spreads, cereal, nutrition, candy, tobacco, books, magazines, and check stands. He leads a team of 6 National Category Directors, 10 Assistant Category Directors, 2 Department Specialists, and 2 Financial Analysts.

Buster's past roles have included Meat & Seafood, Produce, Marketing Systems & Processes, Loyalty, Merchandising Strategy, and Store Roles. He holds a BS degree in business marketing from Western Washington University and is currently a board member for Albertsons Companies’ National WIIN (Women's Inspiration & Inclusion) Network.
Panel #2: The Shifting Ground Of Beverage Distribution
Chris Steffanci
Chris Steffanci
Columbia Distributing
CEO
Chris Steffanci is President and CEO of Columbia Distributing in Seattle Washington, one of the nation’s largest beverage distributing companies. Chris has spent the last 20 years in the wine and beer industry where he has held senior leadership roles in sales, marketing and strategy.

Chris began his career with Gallo Wine on the east coast but overtime decided his true passion was in the beer industry. He has since devoted the majority of his energy working for major global and domestic brewers such as Diageo-Guinness USA in various sales/marketing roles, at Heineken USA where he held several senior leadership roles and as COO of Pabst Brewing Company.

Chris’ high energy and passionate leadership style have been the key drivers behind his successful career. In October 2007, at the age of 34, he was awarded New York’s 40 Under 40 award while he was the Senior VP of Sales for the US business at Heineken. Chris is also a member of the Pacific Northwest Young Presidents Organization. He has been featured in several Beverage Journals and participated in numerous speaking engagements within the industry.

Chris is a graduate from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.
Panel #2: The Shifting Ground Of Beverage Distribution
Chuck Casano
Chuck Casano
Hi-Touch Distribution
Founder
Chuck Casano is the Founder & CEO of Hi-Touch Libations, a premier Southern California full service direct store distributor. Hi-Touch services all Whole Foods locations in the retailer’s Southern Pacific Region, Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions, key 7-11s, and all the leading independent natural retailers. He is also the founder of Pitaya Foods, a frozen brand of Superfruits fruits with a mission to promote sustainable farming, create new job opportunities, and positively impact the communities they source from. Pitaya Foods can be found in over 20K locations, everywhere from your local juice bar to Whole Foods to Walmart.
Panel #2: The Shifting Ground Of Beverage Distribution
Erin Engels
Erin Engels
Breakthru
SVP Commercial Strategy
Erin is Senior Vice President, Commercial Strategy, with Breakthru Beverage Group. In this role, Erin leads the development and implementation of Breakthru’s commercial strategy, creating short- and long-term initiatives that support innovation and growth, build systems and capabilities, and ultimately enable the supplier and customer selling organizations. This includes leveraging data, analytics and business insights along with operationally effective workstreams to create actionable plans that drive performance, build sales capabilities and effectiveness and deliver long-term revenue growth.

Erin is an innovative, results-driven leader with a proven ability to create and execute growth strategies and spearhead major business transformations. Her customer-centric focus and experience leading agile, large-scale teams make her a great fit for this newly bolstered commercial position as she will play a key role in driving Breakthru’s ambitious growth plans and how the company grows capabilities to align with consumer demands, customer needs and supplier aspirations.

Prior to Breakthru, Erin was with Sysco Corporation, where she held senior leadership positions in the areas of strategy, M&A integration, sales and general management. In her role at Sysco as Vice President, Sales Strategy & Execution, Erin improved the sales and operational teams’ effectiveness for the company’s large, U.S. foodservice operations through sales model enhancements, center-led training, and the better leveraging of technology and analytics. Prior to that, she served as President of Sysco Central Texas, one of the company’s largest, most profitable distribution centers, where she successfully grew local market share and tied for No. 1 division based on financial and operational performance. She held several other key leadership roles prior to that, including Vice President, Strategic Planning. Earlier in her career, Erin was a management consultant with BearingPoint after beginning her career as a consultant with Technology Services Group.
Panel #3: The Beat On The (Wall) Street
Caroline Levy
Caroline Levy
Health-Ade Kombucha Celcius
Caroline Levy is the founder of CLAS, an advisory firm in the consumer space. Ms. Levy serves as a public and private company Director on the boards of Celsius Holdings (CELH) and Health-Ade Kombucha, and is a member of both the Audit and Nominating/Governance committees at both companies.

Ms. Levy had a renowned career as a consumer stock analyst for over thirty years, covering large and small companies across soft drinks, alcohol, cosmetics, household products, food, restaurants, and hotels. She was ranked by both the Institutional Investor and Wall Street Journal surveys as one of the top analysts in her sector. Her tenure has included senior analyst roles at Lehman Brothers, UBS, CLSA and Macquarie. At UBS, Caroline was promoted to COO of US research, where she chaired the investment review committee, directed the vetting process for investment banking transactions, and oversaw the over 100-person associate analyst team.

Her strategic reports uncovered key consumer trends well before they became mainstream, such as “value in values” and the squeeze on mid-size companies to the benefit of small innovators and large retailers and brands. Her work with Citic’s on-the-ground team, “China Reality Research,” revealed unrecognized value in the Chinese operations of companies such as Estée Lauder, and uncovered risks in others (P&G in diapers).

Ms. Levy’s network spans CEOs and executives across public and private brand-owners and distributors, allowing her to key into trends and risks across industries. Long-standing relationships with sell-side and buy-side analysts and portfolio managers, give Ms. Levy a clear view into shifting investing and valuation methods.

Caroline joined the board of Celsius Holdings (CELH) in July 2020, a public company selling one of the fastest growing energy drinks in the category. She is a member of the audit and nominating committees. Ms. Levy was appointed to the board of Health-Ade Kombucha, a private-equity owned company.

Ms. Levy is a member of Extraordinary Women on Boards (EWOB), a prestigious organization dedicated to educating and furthering the success of women on private and public for-profit boards. She is an advisor to Founded, a Los Angeles-based organization of female founders in the wellness space and will be an advisor to their newly established investment fund.
Panel #3: The Beat On The (Wall) Street
Robert Ottenstein
Robert Ottenstein
Evercore
Analyst
Robert Ottenstein is a senior managing director and head of the Global Beverages and Household Products Team. Mr. Ottenstein most recently was ranked No. 3 in Institutional Investor’s 2022 and 2021 All-America Research poll for the beverage, household & personal care sector, after claiming a runner-up position in 2019. Before joining Evercore ISI, Mr. Ottenstein headed investor relations for Anheuser-Busch InBev shortly after InBev’s acquisition of Anheuser-Busch. Previously, he was with Morgan Stanley, where he served as a managing director in investment banking as well as an II ranked specialty chemical analyst and the sector leader for the firm’s global basic materials group. Mr. Ottenstein earned a B.A. from Swarthmore College, a B.A./M.A. in philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University and an MBA from Stanford.
Panel #3: The Beat On The (Wall) Street
Bonnie Herzog
Bonnie Herzog
Goldman Sachs
Analyst
Bonnie Herzog is a managing director and senior consumer analyst at Goldman Sachs covering the beverage, tobacco and convenience store sectors. During her 20 plus years of experience as a sell-side equity research analyst, Bonnie has been a top-ranked Institutional Investor analyst. For more than ten years, Bonnie has been recognized by Institutional Investor magazine for the All-America Research Team. Prior to Joining Goldman Sachs in December 2019, Bonnie was a managing director at Wells Fargo and Citi Investment Research. Bonnie is best known for her in-depth proprietary research and successful contrarian stocks calls. She has been a guest speaker at numerous tobacco, beverage and convenience store industry conferences. Bonnie earned an MBA degree in finance from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BA degree in finance from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Panel #4: Creating Brand Love
Bonnie Shah
Bonnie Shah
L.A. Libations
Chief Marketing Officer
Bonnie joined L.A. Libations in 2018 and serves as the company's CMO. She joined the company following a 4 year journey where she Co-founded and commercialized the first young coconut water factory in the Philippines.

Upon relocating to the U.S. from Hong Kong, Bonnie was inspired by brand and tech accelerators and had the vision of marrying her two passions for entrepreneurship and CPG and pivoted the tech model to fit the CPG industry. In 2018 she founded the Beverage Industry's first ever brand incubator, the SoCal Incubation Program, SIP, under the L.A. Libations umbrella. Today, in it's 6th year of operation, SIP has partnerships with retailers across SoCal's natural grocers, and spearheads innovation programs for Sprouts and and Albertsons Safeway banners by way of 100 L.A. Libations branded innovation cooler placements.

In her role as CMO of L.A. Libations, she has spent the last 3 years co-founding and building an in-house marketing agency called L.A. Vibrations (LAV) which today has a team of 20+ in-house CPG marketers. LAV is an entrepreneurial CPG agency that supports emerging brands in designing 360 marketing operations and strategy as well as execution services ranging from digital, ecommerce and retail marketing initiatives. LAV also helps to manage various aspects of the commercialization capabilities offered to both new brands created in-house and to current portfolio brands.

In addition, Bonnie uses her years of brand and CPG experience to direct and oversee the company’s innovation committee, corporate communications and industry presence.

Her greatest accomplishment to date is the family she is building with her husband, Pitbulls and 15 month old daughter, Maya.
Panel #4: Creating Brand Love
Lance Collins
Lance Collins
Body Armor Casa Azul
Entrepreneur
Lance Collins is an award-winning entrepreneur and beverage industry veteran renowned for creating FUZE® Beverage and NOS® Energy Drink (sold to the Coca-Cola Company in 2007), BODYARMOR® (sold to Coca-Cola) and Core Hydration (sold to Keurig Dr. Pepper in 2018) are innovations in the health and wellness marketplace. Lance’s commitment to the health and wellness space meets the demands of consumers looking for healthier choices on the shelves, and supports one of the beverage mogul’s most impassioned causes.
Panel #5: Retail Foraging vs Harvesting
Pat Bolden
Pat Bolden
L.A. Libations
Co-Founder/President
Patrick Bolden is a business expert with 24 years of beverage experience. Alcohol, non-alcohol, traditional, non-traditional, on and off-premise are many aspects of the beverage industry that are familiar to Pat. Pat is the Co-Founder and President of L.A. Libations.

After a short stint playing professional basketball, Pat began in beverage by working for 7up / Rc Bottling in 1993. He worked in a variety of different roles there from field sales to operations to national accounts. After 7 years he transitioned to the Coca Cola Company into their trade development department and called on national accounts such as BP ampm, Target, Walmart and Sam’s Club. In 2005, Pat took on a National Account Manager role at Heineken USA. Learning the ins and outs and legalities of the alcoholic beverage industry was challenging but rewarding. This experience allowed Pat to be much better-rounded within the beverage channel but also understand how to create a new approach to being innovative and disruptive.

In 2009 Pat, Danny and Dino started this organization to position “better for you and healthy alternative” products in mainstream retail accounts. Pat’s strength is his deep nationwide retail relationships. He has always said “providing value is the key to true partnership.”

Innovation and incubation continue to be the phases of beverage brands where Pat’s experience shines. His passion to integrate beverages that are centered on health and wellness into mainstream outlets is what drives him to trail blaze in this industry and his results speak for themselves.

He is a business professional that maintains a proven track record of delivering profitable volume increases, successful product & brand portfolio introductions and coordination of sales execution.

Growing up in Inglewood CA, in the shadows of the Fabulous Forum, Pat was a Los Angeles Laker fan. Pat played basketball at California State Northridge University and received his degree in Business Management. He resides in Dallas TX and has two boys, Parker and Piercen.
Panel #5: Retail Foraging vs Harvesting
Tom Brennen
Tom Brennan
Casey's
Chief Merchandising Officer
Tom is the Chief Merchandising Officer of Casey’s and he has been in the role since the end of October 2019. As Chief Merchant he is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the company’s overall merchandising, prepared foods, and omni-channel marketing strategy. Brennan joined Casey’s from CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., the parent of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, where he was Chief Operating Officer responsible for the operations and support of over 3,000 restaurants across the United States. Prior to CKE, he spent 11 years at 7-Eleven in a variety of leadership roles in merchandising, category management, store development and operations. Before 7-Eleven, he worked in the financial planning and analysis group at Target Corporation and he also served six years active duty as an Armor Officer in the U.S. Army. He holds a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Panel #5: Retail Foraging vs Harvesting
Brian Albert
Brian Albert
Sprouts
Sr. Category Manager
Brian Albert manages the merchandising and assortment for non-alcoholic beverages at Sprouts Farmers Market. Over a 30-year career, Brian has had various positions in marketing, merchandising, and product development with stops at Campbell’s, Coors, Wild Oats, Giant Eagle, and Sprouts. Those experiences coupled with his marketing and entrepreneurial management degrees from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the University of Colorado, Brian has a unique perspective on what it takes to create and maintain a successful beverage brand.
Panel #5: Retail Foraging vs Harvesting
Phil Markert
Phil Markert
Albertson's
Director of Liquor
Phil Markert began his career in the retail grocery industry 45 years ago, where he worked as a stock clerk in an independent liquor store while attending high school in North Torrance. His career with the Safeway organization began in 1982, where Phil worked as a bagger in a Torrance store. He quickly advanced through the retail ranks, serving as clerk, head clerk, grocery manager, assistant manager and store manager.

His entrance into the liquor business began in early 1988 when he was introduced to Fine Wine at a restaurant in Santa Monica during a food and wine experience with friends and family that forever changed the landscape of how wine is sold in grocery stores. At this dinner, a 1985 Groth Reserve Cabernet was served – the first 100-point wine rating given by Robert Parker to a California wine. Seeing the dinner guests enjoying and talking about it, the idea came to light that there is a correlation between what customers buy at a restaurant and at a grocery store in the same marketing area. Weeks later, with the support of senior management, the birth of the ‘Fine Wine Program’ took place in Santa Monica Ca.

Phil was promoted to store manager of the Belmont Shore Vons in 1991 and moved the Fine Wine Program to the Belmont Shore. The program included everyday low pricing, expanded wine selection, local specialty foods, community events, in-store chef demonstrations, bottle signings, winemaker dinners at local restaurants, full-service staff, a newsletter and home delivery service.

From 1994 to 2002, Phil moved to the Vons Division office in Arcadia, and was promoted to Fine Wine Sales Manager. His job was to rollout the Fine Wine Program to fifty Southern California stores, duplicating what he had accomplished in his store.

In 2002 Phil was promoted to National Category Director of Wine and relocated to Pleasanton. Phil took his experiences from the Southern California program and applied it to twenty-one states across the country, leading a team of people to become the largest wine retailer in the United States. In 2007, Phil was promoted to Vice President, General Manager for Alcohol and Tobacco and applied his Neighborhood Marketing approach to Beer, and Spirits.

In 2010 Phil left Alcohol and was promoted to VP of Merchandising/Operations for Non-Perishables for the company. His responsibilities included overseeing the merchandising/marketing and the execution at retail. He also led the company’s clustering initiatives, and the Premium store project.

In 2014 Phil was appointed as the company’s leader for Perishables and Non-Perishables of our LOCALIZATION initiative and Neighborhood Marketing efforts.

In 2015 Phil returned to his roots in SOCAL as the LQ. Sales Manager for the newly combined Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions Division of the Albertsons companies. In 2017 Phil took on the additional responsibilities of VP of Marketing/Merchandising of Pavilions. In 2019 he went back full time in alcohol as the Director of Liquor for AVP

Phil supports a wide variety of organizations serving local communities, including City of Hope, Susan G Komen Breast Cancer foundation, and the Christermon Scholarship Foundation. Phil has a passion for fitness and loves Food, & Wine, – hence the workouts!
Panel #6: The Blurring Lines of Alcohol & Non-Alc
Wayne Wu
Wayne Wu
VMG Partners
General Partner
Wayne Wu is a General Partner at VMG Partners. VMG Partners works intimately with founders and leaders of branded consumer product companies, providing the resources and guidance needed to propel them to their next level of growth and value. Beyond capital, Wayne provides a value-added investment philosophy that pulls from his decades of experience, strategic guidance, and passionate focus to help our brands accelerate growth, increase brand awareness, and achieve their own definition of success. VMG has worked closely and successfully with brands such as Ancient Nutrition, Drunk Elephant, Ghost Energy, Justin's, KIND, Nature's Bakery, Perfect Snacks, Quest, and Spindrift, to name a few. Wayne is energized by the next generation of innovative, consumer product entrepreneurs, and looks forward to helping them fully realize their vision. Wayne is based in San Francisco, CA.
Panel #6: The Blurring Lines of Alcohol & Non-Alc
Jason Strauss
Jason Strauss
Tao Group
CEO
Jason Strauss is a well-known and highly regarded hospitality industry veteran with well over 30 years of hands-on experience as an operator and developer of premium hospitality venues. A native New Yorker, Strauss and his partners are the masterminds behind some of the most successful and innovative hospitality brands of the past two decades.

Tao Group Hospitality delivers distinctive culinary and premium entertainment experiences through its portfolio of restaurants, nightclubs, lounges, and daylife venues. Tao Group Hospitality acquired Hakkasan Group in April 2021. The combined company operates over 80 branded locations in over 20 markets across four continents and features a collection of widely recognized hospitality brands. These include TAO, Hakkasan, OMNIA, Marquee, LAVO, Beauty & Essex, Wet Republic, Yauatcha, Ling Ling, Cathédrale, Little Sister, The Highlight Room, Sake No Hana, Jewel, and more. Tao Group Hospitality is part of Mohari Hospitality, an investment firm focused on the luxury lifestyle and hospitality sectors. Among Strauss’ many endeavors, he prioritizes charity work by volunteering with Inspiring Children and Tao Group Hospitality Cares. He graduated from Boston University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Hospitality Management and currently splits his time between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Panel #7: How Retail is finding Innovation in Hollywood
Dino Sarti
Dino Sarti
L.A. Libations
Co-Founder, L.A. Libations, LLC
Dino is the co-founder of L.A. Libations, LLC. Dino's professional background includes over 25 years of experience in the beverage industry from operations to customer management and brand development. His sales management experience covers every channel of trade and virtually every major chain retailer nationwide. In his current role at L.A. Libations, Dino manages a broad range of business functions and sits on the board of a number emerging beverage brands with representatives from the largest CPG companies in the world.

Dino is a graduate of the University of Southern California and later received a Masters of Business Administration at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business. Dino spends his free time with his family and is also an avid runner and cycling enthusiast. Dino is a member of YPO and a 5-time Ironman Finisher with a personal best of 11 hours and 19 minutes.
Panel #7: How Retail is finding Innovation in Hollywood
Jesus Delgado-Jenkins
Jesus Delgado-Jenkins
7-Eleven
EVP & Chief Merchandising Officer
Jesus Delgado-Jenkins is Executive Vice President & Chief Merchandising Offier for 7-Eleven, Inc. where he leads digital merchandising and merchandise operations including category management, analytics, new product introductions, new category and profit center development and store sets.

Previously, Jesus served as 7-Eleven, Inc’s EVP Innvation, Technology, and Experience. Before joining 7-Eleven and over the years, he has served in the military, government, and private sector, where he advised executives of Fortune 500 companies on strategy and profitability for the PriceWaterhouse Strategy Group. He also served as a Vice President of Operations at Dominick’s Finer Foods focused on an LBO turnaround and worked for the U.S. Treasury Department as Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Operating Officer.

Jesus earned a Bachelor of Merchandising Engineering (aerospace) from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and is fluent in Spanish.
Small Company Spotlight
Craig Dubitsky
Craig Dubitsky
Happy
Founder/CEO
Craig is the founder and CEO of happy™. Along with his co-founder Robert Downey, Jr., happy launched in early 2024 with a mission to elevate the everyday. Priding itself on using only the best, selectively sourced green beans produced by thoughtful growers and opting for a slow roasting process to protect the finest of flavor, happy not only delivers a seriously delicious™ cup of coffee but they care about the person drinking it. In an effort to de-stigmatize mental health, happy partnered with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization, with a dedication to building better lives for millions of Americans. Think of it as coffee with a conscience.

Prior to happy, Craig was the founder of hello® products, and former Chief Innovation Strategist of Colgate-Palmolive. hello, the world's first naturally friendly™ oral care brand, was acquired by Colgate in January of 2020. hello became the fastest-growing oral care brand in North America, with products available in over 55,000 food, drug, and mass retailers. hello was named by Inc Magazine as one of the Best Places to Work, as well as "One of the 25 Companies That Are Changing the World." Dubitsky himself was named to Advertising Age's Creativity 50, the publication's annual list of the most influential and innovative creative thinkers, and one of the 100 Most Inspirational Marketers in the World by The Internationalist.

Prior to hello, Craig was a co-founder and creative lead at eos (makers of the ubiquitous lip sphere), a founding board member at transformational household cleaning brand method, and a strategic advisor to Seventh Generation, Boots, and various private equity funds.

Craig is an inductee in the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Hall of Fame, an Entrepreneur in Residence at Babson, and serves as an Advisory Council Member at the Ain Center for Entrepreneurship at The Simon School of Business at The University of Rochester. Craig loves people, design, brand, packaging and people. Yes, he said people twice.
Large Company Spotlight
Rodney Sacks
Rodney Sacks
Monster
Co - CEO
Rodney Sacks was born and grew up in South Africa. He graduated from Wits University in Johannesburg with a law degree and post-graduate higher diploma in tax law. Mr. Sacks was the youngest attorney to make partner at Werksmans, the largest corporate law firm in South Africa. Mr. Sacks was a senior partner when he emigrated to California with his family in August 1989 after spending nearly 20 years with Werksmans.

In 1990 a consortium headed up by Mr. Sacks and his partner, Hilton Schlosberg, acquired control of a publicly traded company which was ultimately merged into and became known as Hansen Natural Corporation. Hansen Natural Corporation acquired the Hansen’s Natural Soda and Apple Juice business in 1992 for a purchase consideration of some $14.5 million. At that time sales were $17.5 million and the business had a grand total of 12 employees. Mr. Sacks has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hansen Natural Corporation, which changed its name to Monster Beverage Corporation in 2012, from 1990 to January 2021. In January 2021 the Company changed the titles of Mr. Sacks and Mr. Schlosberg to be, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, respectively.

Under their stewardship Monster Beverage Corporation’s sales have grown to in excess of $7.1 billion and today employs more than 6,000 people globally.
Large Company Spotlight
Hilton H. Shlosberg
Hilton H. Schlosberg
Monster
Co - CEO
Hilton H. Schlosberg has had a successful career in industry, since completing graduate school in South Africa. At a young age, he served as an executive director of the fourth largest listed company in South Africa which comprised a broad spectrum of industry, including consumer products, and then moved to London to continue his career in mergers and acquisitions and the management of their successful integration. He has served as a director of a number of companies in South Africa, the UK and in the United States.

In 1990 with the backing of a number of investors, he and a business partner acquired a NASDAQ quoted company which merged with the Hansen business in 1992. In 1995 he relocated to the United States to assume an executive role with Hansen Natural Corporation, which in January 2012 changed its name to Monster Beverage Corporation. He currently serves as Co-Chief Executive Officer & Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Monster Beverage Corporation, a company with a market capitalization of approximately $58 billion.
Gary Hemphill
Gary Hemphill
Beverage Marketing Corporation
Managing Director of Research
Gary A. Hemphill is Managing Director of Research at Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC). In that role, he directs the company’s extensive information products and services, consisting of beverage databases, market reports, directories and more.

Mr. Hemphill directs the company’s pre-eminent beverage database DrinkTell. It is the only comprehensive total market U.S. beverage database tracking all beverage categories. In addition, he has created and maintained proprietary beverage tracking services for clients in the U.S. and Canada.

He also directs more than 30 industry-standard market reports and directories published by BMC that cover the multiple beverage markets. The company’s wide range of respected U.S. reports cover soft drinks, bottled water, milk, beer, fruit beverages, New Age and functional beverages, wine, spirits, beverage packaging and more. In addition, the company publishes a select group of global reports.

Mr. Hemphill has more than 25 years experience in the beverage industry. Previously, he served as editor of the trade publication Beverage Industry and he also directed new product publicity for the Pepsi-Cola Company where he contributed to a range of assignments. Previous to those positions, Mr. Hemphill held various newspaper writing and editing positions.

Mr. Hemphill is widely quoted in the press and has often been interviewed on both TV and radio on issues of critical importance to the beverage industry. He has spoken at a range of conferences, conventions and industry events including the Beverage Forum, World Juice, the IBWA (Bottled Water) convention, NAMA (vending) trade show, the FMI convention, the International Dairy Show, the Tea Association annual meeting, the ISBT annual meeting, BevOps and many others.

Mr. Hemphill holds a bachelors degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and resides in Woodstock, NY.
Danny Stepper
Danny Stepper
L.A. Libations
Co-Founder/CEO
DANNY STEPPER is a beverage Entrepreneur & Film Producer having worked closely with MOLSON COORS, THE COCA-COLA COMPANY, KEURIG DR. PEPPPER, and ANHUESER BUSCH INBEV. Stepper was named Bevnet's 2020 Person of The Year. He has also produced films with/for DISNEY, NETFLIX, SONY & RELATIVITY MEDIA and is affiliated with, CRITICAL CONTENT and REAL MADRID FOOTBALL CLUB.

Stepper is the Co- Founder & CEO of L.A. LIBATIONS, a beverage creator, incubator and accelerator having done landmark deals with Molson Coors Beverage Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Anheuser Busch, Keurig Dr Pepper, Amazon & 7-11. L.A. Libations is the Emerging Brand Category Captain of record at the country’s largest retailers. Stepper & L.A. Libations have been involved in many of the landmark beverage deals of the last decade; Launching PLEZI with Michelle Obama, 6666 GRIT & GLORY with Yellowstone Creator Taylor Sheridan, CHAMBERLAIN COFFEE (with Emma Chamberlain), COCO5 (with Devin Booker), ZOA - in collaboration with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson (MOLSON COORS), BODY ARMOR (COCA-COLA, Mike Repole), CORE WATER (KUERIG DR PEPPER - Lance Collins), ZEN WTR (MOLSON COORS, Lance Collins), DON'T QUIT (KUERIG DR PEPPER, Jake Steinfeld), ATHLETIC BREWING (KDP), and ZICO COCONUT WATER (COCA-COLA).

Stepper started his career and spent 9 years in the Coca-Cola System where he played various roles in sales, marketing and brand management. Stepper made a name for himself at Coke by trailblazing relationships with the world’s largest retailers (specifically COSTCO, Wal-Mart & Target), creating dynamic teams, building brands while bringing innovation, entrepreneurialism, and creativity to a 100+ year old business.

Recruited out of The Coca-Cola Company in 2003 by Oscar winning Film Producer Lawrence Bender (Pulp Fiction, Goodwill Hunting, An Inconvenient Truth), Stepper produced the Disney Trilogy “Goal!”. Stepper and team financed the projects through CPG companies securing $45mm, a Hollywood first. These landmark deals were with global powerhouses; ADIDAS, FIFA & THE COCA-COLA COMPANY. To date Goal! Is the largest brand/entertainment integration deal in the history of Hollywood and Madison Ave.

Stepper holds an MBA from Pepperdine University, a BA from Westmont College in Santa Barbara as well as international degrees from Collegio Magisterio (Spain) and Instituto De Lingua Espanol (Costa Rica). Danny is bi-lingual in English and Spanish. Stepper is currently on the Board of Advisors at Westmont College in Santa Barbara.
Noah Bremen
Noah Bremen
PLTFRM
Founder
Noah Bremen is the CEO & Founder of PLTFRM and bdirect Companies, the leading retail sales and marketing force behind many of the nation’s hottest products and brands, including Five Hour Energy, Beats by Dre, HydroxyCut, Naked Juice, VitaCoco, NutriBullet, Perfect Pushups, and Muscle Milk, among a host of others.

Noah‘s expertise is in bridging the gap between retail stores hungry for the next big thing and innovative new brands. In that vein, Bremen founded bdirect, a 360-degree provider of sales and marketing leadership for consumer product developers.
Ryan Schemmel
Ryan Schemmel
7-Eleven
Director of Alcohol
As director of Alcohol for 711, Mr. Schemmel has 20 years of experience in the spirits industry across multiple functions. He began his spirits career at Diageo in a financial planning role, moving quickly into international marketing finance and strategy for the company’s vodka and rum portfolios. He then spent 5 years at William Grant and Sons helping to build their field finance function as well as managing commercial strategy for Stolichnaya Vodka before moving to Edrington Americas to run the Southern US Business unit for 5 years.
Rohan Oza
Rohan Oza
Cavu Venture Partners
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Co-Founder & Managing Partner at CAVU Consumer Partners, a specialist investment firm focused on the US branded consumer sector in “better-for-you” category creators and disruptors.

Iconic Brand Builder behind three successful billion+ dollar exits, including the 2007 sale of Glaceau, maker of vitaminwater and smartwater, to Coca Cola for $4.1B. As Partner and CMO, Oza paved the way for today’s celebrity/equity model with the game-changing partnership between vitaminwater and 50 Cent.

Recurring Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank from 2017 – 2020 and was named to “Marketing 50” by AdAge in 2009. In addition to his role as ”Shark”, Oza frequents national shows like Good Morning America, Rachael Ray and Dr. Oz, among many others.
Nick Giannuzzi
Nick Giannuzzi
Humble Growth
Managing Partner
Mr. Nick Giannuzzi is a Managing Partner at Humble Growth. Mr. Giannuzzi has an over twenty-year track record advising high-growth consumer companies from founding to exit. Prior to founding Humble Growth, Mr. Giannuzzi was the Founder and Managing Partner of Giannuzzi Lewendon LLP (GL Law). GL Law is a leading law firm for high-growth consumer brands. GL Law has developed a keen understanding of the industry and has represented some of the most successful brands within the consumer industry such as Glaceau, Sir Kensington’s, Califia Farms, Krave, HappyBaby, Essentia, Orgain, BodyArmor, RXBAR, and Vital Protein. Prior to forming GL Law, Mr. Giannuzzi was a Partner at Donovan & Giannuzzi LLP from 1996 to 2010 and was an Associate at Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam and Roberts from 1992 to 1996.

Mr. Giannuzzi received a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.
Seth Goldman
Seth Goldman
Just Ice Tea
Co-Founder/CEO
Seth Goldman is Co-Founder of Eat the Change®, a planet-friendly snack and drink company that recently launched Just Ice Tea, a line of organic bottled tea to go along with the company’s Cosmic carrot snacks. Seth and his co-Founder, Celebrity Chef Spike Mendelsohn are also co-founders of PLNT Burger, a plant-based quick-serve restaurant that offers delicious burgers, fries, and soft-serve.

Seth is also the Co-founder of Honest Tea and Chair of the board of Beyond Meat. In 2023 he took on a new role as Chair of the Mission Guardians for Tony’s Chocolonely, an international chocolate company committed to creating an exploitation-free supply chain. He has been widely recognized for his entrepreneurial success and impact, including the Washington DC Business Hall of Fame, Partnership for Healthier America’s CEO of the Year, and EARTHDAY.ORG’s Climate Visionary of the year.

He is a graduate of Harvard College (1987) and the Yale School of Management (1995). Seth and his Honest Tea co-founder, Barry Nalebuff are the authors of The New York Times bestselling comic book, Mission in a bottle.
Food Service Panel
Barry Danckert
Barry Danckert
Restaurant Technologies
EVP
Barry Danckert is Executive Vice President at Restaurant Technologies and has had an impressive 30-year career, largely in the Foodservice segment and focused on Beverages. Prior to Restaurant Technologies, Barry was with The Coca-Cola Company for 24 years. In his most recent role at Coca-Cola, Barry was SVP of the Global RBI business (BK, Popeyes, Tim Horton’s and Firehouse Subs). His team launched premium lemonade into Popeyes, Simply OJ into Burger King and expanded Frozen beverages across the system. In his role Vice President of 7-Eleven International, Barry and his team launched several co-branded coffee line extensions in Asia. As Vice President of the Wendy’s North America business, his team led the expansion of Coca-Cola Freestyle across the Wendy’s system. Prior to Coca-Cola, Barry spent 3 years leading the Beverage Business at Givaudan Flavors as the VP and GM of the Beverage Business Unit for North America. At Givaudan, Barry’s team worked with Coca-Cola, Pepsico, KDP, Bacardi, Diageo and dozens of companies creating new products such as Bud Light Lime, Gatorade line extensions, and Snapple products. He began his career as a Brand Manager at Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

Barry is from Toronto, Canada. He has an Honors Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and an MBA from the University of Windsor. Barry and his wife Christine live in Atlanta with their two sons Marcus and Dylan.
Eric Blumenthal
Eric Blumenthal
Coca-Cola
SVP Foodservice Commercial and Growth
Eric has been at Coca-Cola for 17 years and currently leads the Foodservice Commercial and Growth Organization for Coca-Cola’s Foodservice and On-Premise Division in North America. In this role, he oversees Coca-Cola’s Foodservice and On-Premise Channel Strategies, Product and Equipment Innovation, Insights, Digital, Domestic and International Business Development, Inside Sales, and the Coke Lab. Before this role, Eric led Coca-Cola’s global relationship with Roark Capital and their restaurant Brands. Over his career, he has worked across North America Operating Unit in various capacities including leading our partnership with Chick-fil-A and other global Foodservice Customers. Additionally, he has worked in Foodservice Supply Chain and Operations, Franchise and Commercial Leadership, Brand Management, and Local Market Foodservice.

Eric represents Coca-Cola on the board of IFMA and sits on the Board of the Jack and Jill Late-Stage Cancer Foundation. He is also an active participant in NEXTUP and the Women’s Foodservice Forum. He has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Washington College, where he played basketball.

Away from Coke, he and his wife Brittany live in Kennesaw, GA, with their two boys, Camden (10), and Bennett (8), and twin girls Anderson (4) and Evelyn (4). Eric is an active member in his community and church. He is a self-described “Dad-Vocate” and has started a group called Legacy Makers for dads in his community, as well as a Podcast called; “Legacy Makers: A Conversation for Dads.” He enjoys family time, traveling, running, and coaching his boys’ baseball & basketball teams.
Gerard Adams
Gerard Adams
Kyowa Hakko USA
CEO/President
Gerard Adams, President and CEO of Kyowa Hakko U.S.A., is an esteemed executive with a distinguished background in legal and corporate strategy. Previously working as General Manager, Corporate Strategy at Kyowa Hakko Bio in Tokyo, Adams has a wealth of experience and a proven track record of driving growth and innovation with cross-cultural management expertise and strategic acumen. Adams holds Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business degrees from the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia, his home country. With multiple board positions in both the USA and Japan, Adams brings a global perspective to Kyowa Hakko. As CEO, Adams is entrusted with the pivotal responsibility of expanding Kyowa Hakko USA's presence in North and South America, particularly in the dietary supplement and food & beverage industries.
Michael Bellas
Michael Bellas
Beverage Marketing Corporation
Chairman & CEO
Michael C. Bellas is founder, Chairman and CEO of Beverage Marketing Corporation, a strategic research and information firm specializing in the worldwide beverage industry. Michael has been a leading spokesman, consultant, writer, editor and speaker in the beverage industry for more than 40 years. He has provided strategic and market planning counsel to most of the leading beverage companies in each of the key non-alcohol and alcohol beverage segments. He has led numerous client engagements involving domestic and international market place assessments, new growth initiatives, brand development/revitalization, market entry planning, and sales distribution strategy development.

Mr. Bellas earned a B.A. in economics from Yale University, a J.D. from Michigan Law School and an MBA from Columbia Business School where he was a McKinsey Scholar.
Justin Whitmore
Justin Whitmore
Keurig Dr.Pepper
Chief Strategy Officer
Justin Whitmore serves as Chief Strategy Officer for Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP). He is responsible for enterprise strategy, mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and venture investments.

Before joining KDP in March 2021, Justin held end-to-end strategy, venture, and general management roles at Tyson Foods, including Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer. He has also worked extensively with leading consumer packaged goods companies as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company.

Justin has previously been named to CNN’s “Risk Takers” list of the top 20 leaders pushing global business forward, featured as an “American Food Hero” by EatingWell magazine and included in Savoy magazine’s Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America and Black Enterprise magazine’s 300 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America.

Justin serves on the Board of Directors of Nutrabolt, a leader in sports nutrition and better-for-you performance beverages, and Athletic Brewing Co., the market leader in non-alcoholic craft beer, as well as on the Corporate Advisory Board of the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in Management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and his MBA from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame.
Phil Drapeau
Phil Drapeau
Keurig Dr.Pepper
SVP, Future Coffee Systems
Phil Drapeau is Senior Vice President of Future Coffee Systems for Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), leading a cross-functional team focused on technical development, commercialization, and marketing for the Company’s next-generation K-Rounds plastic-free pods and Keurig Alta brewer.

Phil previously worked in KDP’s coffee business for more than 10 years in marketing, product development, product management and transformation initiatives, with roles including SVP & GM for KDP’s away-from-home business.

His additional experience includes serving as a consultant to consumer-facing businesses on product, go-to-market and growth strategies as well as marketing roles at Welch’s and Procter & Gamble.

He holds an MBA from Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University and a BS in Marketing from Bentley University.
Joshua Schall
Joshua Schall
JS Consulting
Owner and President
Joshua Schall, MBA is a CPG industry strategist with an emphasis on the emerging and intersecting categories of functional food, beverage, and nutritional supplements. Over the last dozen years, he’s successfully built J. Schall Consulting into a world-renowned leader in growth strategies for clients that range from pre-launch to billion-dollar portfolio companies. He accredits much of this success as both a content creator and strategist to his dynamic fascination of the constantly changing consumer behaviors, which has allowed him to "see around the corner" and become a firebrand throughout the full entrepreneurial ideation to commercialization cycle.
Taylor Foxman
Taylor Foxman
The Industry Collective
Founder and CEO
Veteran beverage alcohol expert with over a decade of experience, having worked for globally recognized wine, beer and spirit companies including most recently Pernod Ricard in addition to others such as Gruppo Campari, Boston Beer, Edrington Americas, Sidney Frank, Patron Spirits and Stoli Group.

Currently Foxman serves as the Founder & CEO of The Industry Collective, the leading beverage and cannabis advisory firm for 70 emerging brands in these sectors as well as a co-host of two beverage and CPG podcasts and contributor for Rolling Stone on the convergence of culture, beverage and cannabis. She is also a Board Advisor for six venture capital firms investing in beverage, cannabis, underrepresented communities and beyond.

As of Sept 2023, joined as General Partner of New Beverage Focused Fund; (Currently raising 1st fund) and Associate Partner of CPG Focused Fund – only female in both funds.
Allison Ellworth
Allison Ellsworth
Poppi
Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer
Allison Ellsworth is the Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Poppi: a delicious, better-for-you soda made with clean ingredients. Struggling with a variety of health issues, she created Poppi after discovering the health benefits of apple cider vinegar (ACV) and experimenting in her kitchen to make it taste great. From the farmers market to a shark tank deal and now in retailers nationwide, Poppi quickly became one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic beverages in the U.S. Ellsworth leads the Austin-based beverage company’s overall brand strategy creative and innovation. She pioneered the brand’s cultural cache and digital-first approach, attracting a loyal community of over 800K followers and celebrity brand fans including Ashton Kutcher, Billie Eilish, Kylie Jenner and J.LO. Within 24 months, Poppi was awarded BevNet’s “campaign of the year”, went viral on Tiktok with 2B+ page views, and is ranked the #1 soda on Amazon.
Bill Shufelt
Bill Shufelt
Athletic Brewing Co.
Co-Founder and CEO
Bill is the Co-Founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing Company based in CT & CA. Founded in 2017, Athletic Brewing is widely credited with jumpstarting and de-stigmatizing the non-alcoholic beer segment to being the fastest growing and most exciting category in beer. Bill brought his financial background and a love of beer to a partnership with highly awarded brewer John Walker to bring Athletic to life. Bill's love of the outdoors is evident in all elements of Athletic branding.

Since launching in 2018, Athletic Brewing has grown to become a Top 15 craft brewery and the largest non-alcoholic beer brand in the U.S. In 2022, Athletic was ranked as the 26th fastest-growing private company in America by Inc. Magazine and named one of TIME’s “100 Most Influential Companies.
Ian Somerhandler
Ian Somerhandler
Actor
Ian Somerhalder, an American actor, producer, director, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, is known for his roles as “Boone Carlyle” in LOST and “Damon Salvatore”, in the famed supernatural series. “The Vampire Diaries.” He co-founded and serves as master blender of Brother's Bond Distilling Company, the company’s expert on regenerative agriculture in sustainable bourbon production. Additionally, he launched The Absorption Company, revolutionizing the supplement industry with innovative powdered supplements. Somerhalder's commitment to environmental advocacy is evident through his roles as Executive Producer and narrator of documentaries like KISS THE GROUND and COMMON GROUND, highlighting the importance of soil regeneration for climate balance.
Kendall Toole
Kendall Toole
Actor
KENDALL TOOLE is a lightning rod of energy, natural-born fighter, and dynamic athlete who knows how to harness the collective attention in any room. Kendall is a top Peloton fitness instructor, DON’T QUIT Sports Nutrition partner, community builder, mental health advocate, content creator and lifestyle entrepreneur on a purpose-driven mission to empower others.

Kendall has a background in performance and fitness, having spent time a multi-sport athlete, amateur boxer, and actress. After graduating from USC’s prestigious School of Cinematic Arts, Kendall embarked on a career in content production at a leading social media platform where she soon realized her drive to change culture and empower communities, particularly women, to step into their light. This ultimately led Kendall to her role at Peloton, which has catapulted her into pop culture stardom and viral reach on social media.

Kendall has quickly become one of the most influential names in health/fitness and has amassed a loyal fanbase through her ability to stay “Never Knocked Out.” Outside of fitness, Kendall advocates for causes close to her heart. She’s most passionate about destigmatizing mental health and standing as a change-maker for how society approaches 360 wellness. Kendall is fueled by leaving a positive mark on her riders and fans by motivating those around her to find their voice, believe in their inner strength.

Kendall has partnered with DON’T QUIT, one of the fastest growing sports nutrition brands featuring Clean / Healthy Sports Energy + Hydration Drinks, Protein Drinks, and coming soon: Adult Nutrition Shakes.

DON’T QUIT is backed by Keurig Dr. Pepper, Madison Square Garden, L Catterton, Sweetwater Private Equity and LA Libations.

DON’T QUIT’s retail footprint is expanding rapidly throughout 2024 and can be found at retail outlets including Walmart, Albertson’s, Vons, Pavilions, CVS, Ralph’s, Save Mart, Sprouts, Tops Markets as well as on Amazon.com and Walmart.com.. For more information, please visit: www.dontquit.com

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