New York, NY, September 9, 2009— Often viewed as the land of opportunity by drinks brands, the American beverage alcohol market is one of the largest in the world, but is also one of the most difficult for suppliers to penetrate. The 3rd annual U.S. Drinks Conference 2009 scheduled for NYC Oct. 13 and 14 is designed to directly address that issue. The conference is a comprehensive guide for beverage alcohol brands to learn how to navigate the complexities of the U.S. wine, spirits and beer market.
Major hurdles suppliers face include the “Three-Tier System”, distributor consolidation, and a highly competitive marketplace. Understanding how to work within this system can make the difference between success and failure for beverage alcohol brands.
The format will include panel keynote speakers, and panel discussions with audience Q & A to respond to the specific and practical needs of the attending delegates.
The speaker list this year includes a wide range of key industry executives representing suppliers, distributors, independent and chain off and on-premise retailers, as well as participants from regulatory agencies including the TTB and the NY State Liquor Authority:
Spirits Panel Discussion: What Made These Brand Introductions Successful
- Ted Roman, SVP Sales, Wm. Grant & Sons USA
- Steve Luttmann, President, Leblon Cachaca
- Rob Cooper, President, St. Germain
- Mark Teasdale, President, Proximo Spirits
Internet Panel Discussion: What’s All this Talk about Social Media Marketing
- Derek Bromley, Wine Industry Consultant
- Paul Mabray, Chief Strategy Officer, VinTank
- Peter Spande, Senior Vice President, Federated Media
Beer Panel Discussion: Strategies for Building Beer Brands and Competing with the Majors
- Derek Stone, Commercial Director, Boston Beer
- Chris Steffanci, Senior Vice President, Heineken USA
- Curt Cameron, President, Thomas Hooker Brewing
Distributor Panel Discussion: How does a New Supplier Develop a Relationship with a Distributor
- Bruce Levine, Vice President Sales Strategies, The Charmer Sunbelt Group
- Jeff Altschuler, Chief Executive Officer, Allied Beverage Group
- John Malone, Sales Manager, Genesis Brands Division
Regulatory Panel Discussion: Legal Do’s, Don’ts and How To’s
- Vincent O’Brien, Senior Counsel, Nixon Peabody
- William Foster, Assistant Administrator, Headquarters Operations, TTB
- Thomas Donohue, Counsel to the Authority, NY State Liquor Authority
Wine Panel Discussion: How to Enter the U.S. Market
- Leonardo LoCascio, President, Winebow
- Mike Holden, Senior Vice President Sales, Foster’s Group
- Lauren Simkin, President of Wines, Pernod Ricard
On-Premise Panel Discussion: Working with Bars and Restaurants at the National Account, Regional Chain and Independent Operator Levels
- Michael Waterhouse, Owner, Dylan Prime; President CEO, Drink Tank LTD
- Josh Kaiser, Partner, The Pink Elephant; Operations Director, Griffin NYC
- Mark Grossich, Owner & Chief Executive, Hospitality Holdings, Inc
Off-Premise Panel Discussion: How do it get on the Store Shelf o Burt Notarius, Prime Wines and Spirits
- Chris Adams, Chief Executive Officer, Sherry-Lehmann
- Mike Berkoff, Chief Executive Officer, BevMax International, Inc
This is an invaluable, focused symposium that should not be missed.
Click here for details on registration, agenda and speakers at the US Drinks Conference
