Driven to change the ways we revel, Jen Batchelor brought her expertise of Ayurvedic practice, psychology, neuroscience, circadian rhythms, & quantum physics to concoct a tonic that would be the response to a long-unanswered need. She founded Kin Euphorics in 2017, bottling and canning a brain-powering combination of adaptogens, nootropics, and botanicals for anytime enjoyment. As the first Latinx woman to raise over $15 million in venture capital for a beverage brand, Jen has transformed Kin into a movement. The scientific foremother and pioneer of the nonalcoholic & consumables wellness category, Jen is forever dedicated to innovating for the betterment of all.

Jamie is a 15x Guinness world record holder and the founder of ACTIPH Water, launching in 2017 as the first alkaline ionised water in UK and are now exporting to 30 countries worldwide and are the market leader of the alkaline water category in Europe. Currently the no.1 selling water in the natural channel, no.1 selling food & drink item in Holland & Barrett, no.1 selling water on Amazon and was on the Tesco Incubator programme in 2022. Partnering with some of the biggest fitness events in Europe such as Hyrox, Tough Mudder, Spartan, Cross Fit, Run Through and have partnered with Disney’s Marvel Studios for Thor Love and Thunder in 2022 and Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024. ACTIPH is a lifestyle brand encouraging and enabling consumers to live active lives through healthier hydration.

Work

1996-2006 - Unilever, Varying roles across Sales and Marketing

2006-2010 - General Manager Rosslyn Park F.C. (Rugby Union)

2010-2015 - Unilever, Asda followed by Out of Home Ice Cream Channel and Strategy Controller (Walls and Ben & Jerry’s)

2015 to Present – Managing Director Cawston Press

Loves

Rugby, ice cream and apples!

Family

Happily married with 3 children

Hobbies

- Sport (any)

- Spending time with family and friends

- Long walks or cycle rides in the countryside

- Experimenting in the garden

Flemming Morth is Head of Center of Innovation at Royal Swinkels Family Brewers, known for its iconic brands like Bavaria 0.0, PALM, 8.6, Cornet and Habesha. He is responsible for building a strong innovation pipeline, improving time to market, fostering and commercializing new growth opportunities. He graduated from Aalborg University in Denmark with a Master’s degree in International Business. Flemming has successfully developed and launched innovations, new brands and new business models in various industries. He is passionate about rethinking marketing and innovation to help customers better achieve their goals.

David founded The REAL Drinks Co. in 2016 to create high-quality non-alcoholic beverages. After two years of development, REAL launched a series of non-alcoholic sparklings that gained a following among top sommeliers in the UK and Europe and is now a leading brand in the no&lo sector. Following his success, David has expanded his focus to include the broader non-alc drinks category, working with partners to develop a range of fermented drinks.

A manufacturing engineer by training, David spent ten years in strategy consulting, primarily with Bain & Co. He has been part of the founding team of disruptive start-ups like Active Hotels, Tom Dixon, Mindshapes, and Clippings.com. His passion for food, growing, regenerative food systems and sustainable health inspired his move into drinks and the creation of The REAL Drinks Co.

Tim Blake is a seasoned drinks professional whose passion for the world of beverages has defined his remarkable journey. Born into a family deeply ingrained in the bar trade, Tim’s connection to the industry was established from the very beginning. His lifelong fascination with the art of mixology and his unquenchable thirst for knowledge led him to become a trailblazer in the world of beverages. Tim Blake’s journey from a bartender’s apprentice to a beverage luminary is a testament to his unyielding passion, relentless pursuit of excellence, and unwavering dedication to the art of drinks. His innovative spirit, combined with his deep respect for tradition, has left an indelible mark on the industry, inspiring both seasoned professionals and aspiring enthusiasts alike.

Emma Thackray is the co-founder of Hip Pop, one of the UK’s fastest-growing challenger soft drink brands. She launched the business in 2019 with a clear goal: to make better-for-you drinks that taste great, without sweeteners or artificial ingredients. Hip Pop uses real fruit, live cultures and functional ingredients to deliver bold flavour with real benefits.

Before founding Hip Pop, Emma led Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in the UK, she now brings that same purpose-driven approach to disrupting the soft drinks space.

Hip Pop’s award-winning sodas and kombuchas are stocked in major retailers including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons M&S, and Co-op. Under Emma’s leadership, the brand has won multiple Great Taste Awards and been recognised for its rapid growth and innovation.

For Emma, it is not just about what goes into your drink. It is about choosing better, feeling better and enjoying every sip.

Rory Paterson has spent the past decade working across some of Europe’s fastest-growing and most innovative functional drinks brands. He is currently CEO and Co-Founder of XOXO Soda, Europe’s largest prebiotic soda company, focused on bringing flavour-led, gut-friendly drinks to a broader audience. With a background in brand building and commercial strategy, Rory is interested in how changing consumer habits are shaping the future of soft drinks — from moderation to functionality.

A fermentation expert, author & founder of L.A Brewery.  Louise worked in the creative industry for 10 years before discovering her love for fermentation.  She started her first kombucha business in her kitchen in 2013, published her first drinks fermentation book in 2016 and launched L.A Brewery in 2017.  Louise is currently the Creative Director for L.A Brewery, writing her second book and teaches fermentation classes in her spare time.

Over a decade of experience in Marketing working for FMCG companies like: Nestle, Danone, AB InBev and Asahi leading strategic across various markets.

Louise Fitzpatrick is Strategic Growth Manager for HEINEKEN Globally, with a focus on growth opportunities outside of core beer. She has worked for HEINEKEN for over 11 years, across various roles and functions, in both Dublin and Amsterdam. In previous roles, she was responsible for fuelling consumer centricity by adopting future proof tools and capabilities. She also led the roll out of the organisation’s Global Demand Space framework, and was a key instigator of the company’s expansion into Low and No Alcohol beverages.  Prior to HEINEKEN, Louise held a number of roles in innovation and media agencies, as well as a stint as Insights Manager for Tourism Ireland.

As Head of Compliance at the WSTA Kelly deals with compliance and food regulatory matters. She leads on low and no which includes acting as secretariat to the WSTA’s Low and No Working Group, a group formed to support WSTA members in producing, labelling and promoting LoNo alcohol products in the UK. Kelly also acts as secretariat for the Retail of Alcohol Standards Group, The British Wine and Made Wine Producers Committee and the Direct-To-Consumer Committee. Her background is as a Trading Standards Officer, and she enjoyed running her own Food Labelling Consultancy business prior to joining the WSTA in 2017.

Todd holds an MBA from the University of Manitoba. His career in brand and innovation has included living in Toronto, Geneva, Singapore and Hong Kong working with research giants Nielsen and YouGov and more recently C&C Group on the producer side. Todd joined the Ai Palette- Globaldata team in early 2025

His client work has included engagements with Starbucks, Heineken, Pernod Ricard, Dannon, Lidl, Ferrero, Disney, HSBC and The British Olympic Association

Will Blackett brings over 25 years of Drinks, Retail and Foodservice experience to GlobalData. Prior to joining GlobalData, Will worked clientside at Sainsbury's, McDonald's and Heineken, working in various innovation, brand and commercial roles. Will also has extensive consultancy experience, leading a global vertical at Dunnhumby and heading the Consumer division of Savanta, a full-service insight agency, where he partnered with some of the world's largest drinks companies.

Mandy leads consumer lifestyle content at Stylus, a remit that comprises food & beverage as well as hospitality & leisure, consumer attitudes, and technology. A prolific writer, editor, content strategist and innovation expert, Mandy is passionate about helping brands achieve their commercial ambitions while also making a positive impact.

A seasoned public speaker, Mandy has unveiled fresh trends intelligence at events including SXSW London, The World Retail Congress and Food Matters Live. You’ll also find her insights featured in the press, in publications like The Times, HuffPost, and Food & Beverage Magazine.

I am focused on MAKING IT EASY FOR MY CUSTOMER TO SUCCEED. I am passionate about creating success all around me. My career path has led my on an amazing journey through R&D, Operations, Business Intelligence, Product Management, Marketing, Sales, Business Development and now in Senior Leadership of a multi-billion dollar packaging company. This path has given me an understanding of the many challenges faced by all aspects of the businesses and allowed me to understand that everyone has their unique challenges. Born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri (USA) area I have three sons and a daughter (two sets of twins) and an amazing wife, Megan. Not much free time but I do enjoy playing and coaching soccer (thats football for all the non-Americans) and DIY.

Leads strategy and business development at Trivium Packaging, driving growth and positioning the company for its next phase of expansion. Passionate about spotting niche opportunities early and helping bring new products to life. Brings a background in strategy consulting at KPMG, combining analytical rigor with a hands-on approach to turning ideas into successful launches.

Sustainability professional with 10+ years of experience in ESG reporting, stakeholder engagement, purpose-driven brand strategy and consulting. Currently at Trivium Packaging, leads sustainability reporting (CDP, GRI, CSRD) and thought leadership initiatives, helping to position the company as a relevant player driving circular economy practices. Previously at HEINEKEN, managed communications for the company’s global “Brew a Better World” strategy, aligning messaging with corporate sustainability goals.

Experienced R&D Director with deep passion for the flavour industry and broad experiences across several multinational companies including Sensient, Kerry and now McCormick Flavour Division. Driven by a dynamic, inspired, entrepreneurial, disruptive, trusting, collaborative, purposeful, excellence-obsessed approach to spark the R&D engine for Business value creation and Company's growth.

From humble beginnings selling lemonade at just seven years old in San Francisco's projects, Angelique discovered that the key to winning ideas lies in a deep understanding of culture. This revelation propelled her 25-year journey to define the cultural shifts that unlock award-winning brand innovations for industry giants like Starbucks, Nike, Coca-Cola, Formula-1, and McDonald's.

Today, Angelique is a thought partner for FTSE 100, Fortune 500 companies, and Universities. With an MBA in Strategic Marketing and Innovation from Cranfield School of Management, Angelique continues to inspire and transform brands with her insightful, purpose-driven approach.

With The Mighty Shed, Angelique invites you to explore the leading edge of pleasure and wellbeing to uncover new insights and opportunities that will ignite your imagination and innovation pipeline.

Konstantin Schwarzkopf is a pioneer in the use of digital printing technology for beverage cans in Europe. As NOMOQ’s Head of Design, he blends his expertise in digital illustration with a meticulous eye for detail to create striking, brand-driven can designs. With a rich background in graphic design and packaging, Konstantin is dedicated to transforming brand stories into vibrant, eye-catching visuals. His innovative approach ensures that every NOMOQ can stands out on the shelf and resonates with consumers. Under his guidance, NOMOQ has earned industry recognition, including the Canmaker “Can of the Year” and the Brassinov awards, as well as numerous shared awards alongside valued customers.

Dave Rigby has been leading NOMOQ UK’s expansion since June 2023, playing a crucial role in the launch of its FSSC 22000 and ISO 9001 facility in Leamington Spa. Formerly the Managing Director of Alcohol Solutions Limited, Dave brings extensive expertise in developing and scaling bespoke beverage brands. His entrepreneurial background and comprehensive industry knowledge enable him to provide innovative, high-quality packaging solutions that help brands stand out. Dave’s focus at NOMOQ is on creating real value for clients through smart, tailored packaging innovations.

As a global insights manager at Kerry, Christina creates actionable insights that fuel successful innovation. With over 10 years of experience in the food industry, she has developed a keen understanding of the consumer research, needs, preferences and behaviours that shape the global food and drink industry. She has a passion for design thinking, innovation, foresight, and trends.

Thomas Stone is steeped in experience on how sellers sell, and how to help them sell more, better, faster. Tom has spent over a decade in SaaS enterprise sales and has led Pitcher's Sales team since 2021.

Taedza Ratuschny is a food application technologist at Gelita, specializing in the development of collagen-based ingredients for the beverage industry. With a solid background in product and process engineering, she brings a practical and research-driven approach to innovation in functional ingredients. She consistently integrates science-based technologies that effectively align the needs of manufacturers with the expectations of today’s health-conscious consumers.

Emily works closely with customers and flavourists melding her creativity to provide bespoke application support across the full spectrum of beverages. With skills ranging from testing new flavourings suitability to complete beverage development, Emily leads the team advising brands and shaping industry tastes. Emily is well placed to help new and existing brands create their defining flavour.

Kirsty has been with Nactarome Ltd for the last two years, working within the Beverage and Sweet sector to support customer growth and development. My Focus is on building strong relationships, understanding customer challenges and delivering innovative flavour solutions.

Will spent the first half of his career working in craft beer production, including a tenure as head brewer, before moving to service the beer industry and beyond with technical sales of hop products. Now managing sweet and beverage business line at Nactarome UK he is well equipped to bring added value solutions to beverage manufacturers with Nactarome’s capabilities in innovative flavours and ingredients.

As Customer Engagement Manager for DS Smith, an International Paper company, and leading global provider of sustainable fibre-based packaging, Amy works with the biggest names both on the high street and behind the scenes.

Amy has a wealth of experience in FMCG both here in the UK, Europe and the USA. She has worked as a Brand Manager, Marketing Manager, Commercial Manager and Technical Manager; bringing a varied skillset to support customers on their sustainable packaging journeys.  From utilising psychology to increase consumer appeal and understanding the nuances of the retail space and supply chain, to navigating a complex sustainability landscape and the challenges and opportunities of packaging legislation.

Supporting (literally) your no and low drink to reach your customer, and tell your story, through every step of its journey!

• Witek has 24 years of experience combining investment banking and biotechnology
• Has previously launched 6 companies as a non-executive founder
• He spent the first seven years of his career in biotechnology in the San Francisco Bay Area, working for Celera Corporation and Theravance Biopharma
• PhD candidate University of California Berkeley, Bioorganic Chemistry
• MBA, Columbia University/IESE

Tim O’Neill is Chief Operating Officer at SōRSE Technology, where he is responsible for the day-to-day execution of their corporate strategy, helping position them as the global leader in water soluble cannabinoids. He joined SōRSE following ten years as an officer in the British Army, where he enjoyed a broad range of roles from policy to counter insurgency operations. He has worked with military, civic and commercial partners in Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa and South East Asia.

Tom Cleghorn is a senior category and strategy professional with over 15 years’ experience in the global beverage industry, spanning premium wine, beer, and flavours with companies including Asahi UK and Treasury Wine Estates. He now leads European beverage category development at Synergy Flavours, partnering with customers to identify growth opportunities and support successful new product development.

Jill is the Applications Manager at Synergy Flavours, heading up a team of application technologists working across multiple categories.

Jill has a love of food and drink, with a focus on taste and flavour. She studied Food Science at the University of Leeds and started work in the food industry in 2002 at what was then Cadbury Schweppes. She was fascinated by flavours and started her career in the flavour industry in 2003.

Within the flavour industry Jill has worked as an applications technologist across the sweet and beverage categories, developing a real passion for beverage. After extensive training in the area, the focus of her work has been on beverages since 2008.

Jill joined Synergy Flavours in 2019 and she loves to collaborate on beverage projects with our customers.

Autistic Inventor Ben Branson pioneered creating the non-alcoholic category with Seedlip, the world’s first & best-selling distilled non-alcoholic spirit. The category is now worth $13bn+. Ben has since launched Pollen Projects an independent, first of its kind venture studio dedicated to the moderation movement and their first two projects are live; Award-winning seasn cocktails bitters & Sylva - the world’s first sonic aged spirit <0.5%. Ben is also the founder of neurodivergence charity The Hidden 20% & hosts their podcast.

Over three decades, Jonathan's role has evolved from a graphic designer of packaging to what can best be described now as a designer of futures as he looks to fulfil a broader role that inspires confidence for change and progress for people and the planet.

Day-to-day, as Co-Founder and Group Creative Director, his role sees him nurture high-level relationships with like-minded clients and senior creatives, sharing executive creative thinking above and beyond the needs of a specific project to make a broader impact.

He is a passionate advocate for the role great ideas and design play in adding value, igniting progress, and making a positive impact on brands, industry, and the world. From working with entrepreneurial brand founders to mentoring young talent, both within and outside of the business, he is committed to challenging and inspiring others to push the limits of creative potential.

Rosalind is a Strategy Director at Pearlfisher with over 12 years of experience in leading design agencies across London and New York. Her expertise spans the drinks sector, partnering with global icons such as Pernod Ricard, Suntory Spirits, and Edrington, as well as supporting independents to define and grow their impact. She is focused on unlocking growth for brands through strategic problem-solving and uncovering breakthrough opportunities in brand creation, positioning, and NPD innovation.