Just Drinks presents: The 13th Innovation in Non-Alcoholic Beverages Conference 2024

24 - 25

September

2024
  • Pullman London St Pancras
  • Ticketed
  • Why attend?
  • Agenda
  • Speakers
  • Plan Your Visit
  • Event Gallery
  • Sponsors
  • Media Centre
  • Partner with us
  • Contact Us

Why attend?

What to expect for 2024

100+

Attendees to meet each year

15+

Exhibitors to meet each year

20+

Speakers

75%

Attendees at Director+ level

100+

Attendees to meet each year

15+

Exhibitors to meet each year

20+

Speakers

75%

Attendees at Director+ level

Find out what you could be a part of:

Agenda

  • 24 Sep 2024
  • 25 Sep 2024
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Streams

Stream one

PRODUCT INNOVATION & INGREDIENTS

Stream two

SUSTAINABILITY & TECHNOLOGY

11:30 AM

Case study: Analysing an industry leading sustainability initiatives

  • How are brands proceeding to comply with upcoming sustainability regulations
  • Examples of sustainability initiatives that have been implemented
  • How would deposit return schemes work in theory and practice
  • Are investments into sustainability initiatives reflected on the bottom line?

12 PM

Available for sponsorship

12:30 PM

Case study: Innovation in packaging, labelling and branding

  • Effectively communicating your brand through packaging and labelling
  • Key steps taken in deciding how to deliver a sustainable product
  • The future of sustainable packaging and the technologies that are helping brands reduce carbon footprint

1 PM

Spotlight: Available for sponsorship

1:15 PM

Lunch and networking

2:15 PM

Case study: Understanding how AI can be effectively utilized for various applications

  • Utilising AI technologies to improve customer experience
  • Pitfalls of AI in marketing
  • Using machine learning to recommend flavours to customers based on their preferences and responses to questions
  • Crystal ball gazing: How will AI affect the beverages industry as we move forward?

2:45 PM

Available for sponsorship

8 AM

Registration

8:50 AM

Chair’s opening remarks

Speakers

Mark Dempsey
Senior Consulting Director – Global, GlobalData

9 AM

Opening keynote: Where is the focus in innovation in 2024 and beyond in the beverage industry?

  • How are evolving consumer preferences and tastes driving NPD
  • Innovation in RTDs - convenience, energy, flavour, function
  • New market entrants – how congested is the competitive marketplace
  • Reviewing which categories have performed the best
  • What will the next generation of beverages look like?

9:30 AM

Available for sponsorship

10 AM

Case study: Journey from launch to now, what’s the next big goal

  • Founding a drinks start up - a case study
  • How to grow a drinks brand bootstrapped
  • Whether to grow product range or improve current range
  • How to crack international markets

Speakers

Julia Kessler
Co-Founder & CEO - Nix&Kix

10:30 AM

Results from recent market research with consumers

Senior representative, Toluna

11 AM

Morning refreshments and networking

11:30 AM

What’s hot in functional drinks?

  • Product formulation: Balancing positive nutrition, sugar reduction and taste
  • Functional/Clean/Health means different things to consumers. How do consumers perceive these slogans?
  • How does a functional drink feature in a consumer’s daily life?
  • What is the key driver behind the purchase of a functional beverage
  • Innovating with CBD in the soft drinks category

Speakers

Mark Wilford
Category Controller, Boost Drinks

12 PM

Available for sponsorship

12:30 PM

Panel discussion: Ingredients that address consumer health requirements

  • What key ingredients and health benefits do consumers want?
  • Key health benefits: Sugar reduction, calorie reduction and immune boosting vitamins
  • Sugars and sweeteners – are these healthy and what are the alternatives?

Speakers

Mark Wilford
Category Controller, Boost Drinks

1 PM

Spotlight: Available for sponsorship

1:15 PM

Lunch and networking

2:15 PM

Using natural ingredients to enhance taste, flavour and health benefits

  • Challenges and opportunities when using only natural ingredients
  • Ensuring minimal additives and artificial ingredients
  • How do consumers perceive genuine high-quality products on the market with natural ingredients?
  • Which ingredients are trailblazing the future of the beverage industry?

2:45 PM

NPD through natural food colours

Senior representative, Oterra

3:15 PM

Afternoon refreshments and networking

3:45 PM

Spotlight: Available for sponsorship

4 PM

Panel discussion: Dealing with the cost-of-living crises

  • How has consumer spending on non-alc. beverages been affected?
  • Brand experiences: The effect of rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis on drinks industry
  • Logistics challenges in the current economic climate
  • How have on-trade and off-trade sales been performing?
  • Are consumers favouring more premium products in a shift from quantity to quality?

Speakers

Tim Blake
Co-Founder and Commercial Director - CROSSIP
Julia Kessler
Co-Founder & CEO - Nix&Kix

4:30 PM

Available for sponsorship

5 PM

GlobalData Insights: Analysing key trends in the beverages industry through cutting-edge data

  • The latest consumer trends and preferences in non-alcoholic beverages
  • Understanding the consumer mindset - Eastern Europe versus Western Europe
  • Consumer trends and preferences in the Middle East
  • Forecasted growth of low and non-alcoholic spirits, beers and RTD cocktails
  • How has the consumer purchasing habits evolved - on versus off trade?

Speakers

Mark Dempsey
Senior Consulting Director – Global, GlobalData

5:30 PM

Closing keynote: Retailers – buyer side perspectives

  • What gives retailers confidence when considering a new drink, what KPI’s inspire confidence?
  • How are functional drinks positioning themselves within retailers
  • Shelf space and aisle strategies at retailers
  • Ensuring your brand stands out within a retail space

6 PM

Chairman’s closing remarks

Speakers

Mark Dempsey
Senior Consulting Director – Global, GlobalData

6:05 PM

Drinks reception

7:05 PM

End of day one

8 AM

Registration

8:50 AM

Chair’s opening remarks

Speakers

Mark Dempsey
Senior Consulting Director – Global, GlobalData

9 AM

Opening keynote: The rise of nootropic drinks

In the fast-paced world we live in today consumers are looking for ways to improve their mental performance and enhance their well-being. The recent rise in the popularity of nootropic drinks, which are non-alcoholic beverages, are designed to boost cognitive function.

  • Are nootropics the future of non-alcoholic beverages?
  • Key ingredients that enhance cognitive function and mental performance
  • Nootropics versus adaptogens – identifying key differences
  • Breaking down consumers and age groups that favour nootropics
  • Which nootropics drinks have been most successful on the market?
  • Future growth outlook for nootropics

9:30 AM

Available for sponsorship

10 AM

Panel discussion: Innovation in non-alc. spirits

  • How is the category evolving?
  • New flavours and ingredients that meet consumer tastes and preferences
  • The key role non-alcoholic spirits play in offering choice to consumers
  • Is there a need for functional non-alcoholic spirits?
  • Premiumization of non-alcoholic spirits

Speakers

Craig Hutchison
Founder And CEO, Mindful Brands

Available for sponsorship

11 AM

Morning refreshments and networking

11:30 AM

Speaker hosted roundtables

Interactive roundtable sessions offer a unique opportunity to come together with your peers to share best practice and develop solutions to critical challenges facing the industry as a whole. Hosted by industry experts and each focused on a single issue, roundtables are an exciting, interactive way to build your personal network and learn from the experience and expertise of others.

Each roundtable session lasts for 40 minutes, and delegates may attend up to 2 roundtables.

ROUNDTABLE 1: A GUIDED TASTING ’SAFARI'

Hosted By: Laura Willoughby, Co-founder Club Soda

 

ROUNDTABLE 2: Available for sponsorship

 

ROUNDTABLE 3: Available for sponsorship

Speakers

Laura Willoughby
Co-Founder - Club Soda

12:50 PM

Lunch and networking

1:50 PM

Premiumisation in non-alc. beverages

  • Premiumisation of non-alc. beverages category and how it’s evolving
  • Commitments to quality and sustainability that makes a difference
  • Consumer profile and purchasing behaviours
  • What goes into creating a premium product and experience
  • Enhancing the consumer experience through premium packaging

2:20 PM

Available for sponsorship

2:50 PM

Panel discussion: Variety of healthy drinks on the market – what makes them unique?

  • What is driving consumers to try new healthy drinks?
  • Analysing the role of Kombucha
  • The latest innovations in energy drinks
  • Supermarket health and wellness area - How are supermarkets evolving to showcase these products?

3:20 PM

Spotlight: Available for sponsorship

3:35 PM

Closing keynote: The story of a disruptive brand – rising to the challenge

  • Standing out in a saturated market
  • Carving out market share while competing with big brands
  • Identify gaps and opportunities in the market
  • Strategic marketing and creativity - creating a loyal consumer base
  • Key role digital strategies play in connecting with target consumers
  • Creating a long lasting and memorable brand

Speakers

Tim Blake
Co-Founder and Commercial Director - CROSSIP

4:05 PM

Chairman’s closing remarks

Speakers

Mark Dempsey
Senior Consulting Director – Global, GlobalData

4:10 PM

End of conference

Speakers

Select a speaker to learn more

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Julia Kessler
Co-Founder & CEO - Nix&Kix

Julia Kessler is the co founder and CEO of Nix & Kix, a multi-award winning adult soft drinks brand. A hint of cayenne is added to great tasting fruit flavours, for a clean refreshment.

 

Nix & Kix has built the company from zero to over 1,000 stockists across the UK and international, along with a diverse distribution network spanning retail and foodservice.

 

Julia’s experience consists of 12 years is in Supply Chain Operations and Program Management in the Hi-Tech industry. She has led numerous business process improvements across multiple regions as well as leading various cross-functional and international teams.

Session Details:

Case study: Journey from launch to now, what’s the next big goal

2024-09-24, 10:00 AM

Session Details:

Panel discussion: Dealing with the cost-of-living crises

2024-09-24, 4:00 PM

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Rachael Matthews
Head of Product, TRIP
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Mark Wilford
Category Controller, Boost Drinks

Session Details:

What’s hot in functional drinks?

2024-09-24, 11:30 AM

Session Details:

Panel discussion: Ingredients that address consumer health requirements

2024-09-24, 12:30 PM

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Tim Blake
Co-Founder and Commercial Director - CROSSIP

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.

Session Details:

Panel discussion: Dealing with the cost-of-living crises

2024-09-24, 4:00 PM

Session Details:

Closing keynote: The story of a disruptive brand – rising to the challenge

2024-09-25, 3:35 PM

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Laura Willoughby
Co-Founder - Club Soda

Laura Willoughby MBE is the founder of the world’s largest mindful drinking movement, Club Soda, and the UK’s foremost expert in low and no alcoholic drinks.  Club Soda runs the new Low & No Tasting Rooms in Covent Garden. 

 

Laura was named number 16 in 2023’s Drinks Retailing’s latest Top 100 Most Influential People in Drink, one of the 100 most influential women in hospitality by CODE, and is a Trustee for The Drinks Trust. The Club Soda Tasting Room was Drink Retailing’s Independent Retailer of the year 2023. 

 

Receiving an MBE for services to the community in 2004, Laura’s devotion to Club Soda means hundreds of thousands of people are supported in their journeys to live well by being more mindful about drinking alcohol. 

Session Details:

Speaker hosted roundtables

2024-09-25, 11:30 AM

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Craig Hutchison
Founder And CEO, Mindful Brands

As a previous drinks industry executive, Craig developed the strategy, built the structure, & implemented the RTM & brand plans for Pernod Ricard's charge into Africa. Before that he was Strategy Director for Absolut, Malibu and Kahlua, driving the strategic plan & brand development strategy.

Since leaving the drinks world in 2015 he has been involved in business process outsourcing to Africa, setting up a values-based, people management web-platform, and consulting. He also presents on futurology; how our lives are going to change dramatically over the coming decades.

Early 2017, Craig (South African) and his wife Maria (Swedish) discovered a magical valley, home to many intriguing botanicals, in the Cederberg mountains, just north of Cape Town. The valley, which they now co-own, inspired them to distil rare Cape & classic gin botanicals, and then blend with pristine Swedish water. The result is CEDER'S, a distilled non-alcoholic alt-gin, your Everyday Escape.

Craig also launched CELTIC SOUL in July 2019, a distilled non-alcoholic dark spirit, and has a few more brands in the pipeline, including a non-alcoholic rum and a CBD Botanical Spirit. Watch this space.

Session Details:

Panel discussion: Innovation in non-alc. spirits

2024-09-25, 10:00 AM

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Mark Dempsey
Senior Consulting Director – Global, GlobalData

Mark brings over 20 years experience in the foodservice, retail and FMCG sectors to GlobalData.  Mark joined the GlobalData team in 2017 following 5 years living in Canada where he was an insights leader for PepsiCo and strategy consulting leader for the NPD group.   In his role at GlobalData, Mark brings bold thought-leadership to global partners across the manufacturer, retailer and distributor segments; always striving to find new ways to create growth by positively influencing shopper behaviour.

Mark brings significant FMCG knowledge and expertise to the conference having led research around the world on topics from shopper segmentation, to category market sizing to innovation planning and the study of global best practices.

Mark will be chairing the conference whilst sharing his views on the changing nature of next generation product offerings, the demands and expectations of today’s consumer, and the innovations and trends that will shape the future…

Session Details:

Chair’s opening remarks

2024-09-24, 8:50 AM

Session Details:

GlobalData Insights: Analysing key trends in the beverages industry through cutting-edge data

2024-09-24, 5:00 PM

Session Details:

Chairman’s closing remarks

2024-09-24, 6:00 PM

Session Details:

Chair’s opening remarks

2024-09-25, 8:50 AM

Session Details:

Chairman’s closing remarks

2024-09-25, 4:05 PM

View In Agenda

Social Links:

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Plan Your Visit

Venue

Pullman London St Pancras

100 - 110 Euston Rd., London NW1 2AJ

Arena International Events Group “(Arena”) is aware of numerous third party agencies which are contacting Arena’s customers and purporting to have access to hotel room bookings and events attendee lists. It is unclear whether the agencies in question are in possession of such information, or whether they intend to scam unsuspecting customers. Whilst Arena International Events Group pursues such third party companies for their potentially illicit activity, Arena encourages you to be cautious in engaging with such third party agencies and Arena shall not accept any responsibility for any losses incurred by you should you choose to engage with third parties that have no affiliation to Arena International Events Group.

Sponsors

Select a sponsor to learn more

Session Sponsors

Roundtable Sponsors

Exhibitors

Networking Sponsors

Partner with us

Your brand will be in direct contact with end users who need to explore solutions and new offerings that tailor to consumer trends within a wide range of beverage categories such as juice, water, tea, energy drinks, no and low, carbonated, and other.

This conference presents a vital chance for you to engage with decision-makers, demonstrate your solution’s value proposition in an intimate, industry-specific environment, and help you cut through the noise of your competitors.

 

Contact us to become a partner

 

Partnership Opportunities

We work with you to design a bespoke package to meet your business needs, where you could:

  • Demonstrate your expertise on the agenda – have the attention of the entire audience. For greatest impact, why not position your talk before a networking break and immediately conduct follow up conversations with highly engaged attendees
  • Showcase your business and its services at an exhibition booth, which provides a perfect meeting place for prospective new clients
    Present the value proposition of your offering over your competitors, in front of an audience of active, engaged potential customers
  • Speak with key decision makers as part of our intimate, interactive roundtable style workshop sessions with over 8 hours allowed for networking

Event reach

 

  • 150+ attendees each year
  • 80% attendees C-suite level

 

Take a look at our current sponsors

Media Centre

MEDIA PARTNERS

Become A Partner

Enquiry

Contact Us

SPONSORSHIP ENQUIRIES

Ben Gemmell

Head of Consumer Portfolio

+44 207 661 8841

SPEAKER ENQUIRIES

Alfred Mani

Conference Producer

+44 (0)20 4540 7582

MARKETING ENQUIRIES

Monica Chan

Marketing Manager

SPONSORSHIP Enquiries

To enquire about sponsorship opportunities for the conference, please contact:

Ben Gemmell

Head of Consumer Portfolio


+(44) 207 661 8841

SPEAKER Enquiries

To enquire about speaking opportunities for the conference, please contact:

Alfred Mani

Conference Producer


+44 (0)20 4540 7582