We’re excited to brief you on Beverage Digest’s 2024 Future Smarts conference. The main event will take place on Dec. 16 in New York City, with a reception the evening of Dec. 15. The program features accomplished and knowledgeable experts in the world's most profitable beverage market.

Through a series of fast-paced interviews, panels, and presentations in a single productive day, Future Smarts will illuminate coming opportunities and challenges for our dynamic industry. Our speakers will identify urgent trends and market forces that will drive business performance during the next three to five years – and in some cases longer. 

Our goal for Future Smarts is to curate a lineup of speakers who are on the cutting edge of the most interesting story lines of the year. Here’s what to expect this year:

Coca-Cola’s Fairlife business, led by protein shake brand Core Power, has been a resounding success for the company. John Murphy, Coke’s president and CFO, played a major role in the company’s 2020 acquisition and integration of Fairlife. We’ll discuss how this and other initiatives fit into Coke’s total beverage company strategy.

PepsiCo Global Foodservice President Anne Fink won a major victory this year by closing a 10-year beverage supply agreement with Subway in the US. Her team also is collaborating with partner Celsius on the energy drink company’s foodservice strategy. We’ll take a look at how this plays into PepsiCo’s long-term growth plans.

In beverage distribution, Keurig Dr Pepper has worked to optimize and bolster its company-owned distribution system. KDP’s US Refreshment Beverages President Andrew Archambault will join us to discuss his roadmap for that effort.
 
From retail, Stuart Aitken, who is Kroger’s chief merchant and marketing officer, joins us to discuss sector and consumer trends. The retail chain is in the midst of an almost two-year merger process with Albertsons that would create the country’s largest supermarket chain.

In the world of beverage distribution, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling CEO Bill O’Brien continues to develop one of the Coke system’s largest bottlers. Reyes' parent company also is the country’s largest beer distributor at a time of rapid non-alcohol and alcohol sector convergence. We’ll get his thoughts on how the industry is uncovering opportunity, and we’ll get his ground level perspective on product, consumer, and retail trends.
 
Speaking of blurred lines between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, Dave Burwick has been at the epicenter of the trend. He recently retired from a stint as CEO of Sam Adams and Twisted Tea maker Boston Beer, which also produces and markets Hard Mtn Dew. Burwick has experience with non-alcoholic Mtn Dew, too, as a former PepsiCo North America CMO. We’ll discuss what he learned in the trenches.

Olipop Co-founder Ben Goodwin could be considered the father of “gut soda,” an emerging carbonated soft drink segment that has been responsible for much of the broader category’s growth in recent years. Olipop has been a changemaker in the segment, grabbing the attention of both consumers and major soft drink companies alike. We’ll explore where this product trend is heading next and what drives consumer demand in the world of alternative sodas.

And, finally, we’ll dive deep into the beverage industry with our always popular Wall Street analyst panel featuring Goldman Sachs Managing Director Bonnie Herzog, Barclays Managing Director, CHPC & Beverages Analyst, Lauren Lieberman, and RBC Capital Markets Managing Director Nik Modi.
 
 Stay tuned for more announcements.

Remember also that the day will include an announcement of winners in our 2024 Beverage Digest Awards. This is a fast way to catch up on the breadth of innovation in our industry.

So, are you ready to get a jump on next year? If you haven’t registered, secure your seat now.

We can’t wait to see you.

Duane Stanford
 Editor & Publisher