2023 Access LIVE Schedule

This competition rewards excellence in taste and provides opportunities for new and existing brands to earn recognition that will boost their profile during the show and lend credibility to their products for years to come. New this year– the competition will be completed before the show begins so brands can have bragging rights throughout their entire Access LIVE journey!

Sponsored By:

Note: Must schedule set-up in advance

Sponsored By:

This competition rewards excellence in taste and provides opportunities for new and existing brands to earn recognition that will boost their profile during the show and lend credibility to their products for years to come. New this year– the competition will be completed before the show begins so brands can have bragging rights throughout their entire Access LIVE journey!

Sponsored By:

All New WSWA Members and Non-Member wholesalers attending Access LIVE are invited to attend this welcome reception. Join WSWA staff and Board Members to learn about the association and all of the benefits offered to wholesaler members.

Sip some of the most innovative craft products to hit the market as we toast current and former Brand Battle contenders! This reception will give industry media and influencers unfettered access to the most buzzed about brands, stories and attendees at Access LIVE. 2023 Brand Battle Contenders’ product will be poured at this invite-only reception open to attending media, influencers, 2023 Brand Battle Contenders, the WSWA Board of Directors and past Brand Battle contenders and winners.

Calling all Women in Wholesale! Please join the Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) Advisory Board for a reception for women wholesalers only. This is an opportunity to network with your peers, meet our WSWA Board and create lifelong friendships in the industry. By invitation only.

Sponsored By:

Join the industry as we kick off Access LIVE with a State of the Industry Keynote by Board Chairman, Tom Cole and an introduction and welcome from the new WSWA President and CEO, Francis Creighton. Alan Dreeben of RNDC will be honored with a presentation of the Industry Legacy Award as well!

A lively welcome back and celebration of the industry! At Celebrate LIVE, guests will enjoy an elevated experience of pop-up activations from some of the most innovative cocktail bars across the country! Network with new and existing contacts as the industry toasts the launch of Access LIVE and the recipient of the WSWA Industry Legacy Award. Formerly known as our “Opening Night Reception.”

Sponsored By:

Join us for a morning keynote by Meili cofounders, Jason Momoa, movie star, entrepreneur, and activist and Blaine Halvorson, fashion designer and entrepreneur as they discuss creating beautifully designed products in sustainable ways. WSWA will also present the Ray Herrmann H.E.R.O. Award, sponsored by Breakthru Beverage Group. The H.E.R.O Award recognizes an industry professional, from any tier, that exemplifies Humanity, Ethics, Respect, and is One-of-a-Kind.

The center of all Access LIVE action! Formerly split across two exhibit halls, HQ will bring all the action into one space—housing the highest concentration of exhibits in addition to The Hub, LIVE Stage, Innovation Pavilion, matched meetings, HQ Connect and more.

Hub Activities Open Access HQ Florida Exhibition Hall

A one-stop-shop for brand innovation and development! Located in Access HQ, the Hub will offer a variety of solutions for exhibiting brands:

• Content Lab: Work with our team of photographers and videographers to develop high quality marketing assets for your social media feeds and more!
• Mixology Workshop: View and participate in trend-demo’s and signature cocktail development with best-in-class mixologists to improve your on-premise strategy.
• Brand Building Bar: Book a one-on-one session with an Access Wholesale Advisor to tackle one of your most pressing business challenges. Get feedback on your brand and go-to-market strategy!
• Hub Lounge: Connect with attending media and influencers as they seek out the most buzz-worthy products at Access LIVE.

LIVE Stage “TED”-Style Sessions Access HQ Florida Exhibition Hall

Multiple “TED” style presentations both Monday and Tuesday with educational, motivational, and inspirational speakers from inside and outside of the industry.

Matched Meetings Access HQ Florida Exhibition Hall and Main Street Suites

NEW THIS YEAR! All registered suppliers have the opportunity to be matched with wholesalers during select times on Monday and Tuesday of Access LIVE. Based on answers provided to questions that both suppliers and attendees will complete during the registration process, all will have the opportunity to connect with potential new business partners

Join the hosts of Southern Glazer’s Served Up Podcast, Julie Milroy and Bridget Albert, for a current and thoughtful conversation about empowering equity and driving change on the beverage shelves. This discussion will offer actionable resources, skills, and tips for emerging and diverse brands entering and excelling in the beverage industry. Panelists include April Alejandro, Vice President, National Accounts On & Off Premise and champion of Southern Glazer’s newly launched Incubator Academy, a virtual platform that provides diverse- and women-owned brands unprecedented free access to foundational business learning to increase their potential for commercial success. They will be joined by Anita Parikh, Co-founder of Tigo Tequila Soda and Paige Parker, Founder and CEO of Happenstance Distilling Co.

Panelists:

• Julie Milroy, Vice President, Supplier Development and Marketing, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
• Bridget Albert, Senior Director, External Communications & CSR, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
• April Alejandro, Vice President, National Accounts On & Off Premise, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits
• Anita Parikh, Co-Founder, Tigo Tequila Soda
• Paige Parker, Founder and CEO, Happenstance Distilling Co.

Taste and sample the Best of Show winners from the 2023 WSWA Wine & Spirits tasting competitions!

Sponsored By:

While the sustainability of packaging is often in the crosshairs of key policymakers and stakeholders, many in the wine and spirits industry have made great strides. Attend this talk to learn about the challenges and victories associated with the sustainability of glass packaging and how, by working together, we can make a difference.

Speakers:

• Scott DeFife, President, Glass Packaging Institute
• Ronald Holmes, Director, Packaging & Technology NA, Diageo

All Rising wholesale leaders at Access LIVE are welcome to stop by and connect with each other during this one-hour meet-up. Say hello, grab a drink, and learn about the 2023 CLD Conference in Milwaukee!

The restaurant industry is facing many challenges as we head into 2023 that include but are not limited to; labor shortage issues, leading to training shortcomings amid record highs for employee turnover. What’s more, increasing revenue and controlling costs during concerns of a recession, high inflation, and skyrocketing labor costs has become more difficult than ever to manage. Come learn first hand the benefits of batched/draft cocktails, the why and how to set your restaurant up for success. We will discuss the power of your menu, what to say and not say, and how this will play a role in driving increased sales. We will break down the barriers, ensure we don’t sacrifice quality, and offer solutions to your concerns in our live demonstration.

Demonstration Led By:

Troy Clarke, Director of Mixology & Spirit Education, Martignetti Companies  

Ever since the advent of The Jetsons, we’ve wondered aloud just how far technology can take the human race. Indeed, the advent and evolution of artificial intelligence will permanently transform nearly every aspect of the wine and spirits industry - in fact that transformation has already started. In this talk, you’ll learn from several experts who are part of Florida International University’s Bacardi Center of Excellence. And they’ll be joined by Cecilia.ai - a “real” AI-driven bartender who can serve over 120 cocktails per hour!

Panelists:

• Brian Connors, Founding Faculty Director, Bacardi Cen​ter of Excellence  
• Cristina Moguel, Assistant Director, Bacardi Cen​ter of Excellence  
• Elad Kobi, CEO, Cecilia.ai
• Cecilia.ai, the World's First Robot Interactive Bartender

Join Deborah Brenner, Founder/CEO of Women of the Vine & Spirits and Founder of Diverse Powered Brands as she officially launches the premier worldwide B2B centralized marketplace connecting diverse-owned, diverse-led and diverse-made brands to buyers, wholesalers, importers, and supplier diversity procurement managers across the entire beverage alcohol, F&B and hospitality industries.

Chef Robert Irvine has made a huge impact in the lives of the thousands of people connected to businesses he’s helped "overcome impossible" in creating highly successful enterprises. His lessons resonate deeply with those of us in the wine and spirits industry, because they draw on situations and circumstances to which we can relate - because we have all “been there” at one time or another.

His book, and to a lesser extent this presentation, dive deep into the lessons he’s learned in helping failing entrepreneurs in over 200 episodes of Restaurant: Impossible, as well as those he’s learned by running his own portfolio of successful companies. His takes on leadership, micromanagement, finding motivation, accountability, managing ego, authenticity, and even social media, comprise a playbook for success in whatever business you’re helping to lead. Join Chef Robert Irvine and Danny WIrtz of Breakthru Beverage Group for a fireside chat to discuss Overcoming Impossible!

Speaker: Chef Robert Irvine, Chef, Entrepreneur, Author, and Philanthropist

Moderator: Danny Wirtz, Vice Chairman, Breakthru Beverage Group

How well do you understand your consumer’s feelings, values, and openness to trying new things when they’re making a drink selection? Do you know how to engage with your consumers along different points of their purchasing journey? In this session, we will look at the steps your potential customers take on their way to choosing a drink and how you can influence that decision through behavioral design. We will address how to create tailored content and strategies centered around market differentiation, trends, seasonality, and most importantly, consumer motivations. Join this session for a walk along the consumer journey to understand the experiences and needs of your target audience so you can optimize signature cocktails and grow your sales.

Demonstration Led By:

Sly Cosmopoulos, Director, Beverage Marketing, Republic National Distributing Company

Hiring, developing and retaining underrepresented talent are no easy feats, but intentional inclusion could be the secret sauce you need to be successful. Join us for a powerful session to learn ways that thinking and behaving inclusively can propel your organization forward. Where inclusion lives, diversity can thrive! 

Speaker:

Dia Simms, CEO of Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal and Co-Founder of Pronghorn

eCommerce solutions represent the first step in our shared journey of digital transformation. But the picture gets much clearer and robust as we create seamless connectivity between supplier, distributor, retailer, and consumer. When we do it right, we’ll create better decision-making capability at the ground level, enable better forecasting, foster more personalized approaches to customers and consumers, and improved sales and margins for everyone. It will require partnerships and joint projects between suppliers, distributors, customers, and critical 3rd party players. Join this discussion to understand the true power of this movement.

Speaker: 

Mike Boswell, Vice President of Digital and eCommerce, Breakthru Beverage Group

Our version of Shark Tank. Brand Battle is the only event of its kind where craft, start-up, and small production brands will have the opportunity to get in front of distributors across the country to show off their product and receive constructive feedback and influential exposure. The 2023 Battle held 8 virtual category tournaments through the month of February. The winners of each of these categories will compete on-stage to determine the 2023 Brand Battle Champion!

Sponsored By:

The Impact Hot Brand Awards recognize the fastest growing wine and spirits brands in the U.S. market. The annual award, which began in 1987, is coveted by brand marketers, who receive their award before an audience of peers at the awards reception held each year during WSWA’s Access LIVE.

Our signature grand tasting reception! Join the industry for a fun-filled evening of sampling new products available to the market. Also connect with the 8 Brand Battle Contenders and congratulate the Champion, who will have presented their products just prior to TASTE in the Brand Battle Championship. Formerly known as “Taste of the Industry.”

Sponsored By:

Sponsored By:

WSWA’s SipSource is a best-in-class product created to provide a holistic view of all 3 Tier channels to support productive fact-based discussions between supplier and distributor partners, and help drive GROWTH.  SipSource is facilitated by the collaboration of multiple distributors to aggregate their data to provide that industry view - representing depletions for over 325,000 off- and on-premise accounts today.  Come hear from industry veteran analysts Danny Brager and Dale Stratton, talk about:

• What this service is;
• How it can be used to assess the state of the industry;
• How it can be used to drive growth; and
• What are the latest wine and spirits trends – across both Off and On Premise channels and sub-channels.

Speakers:

• Danny Brager, Analyst, SipSource
• Dale Stratton, Analyst, SipSource

The center of all Access LIVE action! Formerly split across two exhibit halls, HQ will bring all the action into one space—housing the highest concentration of exhibits in addition to The Hub, LIVE Stage, Innovation Pavilion, matched meetings, HQ Connect and more.

Hub Activities Open Access HQ Florida Exhibition Hall

A one-stop-shop for brand innovation and development! Located in Access HQ, the Hub will offer a variety of solutions for exhibiting brands:

• Content Lab: Work with our team of photographers and videographers to develop high quality marketing assets for your social media feeds and more!
• Mixology Workshop: View and participate in trend-demo’s and signature cocktail development with best-in-class mixologists to improve your on-premise strategy.
• Brand Building Bar: Book a one-on-one session with an Access Wholesale Advisor to tackle one of your most pressing business challenges. Get feedback on your brand and go-to-market strategy!
• Hub Lounge: Connect with attending media and influencers as they seek out the most buzz-worthy products at Access LIVE.

LIVE Stage “TED”-Style Sessions Access HQ Florida Exhibition Hall

Multiple “TED” style presentations both Monday and Tuesday with educational, motivational, and inspirational speakers from inside and outside of the industry.

Matched Meetings Access HQ Florida Exhibition Hall and Main Street Suites

NEW THIS YEAR! All registered suppliers have the opportunity to be matched with wholesalers during select times on Monday and Tuesday of Access LIVE. Based on answers provided to questions that both suppliers and attendees will complete during the registration process, all will have the opportunity to connect with potential new business partners

Latin consumers’ buying power is surging in the U.S., representing nearly 20% of the population. By 2025, Latino spending power in the U.S. will top $2.3 trillion—higher than the GDP of Spain or Mexico! Join us to learn how the industry can better reach bicultural Latinx consumers, both online and in real life through brands, products, experiences, and communities that authentically represent them. 

Speaker: 

Eric Zurita, Co-Founder & CEO, Pa'lante

What’s clear now is that most consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious and are rewarding the brands and industries that promote sustainability through their actions. Hence, the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) is a technical coalition of leading global beverage companies working together to advance environmental sustainability within the beverage sector. During this session, discover how BIER has been the model of industry collaboration and continuously advanced the development of sustainable solutions through beverage industry-specific data collection, methodologies, standard-setting, best practice sharing, and thought leadership related to water stewardship, energy efficiency and climate change, container recycling, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystem services.

Speaker: 

Daniel Pierce, Executive Director, Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) & Senior Consultant, Corporate EHS & Sustainability, Antea Group

Are you a woman leader in the industry? All tiers are welcome! Stop by to mingle, learn about various initiatives WSWA and others have to offer, and meet peers in the beverage alcohol industry.

In our ever-changing world, the lines are becoming more blurred than ever. In this session, Troy will take you on a journey of the do’s and don’ts when launching your next big idea or brand. We will discuss the role of authenticity and what this actually means to distributors, retailers and customers. Are you “on trend”? What does this even mean and why is it relevant? Finally, you will hear about separating from the pack. What do you know about your competition and what will make you truly stand out?

Speaker:

Troy Clarke, Director of Mixology & Spirit Education, Martignetti Companies       

 Staking Our Claim: The Cannabis Opportunity

 With a market valuation of $13.2 billion* in 2022 and expectations for a compound annual growth rate of 14.2%* through 2030, cannabis can represent a new frontier of opportunity for wine and spirits wholesalers. During this interactive session, you’ll hear from experts some of the ways we might capitalize on the opportunity to stake our claim in this promising market. Get the latest information and gauge the possibilities for your involvement in this huge market.

 *Grand View Research Market Analysis Report: "U.S. Cannabis Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By End-use (Medical, Recreational, Industrial), By Source (Marijuana, Hemp), By Derivative (CBD, THC), And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030"

Speakers:

• Lacey Sadoff, President, Badger Liquor Co. (Moderator)
• John Utter, Senior Vice President, Constellation Brands
• David Klein, Chief Executive Officer, Canopy Growth
• Jason Wild, Executive Chairman, TerrAscend
• Joe Hodas, Chief Marketing Officer, Wana Brands

Sponsored by:

Are businesses that are focused on becoming diverse hitting the mark with actionable, data-based research in advancing equitable outcomes? The focus on equity has become increasingly critical.

Equity necessitates an intentional focus on the needs of the historically marginalized. It requires deliberate and often courageous actions that acknowledge and eliminate the societal inequities ingrained in people, processes, and systems. It takes commitment to examining and redressing the bias and racism built into everyday decisions, which may appear fair on the surface, and which may have even been designed with good intentions, but ultimately have disparate effects on racial and ethnic minorities and other marginalized identity groups. And just as business leaders focus on financial and operational outcomes rather than just inputs, they must also focus on the outcomes of their efforts to drive systemic change.

To achieve equity, organizations must be willing to transform their beliefs and values and then change their decisions and behaviors. That work should start inside the organization, but also extend to the full range of their external relationships in the marketplace and society.

Speakers:

• Deborah Brenner, Founder & CEO, Women of the Vine & Spirits | Founder & CEO, Diverse Powered Brands
   
• Kimberly Betts, Managing Director, Global Consumer Industry Diversity Equity and Inclusion Leader

The center of all Access LIVE action! Formerly split across two exhibit halls, HQ will bring all the action into one space—housing the highest concentration of exhibits in addition to The Hub, LIVE Stage, Innovation Pavilion, matched meetings, HQ Connect and more.

With integrated technology as a key driving force behind industry growth, we must be more diligent about cyber security across the ecosystem. Join our colleague from Security Risk Advisors to hear real-world stories that illustrate the risks that are out there and what we can do to better protect our companies and the industry at large.

Speaker:

Lucas Morris, Senior Manager, SRA

We all know the challenge of launching a brand. In this session we will talk about financing, debt, selling your brand, finding a distributor and most importantly—finding your audience…all for long-term brand success!

Sponsored By:

Join Deborah Brenner, Founder/CEO of Women of the Vine & Spirits and Founder of Diverse Powered Brands as she officially launches the premier worldwide B2B centralized marketplace connecting diverse-owned, diverse-led and diverse-made brands to buyers, wholesalers, importers, and supplier diversity procurement managers across the entire beverage alcohol, F&B and hospitality industries.

Shifting consumer values around things like sustainability and cocktails-to-go beckon leaders to adapt their go to market strategies. What are the latest trends and topics in retail and restaurants and how can we capitalize on them? And how can brands better engage with retailers on the big bets that can have big impact on people and the planet? Hear directly from the National Restaurant Association and Walmart on what shifts they're seeing in their markets and what they’re doing about it. Learn how you can adapt and evolve to take advantage of these shifts.

Speakers:

• Jennifer Engel, Chief Commercial Sales Officer, Republic National Distributing Company
• Mike Whatley, Vice President, State Affairs and Grassroots Advocacy, National Restaurant Association
• Claire Brierley, USA Director Product Development, Private Brands, Grocery, Walmart

All New member wholesalers and non-member wholesalers are welcome to stop by and network with each other and let us know what you learned and found at the show.

Too often, truly understanding marketing efficacy is a shot in the dark, leaving many to wonder if they are investing in the highest-opportunity tactics. In this talk, Erin will compare 2022 EOY performance norms by tactic to local marketer perceptions of efficacy to demonstrate that the most popular option for marketing dollars isn’t always the best option. Join this session to understand how to better optimize your marketing spend by increasing marketing efficacy.

Speaker:

Erin Strong, SVP, Strategic Marketing BrandMuscle 

Join the industry to celebrate award recipients for all three tiers! As we wrap Access LIVE, we will celebrate outstanding companies and employees who are going above and beyond in various areas.

Join us to celebrate the recipients of:

• WSWA Lifetime Leadership Award
• Wholesaler Movers & Shakers Award
• Access Craft Hot! New! Now! Award
• Retailer Community Award
• Wholesaler DE&I Award

The final event of Access LIVE will be a celebration for all! This new reception will salute the freshly heralded Wholesaler Movers & Shakers, honor the late and great Ed Callison – recipient of the Lifetime Leadership Award, and celebrate all of the other award winners from the 2023 Access LIVE! Enjoy an exclusive performance by Grammy-award-winning artist Nelly and meet his new moonshine brand, Mo’Shine. Ovation LIVE is the exclamation point to celebrate all the connections and deals made during Access LIVE.

Sponsors Include:

Please stop by and visit the WSWA team in the Welcome Lounge Wednesday morning. They will talk about the dates and location for the Access LIVE 2024 show, answer any questions and you will have the chance to lock in your space early!