New York, NY—The 3rd annual U.S. Drinks Conference 2009 is scheduled to move from London to NY and will be expanded to two days, Oct. 13 and 14. 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.
“Based on feedback we received from last year’s conference we decided to extend the conference to two days to include a much wider range of subjects and speakers,” said Steve Raye, Managing Partner of Brand Action Team one of the event’s organizers. “Attendees expressed interest in a broader U.S. perspective and the opportunity to get answers to questions related to their individual business issues. We are changing the format to include more panel discussions and audience Q & A, to provide both the overview information, as well as 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:
- Bruce Levine, VP Sales Strategies, Charmer Sunbelt
- Chris Adams, EVP, Sherry-Lehmann
- Michael Waterhouse, CEO, DylanPrime
- Mark Teasdale, President, Proximo Spirits
- Leonardo LoCascio, President, Winebow
- Chris Steffanci, SVP, Heineken
“The American Drinks market is one of the largest in the world, but is also one of the most difficult for suppliers to penetrate,” commented John Beaudette, President of MHW LTD, one of the conference organizers. “Major hurdles suppliers face include the Three-tier system, distributor consolidation, and a highly competitive market place. Understanding how to work within this system can make the difference between success and failure for beverage alcohol brands.”
Mike Ginley, President of conference organizer Next Level Marketing, added “We’ll be answering some of the key questions many supplier ask, like:
- What are the steps I need to take to enter the U.S. market?
- What are the trends in the U.S. market on and off trade and how can I use this information to decide how, when, and where to market my product?
- With U.S. distribution consolidating so rapidly what are the options for new suppliers?
- How much money do I need to spend, for what period of time, and how to allocate to key functions...POS, advertising, sales support?
Visit www.USDrinksconference.com for details on registration, agenda and speakers.
The U.S. Drinks Conference organizers are:
MHW Ltd. is the premier provider of national import and distribution services including regulatory compliance, transportation, logistics, warehousing, and administrative activities. MHW also provides wholesale distribution and sales services in key US markets. www.mhwltd.com.
Next Level Marketing is a nationally recognized marketing and promotion agency specializing in management of promotional marketing teams as well as training and custom market research for the on-trade. Visit www.nextlevel.com.
Brand Action Team provides marketing strategy and support programs with a focus on innovative social media and trade marketing strategies. Details at www.thebrandactionteam.com.