Club Soda has announced its first tranche of expert speakers on the inaugural Low, Light, and Alcohol-free Summit agenda this September.
Bill Shufelt, co-founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing; Kate Blake, senior category strategy manager, Diageo; and Emma Wykes, founding partner of Pollen Projects and formerly of Seedlip are first on the list of specialists signed up for the day. (Pictured L-R)
As co-founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing, Bill is at the forefront of the non-alcoholic beer scene in the US. Founded in 2014, Athletic was the first US-based company to produce quality alcohol-free craft beer. Bill will lend his expertise to a keynote address on the day, focusing on progress made in the sector so far.
Kate is senior category development manager at Diageo; an expert in the non-alcoholic drinks category. With Diageo’s portfolio of household names, she is at the forefront of development in the sector. As a keynote speaker at the Summit, Kate will offer expertise on how to work with buyers; providing valuable insight for brands looking for representation.
Emma has an unrivalled influence within the category, having led Seedlip through its first 5 years of development as the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit. Taking the brand from niche to fame as CEO, she went on to found Pollen Projects, an independent brand & business development company focused on no and low, as well as Seasn, the non-alcoholic bitters. Sitting on a panel of founders, Emma will address the successes of growing a business from the ground up and look at what she would do differently the next time.
Club Soda founder and conference chair Laura Willoughby MBE says: “Bill, Kate, and Emma are among the experienced and inspiring drink industry leaders sharing their wisdom at the summit. The day is dedicated to driving change and advancing the category. Along with these great speakers, all attendees will have a role; we’re all set to forge powerful collaborations and supercharge the sector. It’s not to be missed.”
The full agenda can be seen here, which is set to include an extensive list of experts from across the industry, including representatives from Distill Ventures, brands Everleaf and Big Drop, and more. You can find further information on the Summit via the Club Soda website, and meet the speakers here.
