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- UK Soft Drinks Conference 2021
UK Soft Drinks Conference 2021
For over 20 years, Zenith Global’s annual UK Soft Drinks Conference has brought together senior industry producers, suppliers, retailers, opinion formers and advisers to provide the fullest possible one-day overview of the latest industry developments, issues and opportunities. The 2021 virtual event will give access to key insights alongside extensive networking opportunities. In association with the British Soft Drinks Association.
About the event
Zenith Global’s UK Soft Drinks Conference is the industry’s main annual forum to hear about the latest market developments, debate key issues and network with other business leaders.
The 2021 event will be hosted virtually, featuring a full day of presentations, interactive panels, interviews and discussions, alongside extensive networking opportunities.
The event theme will be ‘New world for soft drinks’ to reflect the disruption of the past year and the opportunities for fresh thinking.
Industry leaders, experts and innovators will present on the latest trends and initiatives, sharing exclusive market insights. Dedicated networking breaks will enable delegates to connect with other industry peers, including senior industry managers, suppliers, retailers, opinion formers, advisers and the trade press.
Reasons to attend:
- Be at the heart of discussions on how the industry can improve its outlook
- Gain insight from industry experts and analysts on trends and opportunities
- Network with leading producers, retailers and advisers
- Prepare and plan for the next phase of growth in your business
Programme highlights include:
- Market overview, with Asda and Kantar
- Insights on the burgeoning RTD coffee segment with Boost Drinks, Crediton Dairy (Arctic Coffee), Jimmy’s Iced Coffee and Nestlé.
- Industry leader insights from the Chief Executive of PepsiCo Europe and Coca-Cola European Partners’ General Manager – Great Britain.
- Focus on sustainability with the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA), Britvic, DEFRA and Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I.
- Innovation and emerging segments from non-alcoholic spirts to probiotics with CEDER'S Drinks, Grenade, Nexba, Nichols and Virtue Drinks.
- Drinks networking reception with innovator panel, including BOL, Genie Drinks and MOJU
- InnoBev Awards 2021 winners ceremony
- Dedicated networking breaks, where attendees will have the opportunity to connect through instant chat and video calls functions.
For a guided tour of Zenith Global's 2021 virtual event platform, please view our preview video here.








Speakers include

Tuesday 11 May
Matthew Tonry, Consumer Insight Director at Kantar
joined by
Kayleigh Taylor, Senior Buying Manager – Soft Drinks for Asda
Georgina Fletcher, Buying Manager – Soft Drinks for Asda
Hydration break and networking
Jane Aldridge, Managing Director of Beverages for Nestlé UK & Ireland
Simon Gray, Founder and Chief Energising Officer of Boost Drinks
joined by
Abigail Kelly, Head of Marketing and Insight for Crediton Dairy, producer of Arctic Coffee
Jim Cregan, Founder of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee
Hydration and networking break
Silviu Popovici, Chief Executive of PepsiCo Europe
Stephen Moorhouse, General Manager – Great Britain for Coca-Cola European Partners
joined by
Dr Marnie Millard OBE, President of British Soft Drinks Association
Lunch and networking break
Hannah Norbury, Marketing Director GB&I at Suntory Beverage & Food
Sarah Webster, Director of Sustainable Business for Britvic plc
joined by
Lewis Van Diggele, Public Affairs Manager of British Soft Drinks Association
David Gell, Policy Lead for Deposit Return Schemes at Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Hydration and networking break
Presentation of 2021 InnoBev Awards
Troy Douglas, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Nexba
Emma Hunt, Marketing Director of Nichols plc
Neal Duffy, Head of Brand for Grenade
Rahi Daneshmand, Founder of Virtue Drinks
Craig Hutchinson, Founder of Ceder's Drinks Ltd, creator of Maria & Craig's CBD Botanical Spirit, Ceder's, Celtic Soul
joined by Dave Wallwork, General Manager UK& EU of Nexba
Jeremy Gibson, Head of Marketing for BOL plant-based shakes
Alex Webster, Co-founder of Genie Drinks live sodas and kombuchas
Rich Goldsmith, Founder of MOJU prebiotic shot drinks
Close
Speakers


Kayleigh Taylor
Senior Buying Manager – Soft Drinks for Asda
As Senior Buying Manager - Soft Drinks, Kayleigh is responsible for the soft drinks take-home business in Asda


Georgina Fletcher
Buying Manager – Soft Drinks
Georgina is Buying Manager of Soft Drinks for Asda, responsible for soft drinks take home buying.

Jeremy Gibson
Head of Marketing for BOL Foods


Simon Gray
Founder and Chief Energising Officer of Boost Drinks
Simon established Boost Drinks in 2001 when, as an energy drinks enthusiast, he identified an opportunity to launch a great value alternative to the premium priced category pioneer.
Since then, Simon has spearheaded the brand’s growth, and Boost are now the 3rd largest Energy Stimulation brand within the UK independent convenience channel. His vision for the brand, to “energise everybody in every way”, fosters an aspirational mentality, and Boost has now expanded into 4 soft drink sub-categories – Energy Stimulation, Sport, Protein, and most recently Iced Coffee. Simon’s ambitious plans for the company show no signs of slowing in 2021. In addition to acquiring the sales and distribution rights for the Hall & Woodhouse owned Rio brand, the company is gearing up to accelerate its presence in overseas markets, already establishing in many geographies including the Middle East, Africa and Scandinavia. Simon will also be leading Boost’s 20th birthday celebrations. Boost has remained exclusive to the independent sector, and the 20th Birthday celebrations will focus on thanking the partners and customers who have supported the brand’s journey thus far. Simon lives in his hometown of Leeds with his wife Ali and their three daughters.

Dr Marnie Millard OBE
President of the British Soft Drinks Association
Marnie is the President of the Board of Management at the BSDA (British Soft Drinks Association). She chairs the Board at UA92 and is a non-executive Director for Finsbury Foods.
UA92 is a new University Academy based in Trafford, Greater Manchester and is a joint venture between Lancaster University and the Class of 92. The aim of UA92 is to make higher education accessible to all and work in partnership with business to ensure our students are fully equipped to make a difference in the career they choose. Until December 2020 Marnie was Group Chief Executive for Nichols PLC, the home of Vimto. She joined the company in 2012 as Managing Director of the UK Soft Drinks Division and was appointed as CEO in May 2013. Marnie previously held senior roles at Refresco and Macaw Soft Drinks. Marnie also held the Chair for the CBI in the North West for 3 years as well as being an Advisor to the Board of International Trade. Marnie was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2018 in recognition of her contributions to International Trade business in the North West.

Lewis van Diggele
Public Affairs Manager of British Soft Drinks Association
Lewis leads political and government engagement for the BSDA, representing the interests of the soft drinks industry and ensuring that the industry's perspective is considered and the impact of policies and regulations is fully understood.
Working closely with British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) members, he has coordinated the Association’s work on deposit return schemes and has been directly involved in the policy processes in Scotland and across the rest of the UK. The BSDA represents UK producers of soft drinks, including carbonated drinks, still and dilutable drinks, fruit juices and bottled water as well as franchisors, importers and suppliers to the industry. As the collective voice of the UK soft drinks industry, BSDA provides a common industry view on the legal, technical and social issues concerning soft drinks to the media and political audiences.

Sarah Webster
Director of Sustainable Business for Britvic plc
Sarah is responsible at Britvic plc for setting the sustainable business framework, Healthier People, Healthier Planet.
This includes setting global minimum standards of execution, governance oversight and supporting the ESG committee together with communicating and engaging with internal and external stakeholders to generate a transparent understanding of Britvic Plc’s progress & challenges. With over 20 years FMCG experience, including 18 years with Diageo, Sarah's cross functional career spans sustainable business, investor relations, financial management, marketing and innovation. Sarah has a business degree from Oxford Brookes University, is a qualified management accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser.


Craig Hutchinson
Founder of Ceder's Drinks Ltd, creator of Maria & Craig's CBD Botanical Spirit, Ceder's, Celtic Soul
Craig is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CEDER'S Alt-Gin which he developed and grew to be sold in over 20 countries before the successful sale to Pernod Ricard in 2020.
Craig has also launched CELTIC SOUL Non-Alc Dark Spirit and Maria & Craig’s CBD Botanical Spirit.


Stephen Moorhouse
VP & General Manager – Great Britain for Coca-Cola European Partners
Stephen has worked in Coca-Cola multinational bottling operations for more than 30 years. His passion lies in driving the strategic direction of a business and bringing people on a journey with him.
During his career he has been fortunate to live and work in many different places, from Singapore to Salt Lake City, but he is very pleased today to lead CCEP in GB. An exciting opportunity, but one that’s come at a challenging time and in a changing world. From day one his focus has been helping the business navigate Brexit and the repercussions of Covid-19 without losing sight of their need to operate more sustainably and with the interest of their people and communities front and centre.

Abigail Kelly
Head of Marketing and Insight for Crediton Dairy, producer of Arctic Coffee


David Gell
Policy Lead for Deposit Return Schemes at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
David is the Defra policy lead for the introduction of a deposit return scheme for drinks containers.


Alex Webster
Co-founder of Genie Drinks
Fresh from an early career in fintech and festivals, Alex co-founded Genie Drinks to deliver a range of delicious and healthy adult soft drinks he could trust.
Alex heads up Genie’s sales and marketing efforts as he and the team work on turning Genie Drinks into a household name. The inspiration for Genie came when Alex and his co-founder Bill were in a pub garden. Not wanting to drink alcohol or traditional soft drinks, they wished for a range of delicious and healthy adult soft drinks. Since that moment in 2017, Genie has grown rapidly and their award-winning drinks, including the UK’s first range of Live Sodas, are now sold in leading retailers, gorgeous cafes, pubs, restaurants, hotels and of course online across the UK and beyond.


Neal Duffy
Head of Brand for Grenade
Neal Duffy is Head of Brand at Grenade, the performance nutrition company famous for having the UK’s best-selling protein bar.
A creative and disruptive marketeer, for the last six years Neal has been the driving force behind Grenade’s unique personality and brand tone, leading to the company’s acquisition by Mondelēz International – one of the world’s largest snacking companies – earlier this year. Passionate about health, fitness and growing trends within FMCG, Neal is keen to build on the ever-increasing role that functional foods and drinks have to play in a post-Covid world, and how to reach growing audiences with informative, engaging and memorable communications.


Jim Cregan
Founder of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee
In 2010, a guy called Jim Cregan from the South Coast of England created Jimmy’s Iced Coffee, a range of awesome ready-drink-iced coffees which can now be found in great fridges across the UK and beyond.
The inspiration came from a petrol station stop whilst on a road trip around Oz. In his mind, he knew he had to head back to the UK at some point and wanted to bring the Iced Coffee experience with him. Jim now runs Jimmy’s Iced Coffee which is based in Bournemouth, England. He started the business with his sister and they now lead a team of over 20 crew, have 6 products and counting and do some great stuff helping the younger generation become inspired to do awesome things. They make awesome products, donate 1% of profits to charity through their Keep Your Chin Up programme and love a damn fine road trip.

Matthew Tonry
Consumer Insight Director at Kantar
Matt is a Consumer Insight Director at Kantar and has worked across some of the largest manufacturers within the Impulse industry. He has experience delivering insights across all channels including At Home and On The Go.
He has a passion for helping clients understand Shopper/Consumer behaviour and is looking forward to helping explore the post-covid world with you all.

Rich Smith
Founder of MOJU


Jane Aldridge
Managing Director of Beverages for Nestlé UK

Troy Douglas
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Nexba
Troy co-founded Nexba with friend Drew Bilbe in 2011. Nexba's CEO-Global, his favourite thing is turning creative ideas into sustainable businesses.
Troy’s experience as a marketing executive and paralegal inspired his interest in strategic brand management. He oversees everything connected with the strategic global expansion of Nexba

Dave Wallwork
General Manager UK & EU of Nexba


Emma Hunt
Marketing Director of Nichols plc
Emma is a commercially focused, creative and strategic marketer with a proven track record in driving profitable business growth through the development of people, brands and innovation.


Silviu Popovici
Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo Europe
Silviu became CEO of PepsiCo Europe in August 2019. Prior to this assignment, he served as President, Europe Sub-Saharan Africa from September 2017 to March 2019 when he was named CEO, Europe Sub-Saharan Africa.
He previously headed PepsiCo’s business in Russia, Ukraine and CIS (The Commonwealth of Independent States) for two years and prior to that, spent three years as president, PepsiCo Russia. He previously held senior leadership roles at Wimm-Bill-Dann, running both their beverage and dairy businesses. Prior to joining PepsiCo, Popovici held several general management positions with the Coca-Cola system in Eastern Europe. Silviu has extensive experience in a number of areas, including sales, marketing, operations and general management, with global companies: Bristol-Myers Squibb and Coca-Cola HBC in Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Silviu holds a Bachelor in Physics and an MBA from the London Business School. He also completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School.


Hannah Norbury
Marketing Director of Suntory Beverage & Food GB & Ireland
Hannah is the Marketing Director and ExCom member, leading and driving the overall GB&I business with specific responsibility for delivering an integrated marketing strategy, at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I.
As Marketing Director, Hannah leads the delivery of transformational growth of the full brand portfolio, managing brand teams, consumer insights and the businesses internal digital agency. She is jointly responsible for the creation and execution of business revenue growth plans and is a key member of the SBFE Marketing community, forging relationships to drive collaboration, engagement and efficiency. Hannah joined SBF GB&I from GSK following the acquisition, developing her career through both the Marketing and Sales functions. Hannah worked on many brands during her time with GSK, progressing to the role of Ribena Marketing Director, also delivering the re-launch of Orangina. She then went onto leading the Out of Home team across Sales and Commercial Marketing, successfully developing this channel within the business. Prior to joining GSK in 2007 Hannah worked at Johnson & Johnson in various Marketing roles in health and beauty. Besides her passion to lead change and build high-performing teams, Hannah thrives off the great outdoors. Walking or cycling with her two young sons; Arthur and George, is where you’ll catch her at the weekend. Or tackling one of the three big ‘R’s’; renovating, rowing or rugby!

Rahi Daneshmand
Founder of Virtue Drinks
London born entrepreneur, Rahi Daneshmand, launched Virtue Drinks in 2016, after looking for a clean energy drink himself. Their brand mission is to share the power of clean energy with people everywhere.
The multi-award-winning brand Virtue, create clean energy drinks which are all-natural, with zero sugar or calories. Virtue has two ranges available globally, Virtue Clean Energy and Virtue Yerba Mate, exporting to leading retailers in 30 countries.
Networking
Expand your network
Zenith Global’s conferences have become renowned for providing extensive networking opportunities. At our 2021 virtual events, we aim to create even more ways for you to expand your network, with access to all delegates through the instant chat and 1-1 video meeting functions:
- Give attendees an instant introduction to who you are through your customisable profile. Build your profile with additional links, such as your LinkedIn profile, Twitter and Skype accounts.
- View all event attendees and use search filters to find those who are most relevant to your needs. See who is online on the event platform in real-time.
- Invite and schedule meetings with delegates and speakers, especially in the dedicated networking breaks. Start an instant video call with online attendees. Invite additional delegates to join the call to facilitate a wider conversation.
- Instantly connect with other attendees through the instant messaging function.
- Access the platform ahead of the conference to begin building your profile and start networking, with ongoing access in the months following the event.
Zenith Global's 2021 virtual events will be hosted through industry-leading online event platform, Engagez.
For a guided tour of Zenith Global's 2020 virtual event platform, please view our preview video here.



Virtual event preview
For a guided tour of Zenith Global's 2021 virtual event platform, please view our preview video:
If you have any questions, please reach us at events@zenithglobal.com.
Pay by 30 Mar Early booking rate | Pay by 11 May Standard booking rate | ||
---|---|---|---|
Full event | Per delegate | £325.00 | £375.00 |
Concession* | £125.00 | £150.00 | |
Group booking rate (four attendees) | £950.00 | ||
Group booking rate (unlimited attendees) | £1,200.00 |
Substitutions will be accepted up to 10 March. Cancellations will be subject to £80 + VAT administration charge and cannot be made after 30 March. Bookings are subject to Zenith Global Event Terms and Conditions, available here.
*A concession rate of is offered to start-ups and early-stage entrepreneurs. To be eligible, companies must be within two years of formation and with annual sales below £1 million. For more information and to book at this rate, please contact events@zenithglobal.com
To register at the group booking rate, please contact events@zenithglobal.com.
e events@zenithglobal.com t +44 (0)1225 327900
Sponsorship
We have a range of virtual sponsorship packages available which will offer unique and effective opportunities to showcase your brand and services to a highly relevant audience.
Click here to download the full 2021 events sponsorship deck, and here to find out more about our virtual event platform and the brand exposure you can expect to receive as a sponsor.
Virtual sponsorship package opportunities:
- Deliver a presentation of up to 20 minutes within the main event programme.
- Host a roundtable or workshop.
- Virtual tour of your factory or plant.
- Regular mentions in Zenith Global's event marketing emails and social media posts.
- View all event attendees and use search filters to find those individuals who are most relevant to your needs.
- Give attendees an instant introduction to who you are and your networking goals through your customisable profile. Build your profile with additional links, such as your company website and LinkedIn.
- Invite and schedule meaningful 1-1 video meetings with delegates and speakers throughout the day. Invite additional delegates to join the call to facilitate a wider conversation.
- Customise your dedicated sponsor page with downloadable multimedia content and messaging.
- Instant feedback and interaction using real-time interactive features such as polling and Q&A. Attendees can share documents, chat with other attendees and share their views and opinions.
- Take advantage of your virtual booth where you can instantly connect with interested attendees, simulating a real-life event.
- Use measurable event analytics that captures real-time valuable data and insights, promoting lead generation and showing positive ROI.
- Revisit the portal in the weeks following the event to re-watch recorded sessions and access important information and contact details that may have been missed initially.
- Headline or category sponsorship of our InnoBev Award scheme.
- Discounts on Zenith Global market reports and discounted access to our Globaldrinks.com database.
The advantages of virtual allow you to:
- Stay relevant and connected to your existing clients and reach new audiences.
- Raise your brand awareness and learn from your industry peers.
- Use your time more effectively, as you no longer need to worry about logistics, travel, accommodation etc.
- Reduce your impact on the environment as you lower your carbon footprint by going digital.
Tailored bespoke packages are also offered to better suit your needs and budget.
For more information, please contact Edward Sunderland, Events Business Development Manager
e esunderland@zenithglobal.com t +44 (0)1225 327936







Testimonials
Virtual event testimonials
"The whole event was well planned, brilliantly executed and extremely informative. Thank you to all involved for a great day." Roxane UK
"Excellent content from the speakers - current, interesting and insightful." Chris Ward, Thomas Hardy Holdings
“The platform was incredibly easy to use and the networking was great. I already scheduled 3 follow up meetings to learn from other industry leaders!” Megan Riggs, Crunchy Hydration
“Excellent platform to establish connections and networking too.” Martino Picotti, Proriented
“A great event with an excellent organisation team behind and a good choice of topics. Outstanding moderator in the Q+A sessions.” Christine Zimmermann-Loessl, Association for Vertical Farming
“The platform used for this recent event was exceptionally intuitive and straightforward.” Innovation Agri Tech
“Even virtually, the content and the live Q&A sessions were really interesting and worth the time.” Alonso Prado, Ball Corporation
“The overall experience was very well conducted, given the circumstances with COVID. The team was professional and very well organised.” Adam Leja, ÈSSE water
“As a disruptor entering various markets, AQUA Carpatica has relied on Zenith Global knowledge and events to build insight and strategy. We are now an award winning brand and Zenith Global has remained a trusted partner for market insight.” Alina Balatchi-Lupascu, AQUA Carpatica
“Because of Zenith Global's outstanding reputation, events I have attended have always produced great opportunities for discussion and for gathering the most up to date market information, which proves invaluable.” Michael Cervin, Bottled Water Web
“Great experience and well-prepared program in terms of content. I will definitely attend next year as well.” Ivana Králiková, Kofola ČeskoSlovensko
“You managed to demonstrate that a virtual event has absolute value and is a great platform to meet people!”