Early registration pricing for BevNET Live NYC 2026 expires on Friday, April 24. The event takes place June 10–11 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City. Register before the deadline to save $100 off standard pricing.
BevNET Live brings together beverage founders, investors, retailers, distributors, and service providers to discuss the strategies, trends and relationships shaping the industry.
How Dirty Shirley Cleaned Up
One of the standout sessions for the bev-alc crowd will feature Adam Kost, founder of Dirty Shirley – the RTD cocktail brand that launched in 2022 and sold to Sazerac earlier this year. Kost will walk through the pivots and brand decisions that took Dirty Shirley from near-failure to fast exit, including the key insight that allowed the brand to break free of category boundaries and build a real emotional connection with consumers. For anyone building or investing in RTDs, it’s a rare look at how a lean startup strategy can produce a major outcome. Read more about Adam Kost’s session.
Confirmed Speakers
BevNET Live NYC 2026 will feature a curated lineup of founders, operators, investors and retail buyers, including:
- Adam Kost, Founder, Dirty Shirley (acquired by Sazerac)
- Nicolletta Payne, Senior Director of Merchandising, The Vitamin Shoppe
- Olivia Ferdi & Daniel Khoury, Co-CEOs & Founders, TRIP
- Richard Laver, Founder & CEO, Lucky Energy
- Samantha Fletcher, Senior Category Merchant, Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Whole Foods Market
- Laura Taylor, Founder, Mingle Mocktails
- Chuck Cotter, Partner, Morrison Foerster LLP
- Daniel Faierman, General Partner, Habitat Partners
View the 2026 speaker lineup. Stay tuned for additional announcements.
What Attendees Can Expect
Main Stage Programming: Expert-led panels and conversations spanning brand building, retail strategy, fundraising, emerging categories and the future of functional and adult beverages.
Retailer 1:1 Meetings: Registered beverage brands can participate in pre-scheduled 1:1 meetings with retail buyers and investors.
Product Sampling: Beer and bev-alc brands can showcase their products at the BevNET Live Happy Hour, taking place at the end of Day 1 – a natural setting to get their products in front of retailers, buyers, investors, and fellow founders who are there to discover what’s next.
Beverage School: On the morning of Day 1, early-stage founders can attend foundational sessions led by subject matter experts covering finance, sales, marketing, design, and operations, followed by roundtable Q&A.
New Beverage Showdown: BevNET’s signature pitch competition returns, giving emerging brands the chance to present in front of industry judges and a live audience of beverage professionals. The judge feedback, emerging innovations, and category trends on display make it one of the best windows into where the beverage market is heading – and what’s resonating with consumers right now.
Early registration pricing ends next Friday, April 24.
About BevNET Live
BevNET Live is the leading event for beverage entrepreneurs, retailers, investors, and service providers. Held twice per year, BevNET Live is known for shaping the beverage conversation, surfacing rising stars, and fueling strategic connections across the industry.
For questions about BevNET Live, or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact the BevNET team.