Following last year’s sold-out gathering featuring Jay Shetty, Lewis Hamilton, and Tom Holland, the premier executive conference returns to Manhattan Beach April 28–29, 2026
LOS ANGELES, April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Beverage Forum, the beverage industry’s premier executive conference, will return April 28–29, 2026 at the Westdrift Manhattan Beach in Manhattan Beach, California, bringing together top-tier industry leaders including founders, retailers, suppliers, and investors driving the next era of beverage innovation.
The conference follows a milestone 2025 program that featured groundbreaking conversations with cultural and industry leaders including Jay Shetty, Lewis Hamilton, and Tom Holland, reflecting the growing intersection of beverage, culture, and entertainment.
Now in its 31st year, The Beverage Forum has become one of the industry’s most influential gatherings, attracting the leaders behind many of today’s fastest-growing and category-defining beverage brands.
Through keynote conversations, executive panels, and interactive workshops, this year’s program will explore the forces transforming the beverage landscape, from evolving consumer behavior and retail strategy to the expanding role of capital, culture, and celebrity in building the next generation of beverage brands.
Highlights of The Beverage Forum 2026 to include:
- Keynote conversations with celebrities, retailers, founders, executives, and investors driving beverage category growth
- Insights from major retail leaders, including Brian Salmon, Vice President of Beverage at Walmart, Don Clark, Chief Merchant at Sprouts Farmers Market and Shawn Darmody, Vice President of Merchandising, Snacks, Beverages, Candy and Impulse at Target
- A featured conversation with NFL champion and Garage Beer co-owner Jason Kelce
- A panel on protein with Actor and Producer Chris Pratt and Jocko Willink, partners behind Jocko Fuel and Warrior Kid
- Strategic discussions on the evolving intersection of CPG, culture, capital, and consumer behavior
The event continues to be guided by Danny Stepper, CEO and Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, one of the beverage industry’s most influential innovators. Through L.A. Libations, Stepper has helped forge strategic partnerships with Molson Coors, The Coca-Cola Company, and Keurig Dr Pepper while helping launch high-profile beverage brands including BERO (Tom Holland), HAPPY (Robert Downey Jr), PLEZI (Michelle Obama and Stephen Curry), and ZOA (Dwayne Johnson).
“We are excited to continue building on the incredible legacy of The Beverage Forum,” said Danny Stepper, CEO and Co-Founder of L.A. Libations. “The beverage industry is evolving faster than ever, and this gathering creates a unique environment where founders, retailers, investors, and innovators can come together to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and help shape what comes next.”
For more information about The Beverage Forum 2026, including registration details, speaker announcements, and program updates, visit beverageforum.com.
About L.A. Libations:
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in El Segundo, California, L.A. Libations is the leading emerging brand creator, incubator and accelerator — serving as the Emerging Brand Category Captain for the country’s largest retail chains and a trusted advisor on emerging brand strategy and assortment. With deep strategic relationships across the industry’s most powerful players — including The Coca-Cola Company, Molson Coors and Keurig Dr Pepper — L.A. Libations has a proven track record of high-profile brand exits including Zico Coconut Water, Core Water, and BODYARMOR, as well as launching iconic brands alongside partners like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Michelle Obama, Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland. Each year, the company meets with 200+ entrepreneurs, leveraging its vertically integrated platform to help the most innovative better-for-you beverages launch, scale, and win at retail. L.A. Libations also owns and produces The Beverage Forum, the industry’s premier annual gathering of brands, retailers, investors, and innovators. L.A. Libations is also the General Partner for Taste Tomorrow Ventures a $30mm Emerging Brand Venture Fund. For more information, visit lalibations.com.
About The Beverage Forum:
The Only Global All-Beverage Executive Conference
The Beverage Forum is more than just an event—it’s where the future of the beverage industry takes shape. As a premier gathering of thought leaders, trailblazers, and innovators, this forum brings together the brightest minds in the space, from emerging brands to global powerhouses.
The leading and largest gathering for senior executives across the beverage industry, The Beverage Forum annually welcomes over 1,300 distinguished guests, including top-tier industry leaders, retailers, innovative suppliers, financial analysts, and influential press members. As the most retail-centric all-beverage conference, it serves as the ultimate platform for decision-makers to connect, strategize, and shape the future of the industry.
Over two dynamic days, we explore the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the industry through thought-provoking keynotes, insightful panel discussions, and invaluable networking moments. It’s a space where ideas turn into action, partnerships are forged, and the next wave of beverage innovation comes to life.
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SOURCE The Beverage Forum
