Let me catch you up on what we’re planning for this year’s Future Smarts conference on Dec. 16 in New York City.
Just this week we announced that Coca-Cola President and CFO John Murphy has joined our program. The 36-year Coke veteran has a massive job overseeing the financial strategy for a global company with a $270 billion market cap. That’s not all. The Global Ventures operating segment that reports to Murphy is responsible for scaling globally Coke’s Costa Coffee business, as well as the company’s almost decade-long strategic partnership with Monster Beverage.
Speaking of Monster Beverage, the company is headed for a changing of the guard in the coming years, as you’ll read in today’s newsletter starting on page 3. The evolution of Coca-Cola’s relationship with Monster will be one to watch. At Future Smarts, I’ll certainly ask Murphy for his view on this important relationship and the future of the energy drinks category.
In fact, Swire Coca-Cola CEO Rob Gehring, who will soon leave to join Monster as chief growth officer, is a past Future Smarts speaker from 2021. That illustrates our priority to host the brightest leaders who are in a position to shape the future of the beverage industry.
Already announced so far for this year’s Future Smarts is Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling CEO Bill O’Brien, and former Boston Beer CEO Dave Burwick. As we...
Dr Pepper reached a milestone in 2023, as you’ll learn in today’s newsletter. The brand’s regular-calorie version ended the year... In an interview in this issue (see article), Keurig Dr Pepper’s new CEO Tim Cofer and the company’s previous CEO, Executive Chairman Bob Gamgort, discuss how they plan to maintain Dr Pepper’s performance, including through the recruitment of young consumers. They also address their vision for expanding KDP’s company-owned distribution system, including for brands such as Dr Pepper (which has been a hot topic this week).
You can find these Dr Pepper performance details and much more in BD’s Fact Book, 29th Edition, which we just released last week (order HERE). This in-depth resource covers 2023 sales results and data across the US non-alcoholic beverage industry. The data differs from...
I’m excited to announce Dec. 16 as the date for our 2024 Future Smarts conference in New York City.
This event is likely to reach a pre-pandemic attendance level this year, so we’re hosting at Convene on Manhattan’s West 46th Street. The venue is around the corner from Times Square and the theater district, so go ahead and grab those Broadway tickets!
Part of what we love about this roomy venue are the amenities that make life easier for conference attendees — power at every table in the presentation room, private phone pods to steal away for important calls, and small conference rooms useful for sideline meetings.
During the event, networking will be centered as usual around our popular and energetic sampling expo. The night before the event, we’ll host a welcome reception for speakers and attendees with food and an open bar to make connecting easy and fun.
Most importantly, we’re already making plans for another high-level slate of speakers and panelists from major companies including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Keurig Dr Pepper, as well as from successful emerging brands. We’ll also hear from key beverage bottlers, retailers, and Wall Street analysts.
Conference attendees say they find great value in our special trend panels. Last year, we hosted a panel that took us behind the scenes and into the mechanics of the creator economy. Two years ago, a panel of Gen Z consumers gave us an unvarnished look at how they view the world. We’ll assemble another compelling panel this year to illuminate a critical and emerging corner of the beverage landscape.
More details will be released soon. Until then, make sure to save the date for Future Smarts 2024 on Dec. 16. The team here at Beverage Digest can’t wait to see you.