The Next Round: What happens after you change your drinking?
The Next Round: What happens after you change your drinking?
Alastair Smith is the Senior Food and Drinks Buyer at Planet Organic, a UK-based retailer focused on natural and sustainable products.
Alix Blease
Alix Blease is a Technical Sales Representative for Lallemand Brewing UK, with a strong background in brewing and a passion for innovation. Holding a Master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Warwick and a Master’s degree in Brewing and Distilling from Heriot-Watt University, Alix combines academic expertise with practical industry experience to provide technical support and guidance to brewers across the UK.
Throughout their career, Alix has helped develop an extensive range of beers, demonstrating both technical versatility and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of brewing. Their experience spans product development, fermentation science and brewing operations, giving them a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing today’s brewers.
Amanda Boock is the founder of The Chiller, New Zealand’s largest specialist alcohol-free drinks retailer. She launched the business to make high-quality alternatives easier to discover, building a curated range of beers, wines, spirits, cocktails and functional drinks from New Zealand and around the world
Amy Lupton is the MD of PB Creative, an independent brand and strategy agency that creates brands with soul. Known for bold thinking and strategic creative, PB Creative helps brands – whether global icons or challengers – stand out, connect, and stay relevant and ultimately deliver impact.
With deep expertise in branding and consumer trends, Amy understands how design shapes perception and drives behaviour. As the no/lo category continues to evolve, she brings a sharp, no-nonsense perspective on how brands can carve out a meaningful space and win over consumers.
Amelia Conley works at TikTok in London, where she is part of the TikTok Shop FMCG team, working with brands across grocery, drinks and consumer goods to grow their presence through social commerce. She has been closely involved in TikTok Shop’s work with the UK grocery sector and, more recently, its expansion into alcohol sales on the platform. Amelia studied at the University of Manchester and brings experience spanning e-commerce, retail and brand partnerships.
Angela Mount is a wine and no/low drinks expert, consultant and product developer behind a range of award-winning wines and alcohol-free spirits. She is also a strategic and marketing adviser, IWC Panel Chair, Great Taste judge, industry journalist and speaker.
An experienced social researcher with a record of applying behavioural science to policy problems, and running and designing robust randomised controlled trials.
Annabelle joined Drinkaware in 2020 and leads our research team.
She is an experienced social researcher with a track record of applying behavioural science to policy problems; and of running and designing robust randomised controlled trials.
She joins Drinkaware from Ofgem, where she led ground breaking trials to uncover what works in increasing engagement in the domestic energy market, and was part of a team awarded the 2019 Behavioural Exchange Award for Outstanding Research.
Before then, she worked in the Department of Health’s Behavioural Insight Team, focussing on robust evaluations of innovative ways to improve health outcomes, including increasing attendance at NHS Health Checks, which won the UK Government’s annual Social Research Award in 2014.
Anthony Wilson has been at the forefront of drinks innovation for over 14 years, creating world-class liquids across gin, vodka, whisky, tequila, bourbon, rum, liqueurs, RTDs, flavoured malt beverages, creams and, most notably, alcohol-free and mid-strength drinks. With a BSc in Food Science and Technology and a career spanning Diageo’s Innovation R&D team, Anthony has developed a unique expertise in turning bold ideas into commercially viable products.
During his time leading R&D for Diageo’s Futures Team, including Distill Ventures, he worked directly with entrepreneurs to bring new spirits brands to market. He also spent more than three years with Diageo’s Global Licensing team, extending household names such as Guinness, Baileys, and Captain Morgan into new food and beverage categories.
As Founder and Technical Director of Alkemista, Anthony has been instrumental in the development of a huge number of the alcohol-free and mid-strength spirits now seen in the UK, Europe and the US. Widely regarded as a creative “liquid wizard,” Anthony is one of the quiet forces behind the sector’s most successful and pioneering brands.
Passionate about innovation, he thrives on making ideas tangible through prototyping, bridging the gap between science, creativity, and commercial success to shape the future of the drinks industry.
Anton is the Fundraising and Partnerships Manager and has been working for The Drinks Trust for 4 years, managing the department for the last 2. With over 10 years’ prior experience in the drinks and hospitality sector across a variety of sales roles, Anton manages the day to day relationships with The Drinks Trusts existing business partners, donors and any businesses from the trade looking to support the charities wide range of services.
Beth is Product Development Manager for Wine at Tesco. A Master of Wine with more than 20 years’ experience across wine buying, retail and education, Beth has held senior roles at Tesco, Majestic Wine and Marks & Spencer. She is a respected wine judge and brings extensive expertise in consumer trends, product development and the evolving role of wine in modern retail.
Bill is Co-Founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing Company, the world’s largest dedicated alcohol-free brewery and one of the most influential businesses in the no and low alcohol sector. Since launching Athletic Brewing in 2017, Bill has helped transform alcohol-free beer from a niche category into a mainstream consumer choice, leading the company’s rapid growth across retail, hospitality and e-commerce.
Alongside his role at Athletic Brewing, Bill serves as Chair of the Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverage Association (ANBA), the leading trade body representing the alcohol-free drinks sector in the United States. Through both his business leadership and advocacy work, he has become a key voice shaping the future of alcohol-free drinks, championing innovation, consumer choice and category growth.
Founder of the mindful drinking brand and creative consultancy La Maison Wellness, Camille has spent her career as a consultant and global brand ambassador most notably for St- Germain and the Bacardi family of brands.
Carl Héline is a luxury brand strategist and beverage executive with 20 years of leadership experience within LVMH, where he held senior roles across Champagne, Cognac and digital business in both Europe and the United States.
Over two decades, he led brand turnarounds, built international distribution strategies and developed high-performance commercial organizations in some of the world’s most demanding markets.
Five years ago, Carl moved into the adult non-alcoholic category. As shareholder and executive leader of French Bloom, he built and led the brand’s US expansion from the ground up. In less than two years, the United States became French Bloom’s number one global market — establishing a benchmark for premium alcohol-free positioning and distribution. This strategic acceleration contributed to Moët Hennessy (LVMH) acquiring a minority stake of approximately 30% in the company.
Today, Carl is co-founder of Avenor and advises European non-alcoholic brands on defining strong brand architecture, premium positioning and profitable go-to-market strategies — with a particular focus on entering and scaling successfully in the US market.
Chris brings an extensive background in the off-trade, with years of experience working closely with wine shops, restaurants, and hospitality businesses across London. At Vintage Roots, he specialises in developing sustainable growth for small and independent businesses, helping them refine their ranges and drive customer engagement. Passionate about innovation and market trends, Chris is particularly interested in how the No & Low sector can support retailers and hospitality venues in meeting changing consumer demands.
Chris has been a writer, journalist, author and magazine editor in the world of drinks for over 25 years. Two years ago, he teamed up with AF expert Chrissie Parkinson to set up the World Alcohol-Free Awards – the only competition dedicated to drinks at 0.5% abv or below.
Previously the multi-award-winning Group Head of Wine for Hakkasan, Chrissie is one half of the No/Low consultancy Brimful Drinks, and in 2022 co-founded the World Alcohol-Free Awards. Pioneering work with No & Low drinks since 2016 and known as a committed educator and thoughtful communicator. Awards include Imbibe Industry Legend, IWSC Lifetime Achievement, WSET Educator of the Year.
Is the Senior Category Development Manager at HEINEKEN
A pioneer in the non-alcoholic space, Claire is founder of Good Measure, a new research platform that aims to measure the social value of hospitality venues and to make the case for protecting them. Claire co-founded Æcorn in 2018 alongside Ben Branson, leading to its acquisition by Diageo in 2020. Now Head of Luxury Advocacy at Diageo, Claire is a speaker, mentor, and industry advocate, serving on the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation board and chairing the IWSC Alternative Drinks Awards.
After spending almost two decades telling stories, first as a journalist, then as a brand leader in the Irish whiskey industry, Clare Minnock now helps drinks brands uncover the stories that sell. As founder of StoryBev Marketing, Clare works with ambitious drinks businesses to sharpen their positioning, strengthen their marketing, and build brands that scale. Her particular passion is helping early-stage and challenger brands connect with their consumers. Known for combining commercial insight with creative thinking, Clare brings expertise in brand building, storytelling, innovation, budget management and marketing strategy.
Claudia Geyer is CTO of Solos and co-inventor of its patented Aroma Recovery System. With deep expertise in aroma science and product development, she leads innovation in no- and low-alcohol beverages, supporting brands and private label partners in creating high-quality, scalable products that preserve flavor, complexity, and distinctive character and identity.
Dan Gasper, Managing Partner of Nex Drinks Partners and Co-Founder of Distill Ventures
Daniel I’Anson is the Commercial Director of Everleaf, a range of non-alcoholic aperitifs inspired by, and produced with flavours from the natural world. Everleaf makes non-alcoholic drinks taste great, and sell better! He has worked in the drinks industry for over twenty-five years in a range of sales, marketing and brand building roles.
His experience covers both large multi-national companies such as LVMH and Pernod Ricard as well as start-up businesses. He is passionate about brand experience, liquid excellence and the stories which sit behind every drink and bottle.
Daniel Stiller is the Chief Executive Officer of Better Rhodes, a company focused on mindful drinking and non-alcoholic beverage innovation. He leads strategy, operations, and growth with a goal of expanding choice and sparking new thinking in the consumer market.
He began his career in automotive. He held leadership roles at Ford, Hyundai, and Honda. He later became Director of North American Sales at ZENN Motor Company, where he led expansion of emerging technologies in new markets.
He has also shared his experience in academia as a professor at Concordia University Chicago, teaching leadership, strategy, and business practice. In the classroom, he connects real-world challenges with academic frameworks to prepare future leaders.
Hockey player, golfer and skier. Outside work, Daniel plays when he can and uses sports to stay grounded to his Canadian roots.
Emma Williams is a Director at Green & Fortune, with 25 years’ experience across hospitality, events and experience-led venues. Over 15 years with Green & Fortune, including as Chief Operating Officer, she has helped shape and operate restaurants, bars, cafés, cultural venues and workplace hospitality across London. Today, Emma leads new business and consultancy, working on new concepts and projects with a particular focus on how hospitality can respond to changing customer expectations. Most recently, she has been part of the team developing Green & Fortune’s new hospitality venues at London Museum, including the Temperance Cocoa Rooms.
The Founder of Drink Dry, the GCC’s first and only premium non-alcoholic drinks marketplace, Erika is a well-known and revered figure in the beverage industry.
Ellie Parham is Category Controller for the Off-Trade at Asahi UK. A shopper and consumer insight specialist with ten years’ experience across multiple categories, she is passionate about turning data into meaningful insight that informs strategy, improves decision-making and inspires change.
Frederik is the founder of Lowlander, the pioneering Duthc brewery crafting no & low-alcohol beers infused with botanicals. With a passion for flavor and innovation, he has redefined beer by blending brewing traditions with natural ingredients. This year, Frederik stepped down as CEO, and is now involved in Lowlander in a “Non-Exec” capacity. His new venture is Grist Studio.
Gary Read is CEO of BOLLE Drinks, an English alcohol-free wine brand pioneering a new approach to the category through secondary fermentation. BOLLE is the world’s first non-alcoholic wine to use this process, designed to preserve greater depth, complexity and drinking enjoyment.
Gary is a seasoned entrepreneur and company builder with nearly 40 years’ experience founding, leading and selling high-growth businesses across the UK, Europe and the US. After spending 22 years in California, he is now based in London. His approach combines what he calls American ambition with British clarity, a philosophy reflected in BOLLE’s mission to raise the quality and reputation of alcohol-free wine.
Gunikka Ahuja is the Founder of Bunta Beer, the UK’s first award-winning non-alcoholic Indian craft beer, brewed specifically for bold, flavourful food. After working in material innovation at Adidas in Los Angeles, Gunikka packed up her life and moved to London to build Bunta from the ground up. Today, Bunta is rapidly growing across the UK on-trade, with an ambition to redefine what non-alcoholic beer can look, taste and feel like – while building a bold new expression of modern Indian culture along the way.
Dr Grzegorz Rachon is the Brewing and Beverage Microbiology Research Lead at Campden BRI (UK). He has PhD from Reading University and Birmingham University. Grzegorz has been working at Campden BRI since 2016 and previously at Leatherhead Food Research and has extensive expertise in pasteurisation optimisation of beverages, validation of various process in food and beverage industry and stability of traditional (beer, cider) and various novel beverages. Grzegorz has over 20 years of industrial experience in the Food and Drink Industry
Katie worked in the UK retail industry for over 15 years, with her expertise covering everything from customer & consumer research and in-store experience, through to people development, customer service and marketing. Her focus on customer experience and insight is second to none and she is obsessively focused on understanding the needs of our clients and their customers.
Katie joined the business in 2019 to oversee the brand marketing and communication strategy for KAM which marked her entry into the hospitality industry. Katie is now on the advisory board for Gamechangers, a judge for the Licensee of the Year awards and the NITA’s, and is a seasoned conference presenter
Helen Bass is Vice President, Global Head of Marketing, Insights and Digital at Tate & Lyle. Having spent 25 years in the Food and Beverage Industry, Helen has worked across the innovation value chain, working backwards from retail at Sainsburys, with a long tenure at Diageo and currently VP, Global Marketing and Insights, in food ingredients at Tate & Lyle. This gives a unique insight and experience in how to create great products and brands, by deeply understanding the end to end capabilities that underpin consumer preferred food and drink. An enthusiastic explorer of no, low and mid alcohol options, who is still looking to put together the perfect non-alc drinks trolley for at home entertaining.
Helen is the Co-founder and CEO of Opply, where she helps food and drink brands automate their operations, and the founder of Gynae Girls. Previously a strategist at P&G and Bain & Company, Helen speaks internationally about practical AI, entrepreneurship, storytelling and the future of food, drink and supply-chain technology.
Ian Bray is the former CEO of Fentimans, the family-owned premium botanical drinks business. Appointed to scale and professionalise the company while protecting its distinctive heritage, Ian delivered 60% revenue growth, expanded its presence across Europe and the US, strengthened its leadership team and introduced the governance and operating disciplines needed for further growth.
He led Fentimans through Brexit, Covid and significant global supply-chain disruption while maintaining profitability, before overseeing the company’s £38 million sale to A.G. Barr in 2026. The acquisition was announced in February 2026. Ian now works as a non-executive director and board adviser, supporting founder-led consumer brands as they scale.
Co-Founder of Botivo, The Big-sipping Botanical Aperitivo (non alcoholic) crafted for pleasure NOT moderation with a bittersweet, herbal, citrus taste profile.
Botivo is a small batch product, made from scratch by her ‘maker’ co-founder Sam on Lannock Farm and is drunk by people who love food and drinks. It’s made using all natural ingredients and no flavourings and the liquid takes over 1 year to make.
Imme directs all things investment, strategy, brand, marketing and sales.
Jason Simpson is Head of Omnichannel at Lactalis UK & Ireland, where he leads the company’s strategy across physical and digital retail. He has more than 25 years’ experience across foodservice, wholesale, convenience and retail in the UK and Ireland, with particular expertise in ecommerce, digital transformation and commercial growth.
James Laws heads up the BrandVue syndicated services team, supporting Savanta’s BrandVue consumer brand tracking clients- spanning sectors including drinks, eating out, retail and FMCG sectors.
With over 12 years of experience working in the market research industry, James draws on his deep research product background and sector expertise in helping clients to get the most out of research and data, linking it back to the big issues which businesses are focusing on.
Jenny is the CEO and founder of Free Spirit, the first Nordic premium alcohol-free drinks importer and retailer with a retail location in Helsinki.
Award winning Head of Beverage, Spirits judge and drinks writer. Overseeing the beverage offering at Green & Fortune, a multi-faceted restaurant and event group in London.
John Logue is the founder of CHANCE Clean Cider and a very vocal advocate for mindful drinking. After senior roles at Diageo, Rekorderlig, Brewdog, and more recent Head of Marketing positions at Lucky Saint, and Crossip Drinks, John launched CHANCE in 2024 to reimagine how cider drinkers connect through social drinking. His mission is not to simply replace alcoholic cider with his award-winning and delicious non-alc cider, but to be part of the next evolution of drinking culture.
John McAndrew is Head of Buying for Soft Drinks and No & Low at Sainsbury’s. He has held a range of buying, category and supply chain roles with the retailer, bringing extensive experience in drinks innovation and developing products for the grocery market.
Jonathan Sweeney is Head of Supply Chain and Procurement at Honest Burgers. He has more than 12 years’ hospitality experience, including senior supply chain and procurement roles at Wendy’s and Pizza Hut.
Over 25 years (ish) from bartender, venue owner to advocacy leadership with global drinks brands. Now Jono is the founder of bar.made. a two sided platform connecting bars and drinks brands through Ai driven data and insights.
Joyce de Haas is the co-founder of Double Dutch, the award-winning premium mixers brand she launched with her twin sister, Raissa, in 2015. Recognised in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Europe, Joyce has helped grow the business from a university idea into an international brand sold in nearly 40 countries.
Julie Buckley is Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director at Winetraders UK, overseeing strategy, operations, procurement and business development. She holds the WSET Diploma, is a Champagne Academy scholar and has achieved MCIPS accreditation, with experience spanning hospitality, sourcing and sales.
Julian Ebbutt is Managing Director of Alfresco Drinks and ANON Drinks. With more than 30 years’ experience in hospitality, Julian began his career in hotel operations and management before owning and running his own hotel in the Cotswolds. He later moved into drinks, helping grow Alfresco into a beverage development and manufacturing business working with major UK hospitality brands. He is also behind ANON Drinks, Alfresco’s range of alcohol-free spirits, launched in 2021.
Karen Green is a retail and sales growth expert, former Tesco and Boots buyer and bestselling author of Buyer-ology® – Know Your Buyer, Sell More and Sell Better. With 30+ years in food and drink, she helps brands understand what buyers really want and turn retail listings into profitable, sustainable growth. Karen is also Retail & Commercial Advisor to the Quality Food & Drink Awards, which includes a dedicated No/Lo drinks category.
Karen is Drinkaware’s Chief Executive Officer and joined the organisation in October 2022.
Karen brings over 20 years of experience across health and social care, most recently in the national alcohol and drug treatment charity Humankind where she was Executive Director of Strategy, Culture and External Affairs.
Prior to Humankind Karen worked at Addaction (now called With You), a charity that gives free confidential support to people with drugs, alcohol and mental health issues.
Karen is also Vice Chair of Trustees at the Avalon Group, a social care charity.
Karen is a collaborative leader, with expertise in strategy and communications. She has spent time working in business development and started her career as a volunteer.
Kate is the Founder of Nudge PR, a drinks and hospitality-focused PR agency. She has over 20 years’ experience working with both established and emerging brands, helping them to tell their stories, build their reputations, and connect with consumers and trade audiences alike.
Katie is Marketing & Partnerships Director at KAM Insight. Katie worked in the UK retail industry for over 15 years, with her expertise covering everything from customer & consumer research and in-store experience, through to people development, customer service and marketing. Katie is now a CBII, on the advisory board for Gamechangers, a judge for the Licensee of the Year awards and the NITA’s, and is a seasoned conference presenter.
Lisa Williams is Business Development & Business Services Lead at The Vegetarian Society, where she works with businesses across the food and consumer product sectors to help them navigate and benefit from Plant-Based, Vegan and Vegetarian Certification. Passionate about all things plant-based, Lisa takes a customer-centric approach to her work, with a particular focus on understanding businesses, their challenges and what will genuinely add value for them. Lisa also brings a background in higher education, having spent 15 years working within medical school environments before moving into the world of plant-based business and certification. This combination of customer insight, commercial experience and a passion for positive change gives her a practical perspective on the evolving plant-based landscape.
Laura Willoughby is the founder of Club Soda, the Mindful Drinking Movement. She is a serial social entrepreneur and campaigner with a background in politics and marketing. Laura was awarded an MBE for services to charity in 2012 and is a regular speaker and commentator on mindful drinking and the alcohol-free drinks industry.
Louise Fitzpatrick is Strategic Growth Manager for Heineken Globally, with a focus on growth opportunities in LoNo and Beyond Beer. She has worked for Heineken for over 12 years, across various roles and functions, in both Dublin and Amsterdam. In previous roles, she was responsible for fuelling consumer centricity by adopting future proof tools and capabilities. She also led the roll out of the organisation’s Global Demand Space framework, and was a key instigator of the company’s expansion into Low and No Alcohol beverages. Prior to Heineken, Louise held a number of roles in innovation and media agencies, as well as a stint as Insights Manager for Tourism Ireland. Louise is passionate about the Low and No alochol beer and how the category is meeting the evolving needs of consumers.
Louis Halpenny has built two things that rarely turn up on the same CV: national telecoms infrastructure and an alcohol-free drink.
He spent six+ years in open-source infrastructure, working across the Ubuntu operating system, cloud environments and the network behind BT’s 5G rollout. He then founded a drinks business with Karmaceuticals, turning its herbal range into RTDs and learning the trade the hard way: formulation, branding, sellable margins, listings, and a few buyers nobody predicted, nightclubs included.
He is now Head of Partnerships at Opply, the automated operations team for food and drink brands, where he builds the partnerships that let growing brands scale without scaling their admin.
Louise Fleming is Head of Guest and Retail Insight at Punch Pubs, where she drives business decisions through consumer, market and commercial insight. With more than 25 years’ experience across hospitality and brewing, Louise is an expert in understanding consumer behaviour, drinking habits and the changing role of the pub in modern society. She specialises in translating the voice of the guest into actionable strategies that help pubs enhance customer experiences, drive performance and respond to emerging trends.
Luke is the founder of Lucky Saint. A few years ago, he had a thought: what if all the occasions on which we drink beer could come with, or without alcohol. Alcohol-free beer was nothing new, but great tasting alcohol-free beer? That would be a revelation.
Luke spent the best part of a decade across commercial and marketing roles at Pernod Ricard UK focusing mainly on its Prestige portfolio in top tier on and off trade accounts. He subsequently saw a unique opportunity in the non-alcoholic category and joined Three Spirit in 2021 as head of sales to help bring non-alc drinks with flavour and feeling to the masses
Matthias is the founder of No & Flow Brands (NO+(F)LOW), a sales and distribution agency dedicated to premium no- and low-alcohol drinks. Originally from France, he built his career in London’s hospitality scene, working at venues like the Connaught Hotel before becoming UK Brand Ambassador for Olmeca Altos Tequila with Pernod Ricard. His own journey with sobriety inspired him to focus on reframing alcohol-free drinking as a positive choice.
Through No & Flow, Matthias helps innovative brands grow and gain visibility in the fast-expanding no/low sector. A mentor and advocate for wellbeing in hospitality, he also co-founded the Healthy Hospo Chess Club and continues to champion mindful drinking as part of modern culture.
As CEO of ANBA, I’m building the adult non-alcoholic beverage ecosystem to serve the innovative beverage entrepreneurs and industry stakeholders who are providing delicious non-alcoholic beer, wine, spirits and cocktails to enjoy in every social situation.
For the past two decades, I have been a serial entrepreneur, community-builder, and business coach creating companies, communities, and experiences to help people make their greatest impact in the world. My work has sat at the intersection of social impact and consumer behavior, and I have a unique view into the insights, patterns, and trends that are reshaping the future of work, business, and lifestyle.
My first job was a busboy where I fell in love with serving others by creating the conditions for people to have meaningful moments and amazing experiences. This has been the main thread throughout my career and is at the core of the two organizations I’m currently building to change the way the world drinks, works, and does business.
In addition to ANBA, I am the Co-Founder + CEO of Be Social Change, a social enterprise on a mission to help people make their greatest impact through their career, business, and lifestyle. We do this through inspiring social impact events and workshops, cultivating a diverse and supportive community from all sectors and industries, and providing expert career + business coaching. As CEO for the past decade, my team and I built one of the largest social impact communities in the world. I’ve personally hosted over 1000 in-person and online events to help share inspiring stories, insights, and advice from innovative social impact leaders and entrepreneurs to help our community Be Social Change.
I now work at the intersection of social impact and consumer behavior, providing me with a unique window into the insights and trends reshaping the future of work, business, and lifestyle.
Meg Ellis is Managing Director of L.A Brewery, bringing more than 20 years’ experience across retail, consumer brands and hospitality. Before joining L.A Brewery in 2023, she was Commercial Director at Honest Burgers, and has held senior roles spanning commercial leadership, brand strategy and marketing. She is particularly passionate about building brands that combine strong customer appeal with commercial growth.
Michael Palij MW founded Winetraders UK in 1997, building it into a specialist importer of high-quality, independent estate wines. He became a Master of Wine in 1995 and is particularly renowned for his expertise in Italian wine.
Molly is the beer and cider buyer for Tesco
Namai Bishop and Ellie Zadeh have run an award-winning travel concierge service from their Kensington base.
Their deep understanding of the current luxury landscape paired with innate elegance and intuitive savoir faire, ensures the quality of their craft is unrivalled in the industry.
Honed from decades of personal global travel, their enviable little black book of unrivalled contacts offers exclusive access and a wealth of insider knowledge..
Tesco Food Graduate Scheme
Navraj Dhesi is the founder of Nekta, a premium alcohol-free drinks brand creating bartender-quality cocktails made with botanicals and adaptogens. Founded to offer a more sophisticated alternative to sugary mocktails and uninspiring soft drinks, Nekta is built around flavour, inclusion and better ways to connect. Navraj also founded No More Pretending, a lived-experience platform supporting people affected by alcohol harm. Nekta has received recognition from the World Alcohol Awards and Great Taste, partnered with Alcohol Change UK, and was named a UK StartUp Awards Food & Drink finalist.
Nick Bodkins is the founder of Avenor and the former CEO of Boisson, a category-defining marketplace for non-alcoholic wines and spirits. At Boisson, Nick raised $22 million in venture funding and built a national footprint across New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and e-commerce.
He led the brand through explosive growth—and a difficult restructuring—earning recognition in The New York Times, Forbes, Business Insider, and BevNet. These experiences, from scaling to course-correcting, now shape the work he does at A Route West: helping founders and operators grow smarter and adapt faster.
Before launching Boisson, Nick spent more than a decade in enterprise marketing and technology, leading digital strategy and GTM execution for both consumer brands and SaaS companies. His approach combines startup urgency with enterprise structure.
Nick is a two-time judge at the World Alcohol-Free Awards in London and was recently named a no/low alcohol judge for the IWSC.
Nicolette is co-owner of Point5 Jersey, an alcohol-free bottle shop with locations in Chester and Morristown, New Jersey. Drawing on her background as a pastor and community builder, she helps customers explore a wide range of no/low and functional drinks while creating an inclusive, welcoming retail experience.
Nicky Forrest is a senior communications professional and agency head at Phipps Relations, one of the UK’s leading specialist food and drink PR agencies. She has extensive experience developing award-winning campaigns for international wine regions and brands, combining PR, influencer marketing, events and consumer engagement. With a deep understanding of the UK wine trade, Nicky is also a vintner and has her own small vineyard in Kent.
Navraj Dhesi is the founder of Nekta, a premium alcohol-free drinks brand creating bartender-quality cocktails made with botanicals and adaptogens. Founded to offer a more sophisticated alternative to sugary mocktails and uninspiring soft drinks, Nekta is built around flavour, inclusion and better ways to connect. Navraj also founded No More Pretending, a lived-experience platform supporting people affected by alcohol harm. Nekta has received recognition from the World Alcohol Awards and Great Taste, partnered with Alcohol Change UK, and was named a UK StartUp Awards Food & Drink finalist.
Service Sales Manager for Europe for Bevzero. Noelia is a seasoned international business professional passionate about driving commercial growth in the beverage industry. Fluent in five languages—Spanish, English, French, Italian, and Catalan—she brings a truly global perspective to her work. She holds a degree in Economics and Commerce from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, she has complemented her academic background with specialized wine education, holding a Level III WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) certification and a Master’s in Viticulture, Oenology, and Wine Marketing. Her 15+ years of experience span pivotal roles at renowned organizations such as the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Araex Grands Spanish Fine Wines, VignoblExport, and leading international firms including Arthur Andersen and Morgan Stanley. Deeply committed to the world of wine, Noelia leverages her business expertise and sector knowledge to deliver value and foster lasting partnerships across diverse markets.
Paul is a conservation biologist-turned bar owner who is obsessed with combining his passions for plants and drinks. He launched Everleaf non-alcoholic aperitifs in January 2019 to meet the demand for better non-alcoholic drink options. Made from the world’s most wonderful plants, sustainability is a core part of Everleaf – ensuring our plants thrive forever.
Rebecca Coombe is the founder of Bel Nada, a Swiss-born premium alcohol-free aperitif brand. A Cordon Bleu-trained chef, she created the brand after her own sober-curious journey. She is currently completing a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship at the University of Cambridge, focusing her research on alcohol-free drinks production.
I am particularly interested in distinctive no/low drinks with strong product quality, a clear point of difference and real potential for the Italian market, especially brands that are not yet widely distributed in Italy. I want to be transparent with producers that I am not purchasing on behalf of one single retailer or distributor, and I do not want to create false expectations around immediate listings or orders. My role is to identify products with potential for Italy, understand their market fit, and, where relevant, help connect suitable brands with Italian retailers, distributors, hospitality operators and other possible routes to market.
Rob is a food industry consultant consultant, project manager, advisor, researcher and educator in food businesses, nonprofits, academia and the public sector. He is also a non-exec director of Club Soda.
NYC-based Robert Novick has spent the last twenty-five years deeply involved in the business and culture of adult beverages in New York City. From helping to run natural wine importers to helping lead one of the largest purveyors of premium non-alcoholic beverages, he’s been able to sit down across from sommeliers, bartenders, and beverage directors and had meaningful conversations about everything from grand cru burgundy to alcohol-free wines.
As wine lovers, husband and wife, Russell and Gabi were frustrated at being restricted by high alcohol volume of wine and generally unsatisfied with alcohol free wine alternatives.
As entrepreneurs and Business Change Project Managers, they previously founded a successful wine tasting events and retail company (Sip it Wine). Following feedback from 10’s of thousands of clients on the limitations of alcohol strength, it was apparent that they weren’t alone.
They set out to use well loved grapes and partnered with incredible producers in arguably the best wine regions in the world, Bordeaux.
With 14+ years in wine, spirits, and low/no drinks, including roles at leading RTMs and the IWSC, I co-founded Kore Drinks in 2023—a specialist agency/distributor championing innovative, boundary-breaking drinks and supporting brands, venues, and distributors across the UK and beyond.
Serena is Head of Category – On trade at Heineken UK, specialising in on-trade beer & cider strategy. She focuses on turning insight into simple, actionable solutions for publicans—particularly within the fast‑growing no and low category. Serena is passionate about making category growth easy to execute at the bar, bridging insight, activation and commercial impact.
Shiada is Manager of Inflight Services Food & Beverage at Virgin Atlantic, where she leads the airline’s global beverage strategy. With a particular focus on no and low alcohol, wellness and functional beverages, she works to create innovative onboard experiences that reflect changing consumer behaviours and deliver greater choice for customers. Shiada is passionate about sustainable innovation, emerging beverage trends and the future of wellbeing in travel.
Siobhán Bradshaw is a Buyer within the Impulse team at WHSmith Travel, working across the fast-moving product categories serving customers in airports, railway stations and other travel locations. She holds a degree in International Commerce from University College Dublin
Silvia received a degree in Agricultural engineering from the University of Zaragoza, Spain and a second degree from La Rioja University in Winemaking. She then traveled around the world learning various methods of international winemaking, including four years as Production Manager in a wine cooperative in D.O. Calatayud, working in Germany in the Mosel area, and working at About Wine and Style Consult in Neustadt Weinstrasse. Silvia has been a part of the BevZero team since 2015.
Sonja Mitchell is the founder and Managing Director of Jump Ship Brewing, Scotland’s first dedicated alcohol-free brewery. A former Unilever marketer, she launched the award-winning business in 2019, driven by a mission to brew world-class beer with less than 0.5% ABV, without compromising on flavour. Jump Ship Brewing
It was 20 years ago that Austrian-born Stefan set out to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a Master Sommelier. Over the years he has worked in several senior positions in the hospitality industry, including the Fat Duck and Dinner by Heston with his trademark enthusiasm, curiosity, and dedication. He joined Fells in 2021 as its Wine Consultant where he now combines his passion for matching the characters of wine with the emotions that they evoke.
Steve is the wine buyer for Tesco.
Tara is founder of Mahalo Supplies and a cofounder of Bread & Jam. Passionate about food and drink, small businesses and being your own boss, she has supported the growth of 100s of brands and launched multiple food and drink ventures of her own.
Tasha is the graduate buyer for Tesco.
Tina Warner-Keogh is co-founder of Warner’s Distillery, where she has helped grow the business from start-up into an internationally recognised spirits brand with a strong focus on sustainability and innovation.
With his wife and business partner, Mary, Tim Bird operates seven boutique pubs in rural Cheshire and North Staffordshire. They are committed to being renowned for having one of the best drinks acts in the UK and whilst space is at a premium on our bars, they will make space for the right drinks that capture the imagination of their guests and their teams.
Tom Foddy is Commercial Director at Wells & Co and Regional Director for the East at SIBA. Having joined Wells & Co as a graduate trainee in 2009, he has built extensive experience across pubs, beer, sales, marketing and commercial development
The Alcohol-Free Co & DryDrinker.com are leading pioneers in the alcohol-free lifestyle space, offering a curated selection of premium non-alcoholic beers, wines, spirits, and adult soft drinks. Committed to quality, taste, and wellbeing, both platforms empower individuals to enjoy social occasions without compromise. Whether you’re sober curious, taking a break, or living alcohol-free, The Alcohol-Free Co and DryDrinker.com provide inclusive, flavorful alternatives for every palate and purpose.
Tom Surgey is one of the UK’s leading voices in wine, drinks, and hospitality. A broadcaster, writer, and presenter, he is best known a regular drinks expert on ITV’s Love Your Weekend. With a career spanning sommelier work at leading restaurants through to global brand consultancy, Tom has a rare ability to bridge deep industry knowledge with engaging storytelling. He now works with a wide range of drinks businesses, from alcohol-free pioneers to established international brands, bringing insight, wit, and accessibility to every conversation.
Tom is the founder of Wise Bartender, one of the UK’s largest online retailers for no and low-alcohol drinks. He has built a comprehensive range of products for consumers, events, and hospitality venues, championing choice and accessibility in the mindful drinking sector.
Vanessa is the Trading Manager Beers, Wines and Spirits for Ocado.
Vicki Weinberg is an Amazon consultant, podcast host and author who helps brands confidently launch and grow on Amazon.
Drawing on almost a decade of hands-on experience running her own successful Amazon business and supporting brands across a wide range of industries, Vicki makes selling on Amazon simple, practical and achievable.
She is the host of the award-winning Bring Your Product Idea to Life podcast and author of a book of the same name.
Victoria Watters is the co-founder of Dry Atlas, the intelligence company for the alcohol alternatives category. Dry Atlas maintains a database of 2,000+ products, publishes the quarterly State of Alcohol Alternatives report, and produces custom research for some of the world’s beverage giants. Victoria leads research and marketing, including Dry Atlas’ award-winning newsletter. It’s read by 7,000+ professionals at The Coca-Cola Company, Moët Hennessy, Diageo, and 800+ other beverage companies.
Before Dry Atlas, Victoria and her husband launched Spirited Away, America’s first non-alcoholic bottle shop, which earned coverage in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Vogue. In 2025, the business was acquired by a private equity firm.
Zoe Burgess is the founder of one of London’s leading drinks consultancies, Atelier Pip with over 15 years experience creating cocktails and concepts for bars, restaurants and hotels. Her work encompasses a range of projects across the UK and Europe. Clients include Emberwood (Bath), Artfarm (Bruton), Chishuru (London) and Julie’s (London) with a further project with a Michelin-starred restaurant launching later this year. She is the lead drinks consultant for The Standard in London and Brussels. At The Standard London she oversees the cocktail offering across the site’s five venues, including the 10th floor cocktail bar, Sweeties. She created the cocktail offering for The Standard Brussels 2025 opening for three venues, including a Martini / Royale concept for the Lobby Bar. She was previously part of the development team at The Fat Duck.
Zoe is also committed to on-trade training and development. In collaboration with Merlet Liquers, she has implemented a Flavour Flip cocktail development programme with workshops held in London, Edinburgh and Amsterdam and more planned for 2025 and 2026. In 2025 she hosted presentations at Diageo Bar Academy’s Career Lab. She also speaks extensively on no and low alcohol cocktail creation, including at the ‘No, Low & Mid Summit 2024 & 2025’.
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