Craft Beverage Expo to host first-ever craft distribution conference

Craft Beverage Expo (CBE) 2018, an annual trade show (now in year four) dedicated to independent beverage producers, announced a newly enhanced format to serve the business needs of small-batch beer, wine and spirits producers. This year, the CBE will be two events:

Craft Beverage Distribution Conference will feature education focused entirely on distribution for small and independent alcoholic producers.
Craft Beverage Trade Show will showcase products and services built specially for craft wine, beer, spirits, cider, mead, soda, coffee, kombucha and other beverage businesses.

Both the conference and trade show will take place at Omni Louisville in Louisville, Ky., on December 4-6.

What’s the distribution conference all about?

The newly added Craft Beverage Distribution Conference will provide a format for independent craft producers whose businesses require support, insights and inspiration to identify distribution avenues in this crowded market. This conference will help independent producers learn to win distribution and get the attention of distribution companies.

The two-day master class will feature a series of in-depth workshops and research-backed presentations. Conference attendees will also have access to a trade show floor full of solutions for packaging, promotion and financing.

Craft Beverage Distribution Conference Keynote speaker will be Cheryl Durzy, founder and CEO of Liberation Distribution (LibDib), an ally for the independent producer community who comes from a background of small-batch independent wine production. Durzy will share her industry break-through struggles, as well as the insights she’s gained as a tech-based distributor of craft brands.

“I struggled with the same distribution battle every small producer experiences, and I know how difficult it can be to secure distribution for craft products,” stated Cheryl Durzy, founder and CEO of LibDib and keynote speaker for 2018 Craft Beverage Distribution Conference. “I am thrilled to be able to share my experience at CBE 2018 and hopefully my insights will give small producers real-world distribution solutions.”

Craft Beverage Trade Show

The Craft Beverage Trade Show will feature a showcase of 80+ vendors and their emerging technologies and tools for production and post-production — from fresh ingredients, to labels and shipping, to financial and other services specific to the craft industry’s needs. Independent producers can compare products side-by-side, discover new resources for boutique businesses and connect with innovative, turnkey solutions for distinguishing their beverage. This year they welcome a new market of non-alcoholic beverage production: cold-brew coffee, kombucha, soda and more. All beverage industries will unify at Craft Beverage Trade Show in pursuit of solutions to shared challenges they face as a craft community.