Category Partners
Britvic is an international soft drinks business rich in history and heritage. Founded in England in the 1930s, it has grown into a global organisation with 37 much-loved brands sold in over 100 countries.
Britvic is the largest supplier of branded still soft drinks in Great Britain and the number two supplier of branded carbonated soft drinks in Great Britain. The company combines its own leading brand portfolio including Fruit Shoot, Robinsons, Tango, J2O, London Essence, Teisseire and MiWadi with PepsiCo brands such as Pepsi, 7UP and Lipton Ice Tea which Britvic produces and sells in Great Britain and Ireland under exclusive PepsiCo agreements.
Britvic’s Sensational Drinks platform provides resources to help independent bars, restaurants and retailers optimise profits. With a range of tools, knowledge and access to free point of sale kits, it has been designed to help operators save time, reduce costs and build their business.
Find out more at https://sensationaldrinks.com
Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, a proud part of AB InBev, brews some of the UK’s best-loved beers, including Stella Artois, Budweiser, Corona, and Camden Town Brewery.
A trusted and supportive partner, Budweiser Brewing Group champions the vital role pubs and bars play in the community. The On Trade experience is at the heart of UK culture. Over half of Brits agree that pubs are still at the heart of their local community, with many agreeing pubs can be a lifeline for members of their community and a great place for the community to come together (OnePoll for Stella Artois 01.02.23 - 07.02.23). Budweiser Brewing Group works with its On Trade customers to help them bring their communities a portfolio of beer people wants – to celebrate, to unwind, and to enjoy with a meal.
Success for Budweiser Brewing Group is making sure the UK’s pubs, bars and restaurants are equipped to meet the moment now and in the future. As part of this, they are working with our customers to create a more inclusive nighttime economy and support all those working in the hospitality sector with initiatives like Stella Tips and Stella Please. BBG works hard to equip customers with the Nation’s favorite beers, innovative brands, and exciting campaigns – all for a future with more cheers.
Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) is one of the newest, yet historic brewers in the UK. Formed out of a joint venture between Carlsberg UK and Marston’s PLC, who are both shareholders, we combine over 300 years of shared values, history and heritage in UK brewing.
CMBC provides its customers and consumers with an unrivalled portfolio of lagers, ales and craft beer brands from the very best of two master brewing teams, plus those under license from valued partners. These include lagers such as Carlsberg Danish Pilsner and Birrificio Angelo Poretti; premium cask and packaged ales, including Hobgoblin and Wainwright; our leading cider Somersby; brands under license including San Miguel, Estrella Damm, Shipyard, and Erdinger; a broad selection of alcohol-free beers; plus distribution of the Brooklyn Brewery craft portfolio.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler and employs some 3,500 people in GB. With 97% of our volume sales manufactured here in GB, we are committed to minimising the environmental impact of our products and operations, with a particular focus on sustainable packaging, water stewardship and climate protection. We are also helping our hospitality customers reduce their carbon footprint with the Net Zero Hospitality Initiative that we are a founding partner of alongside New Zero Now and the SRA. Find out more here https://netzeronow.org/
As a major supplier to the hospitality sector we recognise the tremendous commitment it requires by operators to efficiently run a business and to meet the evolving needs of consumers. We therefore offer a range of must stock favourites in packaged and dispense solutions including Coca-Cola, Schweppes mixers and lemonade, Appletiser, Fanta and Sprite as well as zero sugar options like Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Diet Coke. In fact, 67% of our volumes in GB come from low or no sugar options.
HEINEKEN is the UK’s leading pub, cider and beer company behind iconic drinks and full range of specialty brands. Committed to supporting a thriving on-trade, underpinned by an ethos of ‘Helping Grow Your Business’.
We test products and advice in our 2,400 pubs before sharing this knowledge with customers – and our expert teams offer dedicated support. We strive to understand you and your customers, and deliver unbeatable quality experiences to boost your business and ensure every guest is satisfied every visit.
Our sustainability strategy, Brew a Better World, means we’re committed to reducing our environmental impact, creating a fair, safe and inclusive on-trade, and promoting responsible consumption. Proud to support thousands of operators using our industry-leading draught solutions, SmartDispense™, each reducing their waste by over 20,000 pints every year. We also removed 400M teaspoons of sugar from our ciders, 158 tonnes of single-use plastic from our supply chain, and 100% of our barley is sustainably sourced within the UK.
illy is an iconic Italian brand, an authentic piece of Italian culture, rooted in Italian heritage. It was created in 1933 in Trieste by Francesco Illy and is still owned by the family. His goal: to give the world the perfect espresso. illy today uses the top 1% of the finest Arabica from around the world within a unique blend that can be found in many formats from whole beans, compatible capsules to cold brew. illy is the first Italian and largest global coffee brand to be accredited a B Corp status. Awarded to businesses who commit to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
Our story starts in a small town in Sweden, called Kopparberg. 150 miles from Stockholm and a million miles from anything else like it.
Founded on its copper and gold reserves, this small town was overflowing with something far richer; a local soft water spring packed full of naturally occurring minerals.
This water happened to be the perfect blend of minerals for what would eventually become Kopparberg. The world’s first fruit cider born from a delightful discovery.
To this day, we still brew it using the original recipe in the same small town. Because no matter where our drinks are enjoyed in the world, Kopparberg stays true to its home.
We’re a proudly independent and family run business, owned by the Bronsman family, fiercely upholding the strong values that Peter Bronsman first instilled in the business almost twenty years ago.
Even as we grow beyond Europe and worldwide, we’re not losing sight of who we are and where we came from.
For over two centuries Molson Coors has been brewing beverages that unite people for all of life’s moments. Our brewery network spans the UK and Ireland, with our UK home the renowned brewing town, Burton-upon-Trent, and a nearly 300-year-old cider press in Suffolk.
Molson Coors produces some of the most beloved and iconic beer brands ever made. While the company’s history is rooted in beer, Molson Coors offers a modern portfolio that expands beyond the beer aisle. Our growing beverage portfolio in the UK & Ireland includes Madri, Pravha, Staropramen, Blue Moon, Offshore, Franciscan Well Chieftain IPA, Rekorderlig, Aspall Cyder, alongside popular favourites Coors the UK’s number one 4% Esteem Lager*, Carling – the UK’s number one selling lager*, and the UK’s number one selling cask ale* – Doom Bar.
As part of Molson Coors Beyond Beer ambition, the company has partnered with brands including Tarquin’s Gin, Jimmy’s Iced Coffee, Lixir, Miami Cocktails, Twin Fin Rum and Bodega Bay, as well as launching Threefold Hard Seltzer.
Molson Coors Beverage Company is committed to raising industry standards and leaving a positive imprint on our employees, consumers, communities and the environment which is reflected in Our Beer Print and our 2025 sustainability targets. To learn more about Molson Coors Beverage Company, visit molsoncoors.com or on Twitter through @MolsonCoors.
*Source: CGA Volume Pool Analysis 2019, CGA Data to 21.03.20
THE GLOBAL LEADER IN LUXURY WINES AND SPIRITS
Moët Hennessy encompasses the wine and spirit activities of the LVMH Group. Moët Hennessy has a firm rooting in centuries of heritage and expertise in the most renowned wine-growing regions. Moët & Chandon, Krug, Veuve Clicquot, Hennessy are just some of the world-renowned wines and spirits brands that have become synonymous with the most prestigious origins and terroirs. Located in Champagne and other illustrious wine-growing regions, many of these are centuries-old Houses with a unique character.
Sharing the same culture of excellence and possessing a strong identity, Moët Hennessy combine tradition and innovation, authenticity and creativity. Moët Hennessy are committed to the environment and sustainable development. Through its solid distribution network, which enables the company to market its wines and spirits in 160 countries, Moët Hennessy acts as a prominent ambassador of brands where heritage and innovation, authenticity and creativity converge.
At Poppleston Allen Solicitors, we help licensed operators just like you.
We work exclusively in the alcohol, entertainment, gambling and retail sectors and help small, one off independents through to national multi-site operators and international brands.
But no matter what size of operator we are working with, big or small, our objective is the same: To use legal knowledge and hard work to get you the results you need to run your business how you want to.
We can help you obtain, vary and protect the licences needed on licensed and gambling premises and defend licensing, gambling, food hygiene and health and safety reviews. We also manage due-diligence on mergers and acquisitions.
Some of our clients include: Mitchells & Butlers, Young’s, Stonegate Group, Fuller’s, Admiral Taverns, Wells & Co., Adventure Bars, Whistle Punks Urban Axe Throwing, D&D London, REKOM UK, and many more.
Business never stops. You eat, sleep, breath it. You strive for better – to deliver more for your people and meet your customers’ needs.
And so do we. We are Sky Business. Keeping your customers entertained and your business connected, with unrivalled content and the next generation network.
Creating amazing customer experiences with unmissable live sport and entertainment. Helping to bring in more customers, who stay for longer, spend more – and keep coming back.
And no matter where you are, we have you covered. Our fibre first, fast, secure and resilient network keeps your business connected and your customers happy.
Bar Partners
Asahi UK is a subsidiary of Asahi Europe & International and is responsible for sales, marketing and customer operations across the UK and Ireland. Through the portfolio of Super Premium Beer brands, Asahi UK enriches consumer experiences through innovation, high-quality service and an exceptional portfolio of premium beer, ale and cider brands which include Peroni Nastro Azzurro (PNA), Asahi Super Dry (ASD), Meantime, Fuller’s London Pride and Cornish Orchards. The Woking based business is focused on developing quality, super premium brands and delivering commercial value in the marketplace, through a strong belief in collaboration, customer excellence and people development. For further information on Asahi UK visit www.asahibeer.co.uk.
Our spirits are exquisitely crafted with long tradition and great pride. And, as a 7th generation family company, our business has always been about more than liquids or bottles. For more than 150 years, we’ve been proud to be a catalyst for connection. We believe our purpose is to spark real-life rituals to bring people together for key moments in celebration, conversation and contemplation. Be it over a celebratory toast, a reunion of old friends, an impromptu post-work aperitif, an occasional big night out, or an epic gathering of communities bound by film, music, art or sports. Meeting with friends new and old isn’t trivial, it’s essential for our wellbeing and plays a vital role in a well-lived and well-balanced life. We craft our exquisite spirits as a centerpiece of these real-life moments. We encourage people to connect over one carefully crafted, exquisite drink at a time – savouring each sip, responsibly.
BrewDog have always had one mission: making people as passionate about great beer as we are.
Iconic classics like Punk IPA. Crowd pleasers like Lost Lager and Wingman. Boundary pushers like NanoDog. BrewDog have been brewing beer that blows people’s minds since 2007, when our co-founders James Watt and Martin Dickie kickstarted a British beer revolution with a brewkit in Martin’s mum’s garage.
And now? There are more than 100 BrewDog bars across the globe. BrewDog beer exports into 70 countries. There are BrewDog breweries in Scotland, USA, Germany and Australia. And it’s not just about the beer. In 2020, we became the world’s first carbon negative brewery and acquired 9,308 acres of land in the Scottish Highlands – the Lost Forest – where we are planting more than 1million trees.
BrewDog’s future will continue to be shaped by the three things that matter most: People, Planet and Beer.
Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks company with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across the spirits, wine and beer categories including Johnnie Walker, Baileys, Smirnoff, Guinness, J&B, Captain Morgan, Gordons and Tanqueray. Diageo trades in some 180 markets around the world and is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com.
In 2005, Fever-Tree co-founders Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow pioneered the premium mixer category, bringing choice, quality and excitement back into the category.
They travelled to the ends of the earth to source the finest ingredients, including quinine from the Rwandan border/Democratic Republic of Congo, ginger from the Ivory Coast, India and Nigeria, and lemons from the slopes of Mount Etna, Sicily.
Fever-Tree is now the world's leading supplier of premium carbonated mixers for alcoholic spirits by retail sales value, with distribution to almost 100 countries worldwide. The company sells a range of carbonated mixers to hotels, restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes as well as retailers.
In 2023, Fever-Tree was voted the No. 1 Best-selling and Top Trending mixer brand by the world’s best bars for the 10th consecutive year running.
Greene King has been crafting quality beers from its historic breweries in Bury St Edmunds and Dunbar, Belhaven Brewery, for over 200 years.
The Westgate brewery, in Bury St Edmunds, has been the home of Greene King since 1799 and its leading cask ales are brewed here, including Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale, as well as a broad range of seasonal and speciality beers.
In 2022, Greene King launched its premium craft portfolio with Level Head, a session IPA, and Flint Eye, a dry hopped lager, which embody Britain’s eccentric past, but are designed for the modern-day drinker.
This year will see the launch of two new craft beers by Greene King, so keep your eyes peeled during the awards evening. These beers will also play homage to centuries worth of brewing heritage and continue to bring to life the historical legends and myths of Bury St Edmunds.
Today's most famous premium herbal liqueur was launched in 1935 by Curt Mast. The recipe of 56 herbs, blossoms and roots has remained unchanged to this day. Traditionally, Jägermeister is produced exclusively in the small town of Wolfenbüttel in northern Germany. Bottling takes place at plants in Wolfenbüttel-Linden and Kamenz in Saxony. From here, the herbal liqueur in the distinctive bottle is exported to more than 150 countries worldwide. In 2022, the brand with the stag was the world's best-selling herbal liqueur, with total sales of 120.7 million 0.7-litre bottles.
The family-owned company employs around 1,000 people worldwide. From 2020, the brand portfolio will also include Teremana, the tequila brand founded by Hollywood actor and entrepreneur Dwayne Johnson, and GIN SUL, which is produced in Hamburg-Altona.
Rosa Blanca is a beer originated in Mallorca. Founded in 1927, it became a market leader during the 1960s, but the entry of international competitors caused it to disappear. In 2018, DAMM recovered the brand and relaunched it in the Balearic market. Today, it is once again one of the most beloved beers on the island, thanks to its refreshing taste with hoppy aroma. Rosa Blanca arrives in the United Kingdom with its 3.4% version, bringing the taste of Mallorca to the British consumers.
Four generations of the Thatcher family have been crafting cider in Somerset since 1904, which is why today, pride in our heritage with a passion for quality is at the heart of everything we do.
With orchards throughout the West Country, all our apples are pressed at Myrtle Farm, where our ciders are crafted with the expertise that can only come from four generations of cider making. Staying true to our roots is what makes us who we are today, giving us a distinctive range of ciders that are authentic and full of flavour. Our vision is to create sustainable, great tasting cider for generations to come. With that comes a responsibility for the environment around us.
Only the best will do, so you know that with each glass of Thatchers the quality is the same, every time, made with the same love and hands-on experience by our cider makers at Myrtle Farm.
Valeo Snackfoods supplies great tasting snacks ideally suited to the licensed trade. These comprise of crisps, tortillas and meat snacks and include leading brands KETTLE®, MANOMASA®, Kings, Wild West, Pub Original and Openshaws.
KETTLE® Chips is the UK’s number one hand cooked crisp with over 25% of households buying the brand. The top selling seasonings are all gluten free and made from 100% real food ingredients.
Manomasa provides a range of authentic tortilla chips inspired by the spirit of Latin America, with unique flavours such as Chipotle & Lime and Manchego & Green Olive.
Kings Elite Snacks offer the UK’s leading biltong and jerky brand; high protein, low calorie and delicious, with strong British heritage.
Wild West is a pioneering beef jerky brand which appeals to consumers with an active lifestyle and a passion for the outdoors.
Pub Original & Openshaws include traditional pork snacks such as Scratchings, Crackling & Crunch.
Judging Partners
HGEM works closely with hospitality companies to measure and improve their guests' experience. Their core services include mystery guest assessments, building highly customisable feedback sites, tracking online reputation, and bringing all the data together into one, award-winning Guest Experience Management platform – The Hub – which allows for various teams, from operations to marketing, to draw actionable insights that help increase customer loyalty, reach new customers, and ultimately to grow revenue.
HGEM, which stands for Hospitality Guest Experience Management, have made it their mission to empower hospitality companies with data-led insights into their operational efficiency and guest perceptions, which are key to being successful in such a competitive and rapidly changing market, and today work internationally with over 10,000 restaurants, pubs, hotels, cinemas and caterers, including many well-known brands such as wagamama, Brewdog, Peach Pubs, and local high street institutions Pret a Manger and Pizza Express.
Lumina Intelligence inspires the global food, drink and nutrition sectors with deep, actionable insights powered by the world’s best analytics technology. Our products and services are used by brands and organisations in these fast moving and growing markets to support business planning, strategic marketing and new product development.
Our global consumer and shopper data platform combines advanced analytics and insight to explain every measure of behaviour, from planning and conducting a shop to choosing where to eat and drink across retail and hospitality markets.
Lumina Intelligence is a new solution and a new name for HIM and MCA insight.
Our team of experts are deeply engaged in food and drink and we support our partners with data subscription solutions, insights and reports, as well as bespoke projects tailored to your needs.
MCA is a news and insight subscription service for the leaders of the eating and drinking out sectors. An authoritative voice in hospitality, MCA is a must read for the board level operators, as well as their key suppliers, investors and property agents. On top of its essential daily news offering, MCA Today, the William Reed title also produces a number of industry events, including Restaurant Conference, Pub Conference and the Retailers’ Retailer Awards.
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