Craft Beverage Expo to Host First-Ever Craft Distribution Conference December 4-6, 2018 in Louisville, KY

LOUISVILLE, KY (May 31, 2018) — Craft Beverage Expo (CBE) 2018, the only show dedicated to independent beverage producers, announced today a newly enhanced format to their one-of-a-kind conference and tradeshow for alcoholic and non-alcoholic craft beverages.

Now in its fourth year, CBE is known for serving the business needs of small-batch beer, wine and spirits producers. This year, Craft Beverage Expo hosts two critical events for independent producers. 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, Kentucky, on December 4-6, 2018.

“CBE 2018’s theme, Elements of Craft, reflects our investment to help the industry take a deep-dive into distribution specifics and to teach independent producers how to put their products on retail shelves step-by-step,” said Kellie Shevlin, executive director of CBE. “We are excited to expand our educational component this year to provide attendees with insight into the state of distribution in today’s small-batch world, which is key to the success for most independent producers.”

Craft Beverage Distribution Conference – NEW!
The newly added Craft Beverage Distribution Conference is the first of its kind and will provide a groundbreaking 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.

“Just one idea gleaned from this conference can be a game-changer and this is an event every small-batch producer cannot afford to miss,” added Shevlin.

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.

Location
This year’s CBE will be hosted in Louisville, Kentucky. The Southeast region is one of the fastest growing for specialty and small-batch beverages in the country. Louisville itself is a model for growth, expanding from its distillery roots to a high concentration of breweries and wineries. Easily accessible from all over the U.S. with direct flights from major cities, Louisville is known as a top convention destination. The all-new Omni Louisville, where the conference and trade show will be hosted, is centrally located providing easy access to the history and culture of the Louisville.

Tickets + Registration
Success in business starts at Craft Beverage Expo 2018. Tickets to both Craft Distribution Conference and Craft Beverage Trade Show are now on sale. Early-bird pricing is available through September 15, 2018. To purchase tickets or find out more visit www.craftbeverageexpo.com. To exhibit at Craft Beverage Expo 2018 visit www.craftbeverageexpo.com/expo.

About the Craft Beverage Expo and Craft Distribution Conference
Founded in 2014, Craft Beverage Expo (CBE) is the leading trade exposition and conference for the entire craft beverage industry, with the primary goal of creating and defining a cohesive craft beer, wine, cider, mead and spirits market. As the premier show for the industry, CBE offers education, marketing strategies and turnkey solutions for the challenges facing craft beverage producers today. CBE 2018 will take place December 4-6, in Louisville, KY. For more information, visit www.craftbeverageexpo.com.