The Beverage Forum will stage its first Latin America edition at Eden Roc Miami Beach on November 12–13, 2026, expanding a three-decade-old U.S. conference franchise into a new geography as beverage executives increasingly hunt for growth across hemispheres. Positioned as "The Gateway for Beverage Across the Americas," the two-day Winter Edition will bring together brand founders, retailers, distributors, and investors from both the U.S. and Latin American markets.
The Program
Alix Earle, Strategic Investor and Equity Partner at GORGIE Energy, headlines the main stage on November 12 with a conversation examining how creator-driven buzz translates into a viable, scalable beverage brand — a question that sits squarely at the intersection of digital culture, entrepreneurship, and beverage industry dynamics. The broader speaker roster is equally weighted toward major commercial players: Ricardo Arias-Nath of Starbucks, Alex Carreteiro of Heineken Americas, Gustavo Reyna of PepsiCo, Andrés Cantú of OXXO, Bonnie Herzog of Goldman Sachs, Jason Strauss of TAO Group Hospitality, Wayne Wu of VMG Partners, and Michelle Cordeiro Grant of GORGIE are all on the agenda.
Sessions will cover retail and distribution strategies, market access, cross-border investment, and shifting consumer drinking habits — the kinds of operational and commercial topics that resonate with executives trying to move product across multiple markets with different regulatory and retail environments.
Why Miami, Why Now
Miami Beach's selection is deliberate. The city functions as a commercial bridge between North and South America, making it a logical staging ground for conversations about distribution networks, retail shelf placement, and capital flows that cross national borders. The Latin America edition follows the Forum's London debut on October 1, 2026, and builds on a flagship U.S. conference that draws more than 1,300 industry leaders annually.
Danny Stepper, CEO and Co-Founder of L.A. Libations — the El Segundo-based brand incubator and accelerator that owns and produces The Beverage Forum — framed the expansion in straightforwardly commercial terms. "The opportunity across the Americas starts with bringing the right people into the same room," Stepper said, describing Miami Beach as "a natural meeting point" for founders seeking connections with retailers, distributors, and investors capable of helping them reach new consumers.
For operators and buyers tracking emerging beverage brands in hospitality settings, the Winter Edition offers a concentrated look at which products are being positioned for cross-border scale — and which investors and retail chains are backing them. L.A. Libations has a track record that includes exits for Zico Coconut Water, Core Water, and BODYARMOR, and the firm meets with more than 200 entrepreneurs annually through its vertically integrated platform. Its $30 million Taste Tomorrow Ventures fund adds a direct investment lens to the conference's commercial programming.
As reported across Food & Beverage Magazine, cross-border expansion and the influence-to-brand pipeline have become defining themes in the non-alcoholic and better-for-you beverage categories — and the Winter Edition's agenda reflects exactly that conversation happening at the executive level.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
