Full Schedule

Make the most of every moment at Access LIVE! Early move-in for Main Street Suites must be scheduled in advance. Please contact Molly Fontaine (molly.fontaine@wswa.org) to schedule an early move in between 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

Don’t miss your chance at bragging rights on the exhibit hall floor! This competition rewards excellence in taste and provides opportunities for new and existing brands to earn recognition that will boost their profile during the show and lend credibility to their products for years to come. Facilitated by Tasting Panel Magazine, Best in Show and Double Gold will be featured in print and online!  

Open to all exhibitors. Contact Hanna Empen (hanna@wswa.org).

Bar Hours: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

WSWA members can stop by the Member Services Lounge for a quick break between meetings to engage with WSWA staff and learn more about association initiatives like the WSWA-PAC and SipSource, explore member benefits, or meet with a representative from Distribution Solutions.

Double Gold medalists compete head-to-head in a second blind tasting to determine the ultimate Best in Show in each product category. Facilitated by Tasting Panel Magazine and The SOMM Journal, the Best in Show and Double gold winners will be featured.

Attendees from WSWA wholesaler member companies are requested to join their peers in a closed-door discussion on the state of their association, and the challenges and successes of today’s industry.  This membership meeting will be for wholesalers only, feature the WSWA Board of Directors and be facilitated by WSWA staff.

Sip some of the most innovative craft products to hit the market as we toast the 2024 Brand Battle contenders and WSWA’s Access Craft brand members! This reception will give industry media and influencers unfettered access to the most buzzed about brands, stories, and attendees at Access LIVE as well as to the third edition of WSWA’s Access Craft Distribution Playbook – a step-by-step guide on how to get to market built with expert guidance from craft brands who have been there and the wholesaler advisors who helped get them there.

Calling all Women in Wholesale! Join the Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) Advisory Board for a reception for women wholesalers only. This is an opportunity to network with your peers, meet our WSWA Board and create lifelong friendships in the industry.

Gain a better understanding of how WSWA works for you! Join WSWA staff and Board Members to learn about the association, exclusive benefits offered to wholesaler members, and how our voice as an industry is stronger with your membership. All new WSWA wholesaler members and non-member wholesalers attending Access LIVE are invited to this reception.

Visit the hottest on-premise accounts across the country through elevated pop-up activations from some of today’s most innovative cocktail bars and mixologists! Discover the next biggest trend, try something new, and jumpstart the week’s networking as the industry toasts the start of Access LIVE 2024.
Bars participating at this event include: 

- Broken Shaker (Miami - with locations in NYC, LA and Chicago) 
- Roosevelt Room (Austin, TX) 
- Katana Kitten (NYC) 
- Treasury (San Francisco) 
- Cleaver (Las Vegas)

Bar Hours: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

WSWA members can stop by the Member Services Lounge for a quick break between meetings to engage with WSWA staff and learn more about association initiatives like the WSWA-PAC and SipSource, explore member benefits, or meet with a representative from Distribution Solutions.

The epicenter of Access LIVE! Formerly split across two exhibit halls, HQ brings all the action into one space—housing the highest concentration of exhibits in addition to The Hub, LIVE Stage, Innovation Pavilion, HQ Connect, and more.

Discover the approach and techniques successful beverage brands are using to set themselves apart in the market and boost digital brand awareness.

After the morning session, please join us for an interactive discussion about the organized retail theft.  Our panelists will be in Access HQ to answer questions about their presentation and hear about your concerns and possible solutions to this growing problem.

Join Tony Abou-Ganim, co-founder of the TAG Global Spirits Awards as he takes us on an educational and entertaining look into appraising spirits. Whether you’re a buyer looking to better appreciate and understand a spirit’s complexity and nuances or a supplier wanting to present your spirits in the best possible way, this presentation is sure to shine a light on the art of tasting and evaluating spirits.

A one-stop-shop for brand innovation and development! Located in Access HQ, the Hub offers a variety of solutions for exhibiting brands looking to expand, experiment, and grow. Back by popular demand don’t miss your chance to secure a space in the Content Lab, Mixology Workshop, or at the Brand Building Bar!

Digital initiatives and eCommerce generate a treasure trove of information about your customers that can be leveraged to empower your sales initiatives.  Mike will discuss how to create a unified view of your customers and then use that robust data to better serve them the right product, at the right time, for their target consumer – through both eCommerce and physical selling teams.  Mike will also discuss how to build a more customer-first model that enables better service through flexible processes and enhanced technology solutions.

European Garnacha Grenache Aromas
Discover and learn about one of the most planted grapes in the world.
 
European Garnacha/Grenache Quality Wines Program is an exclusive and innovative partnership between the leading countries in wine production: Spain and France. Because of their excellent value, the new Garnacha Grenache wines are reaching, for the first time, major competitors in the wine market, joined under the umbrella of the European Union to make awareness about one of their treasures and most eco-friendly grape… Garnacha Grenache. During the conference experts from France and Spain, will educate guest about the origin, history, features, European quality schemes, the latest innovative techniques used in Garnacha Grenache growing and wine elaboration. During this seminar, attendees will have a unique opportunity to attend a Garnacha Grenache experience with an innovative "sense of smell" to learn about the most representative aromas of one of the most planted grapes in the world. Be sure to arrive early as the first 80 participants to visit the session will recieve a free wine aroma box gift!


Register Here: https://garnachagrenache.com/european-garnacha-grenache-at-wswa/

This session is about helping brands discover the magic of creating Instagrammable images and videos with classic and innovative mixology techniques. We will share our trade secrets on making super cool, scroll stopping cocktails. Attendees will learn how to mix cocktails with an extra flare as well as different methods to create more visually appealing cocktails.

Take a close look at how Congress inadvertently deregulated intoxicants made from hemp, what it means today, and the market landscape now and into the future. We will examine the 2018 Farm Bill and how it set conditions for today's intoxicants, market challenges, and where we go from here.

As an international grape grower and wine maker in many countries and in both hemispheres, Francois Lurton has a unique global understanding of global climate change and its effects on grape growing around the world.  Being an organic grape grower/wine maker, he has developed unique solutions to overcome our ever-evolving challenges we are now facing with climate change.  I believe it presents a great opportunity to have this discussion with the wholesalers of the US, who rely on grape growers and wine makers to navigate these challenges, in an effort to provide them a more in depth understanding of climate change, its effects on vineyards, and share our evolving solutions.

Join us at HQ Connect to taste and sample the Best of Show winners from the 2024 WSWA Wine & Spirits Tasting Competition brought to you by Tasting Panel Magazine!

Wine and spirits wholesalers have been around for 80+ years and many of the current companies are in their 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation of ownership. Join this session to hear stories from pioneering leaders who helped to create today's wine and spirits marketplace and lessons they've learned through the years.

Mixology Workshops are a hands-on cocktail development experience that focuses on the art of crafting unique and creative drinks. During this interactive session, participants will spend an hour with expert mixologists to explore the fundamental building blocks of cocktails and learn about the fascinating history of mixology, all with the aim of designing innovative creations that align with your brand. With a strong focus on social media, attendees will learn how to create visually stunning cocktails that are sure to make a splash online, at home and at the bar.

Join Bill Rancic, expert brand builder, successful entrepreneur and restaurant group proprietor to explore how to build a winning brand for on-premise success. This session will focus on the core tenants of brand building as well as a unique perspective on what restaurants are looking for when engaging wine and spirits brands as well as other service providers and partners. Hear what is takes to focus your sales force to engage restaurants and bars, get into cocktail and wine programs. 

WHY:  The on-premise is an important part of the wine and spirits marketplace and will be critical for industry success in 2024 and beyond. According to SipSource, U. S. bars and restaurants remain an important component of the hospitality marketplace and often are the best proving ground for wine and spirits. From celebrity occasions to product exploration, consumer’s connect with brands on-premise.

Take a break from the tasting on the show floor to connect with other attendees and satisfy your sweet tooth in this break sponsored by Dimensional Insight! We will have a (literal) candy bar set up with all different kinds of goodies. Plus, see if you can nab the strolling napkin artist to get a drawing you can take home with you!

WSWA’s Brand Battle is the only event of its kind where craft, start-up, and small production brands have the opportunity to get in front of distributors from across the country to show off their product and receive constructive feedback and influential exposure. The 2024 Battle will hold 8 Shark Tank like virtual category competitions through the month of January with the winners of each competing live on-stage to crown the 2024 Brand Battle Champion!

Access LIVE’s signature grand tasting reception! Join all three-tiers of the industry for a fun-filled evening of sampling new products available to the market and connecting with all 8 Brand Battle Contenders, including the 2024 Champion!

All exhibitors are welcome to pour. Contact Molly Fontaine (molly.fontaine@wswa.org).

WSWA members can stop by the Member Services Lounge for a quick break between meetings to engage with WSWA staff and learn more about association initiatives like the WSWA-PAC and SipSource, explore member benefits, or meet with a representative from Distribution Solutions.

Bar Hours: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Hear from SipSource analysts and industry veterans Danny Brager and Dale Stratton as they give Access LIVE attendees exclusive access to SipSource data - and what it's telling us - usually reserved for subscribers. In this session, attendees will also receive a sneak preview of the highly anticipated forecasting capabilities and enhanced trend analysis —an industry first! This forecasting product has been built with partners Kearney and NielsenIQ and launched at Access LIVE! 

WSWA’s SipSource is a best-in-class product created to provide a holistic view of all three-tier channels, to support productive fact-based discussions between supplier and distributor partners, and to help drive GROWTH.  SipSource is facilitated by the collaboration of multiple distributors to aggregate their data to provide that industry view - representing depletions for over 325,000 off- and on-premise accounts today. Don’t miss your chance to celebrate this year’s Ray Herrmann H.E.R.O. Award winner as well.

The epicenter of Access LIVE! Formerly split across two exhibit halls, HQ brings all the action into one space—housing the highest concentration of exhibits in addition to The Hub, LIVE Stage, Innovation Pavilion, HQ Connect, and more.

As Pronghorn co-founder Dia Simms often says, the best commercial for diversity is commercial success. Join us for a fireside chat with Ms. Simms, hosted by Sara Harmelin, to gain actionable insights to unlock growth for your business.

Mixology Workshops are a hands-on cocktail development experience that focuses on the art of crafting unique and creative drinks. During this interactive session, participants will spend an hour with expert mixologists to explore the fundamental building blocks of cocktails and learn about the fascinating history of mixology, all with the aim of designing innovative creations that align with your brand. With a strong focus on social media, attendees will learn how to create visually stunning cocktails that are sure to make a splash online, at home and at the bar.

Served Up The Podcast, powered by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, leads conversations on topics like advocacy, entrepreneurship, and belonging with food and beverage industry thought leaders representing our diverse hospitality community. Stop by Access HQ, booth HQ 4100, and listen to some of the wine and spirits industy’s most well-known and ground-breaking professionals. Schedule and guests below. Follow @serveduppodcast on Instagram.

A one-stop-shop for brand innovation and development! Located in Access HQ, the Hub offers a variety of solutions for exhibiting brands looking to expand, experiment, and grow. Back by popular demand don’t miss your chance to secure a space in the Content Lab, Mixology Workshop, or at the Brand Building Bar!

Learn how SipSource’s new forecasting capability is poised to change the wine and spirits industry! This session is perfect for any data-driven professionals interested in applying predictive modeling to help guide business planning and decision making. Open to media and all attendees. 
•	SipSource Analysts Danny Brager and Dale Stratton
•	Kearney’s Michael Ooms

Like alcohol before it, as cannabis continues to emerge from the dark days of Prohibition, opportunities and challenges face every segment of this burgeoning industry. But how did we get here, and what can the cannabis industry, and the cannabinoid beverage segment in particular, learn from its wine and spirits predecessors? From navigating regulatory gray spaces, to an overview of the manufacturing and distribution landscape, to an analysis of the booming hemp-derived THC market in places like Minnesota, this session will examine the ways in which the cannabis and hemp industries may benefit from the experience of the traditional adult beverage channels-and why wine and spirits companies should be excited about this up and coming new intoxicating market segment.

Mixology Workshops are a hands-on cocktail development experience that focuses on the art of crafting unique and creative drinks. During this interactive session, participants will spend an hour with expert mixologists to explore the fundamental building blocks of cocktails and learn about the fascinating history of mixology, all with the aim of designing innovative creations that align with your brand. With a strong focus on social media, attendees will learn how to create visually stunning cocktails that are sure to make a splash online, at home and at the bar.

Learn how SipSource data and forecasting is supporting today’s most competitive wine and spirits producers, distributors, and industry analysts, globally. Applying the best data can take your team’s business I.Q. and marketplace capabilities to the next level. This session will present three business cases for wine, spirits, and predictive modeling, respectively. Open to media and all attendees. 
 
•	SipSource Analysts Danny Brager and Dale Stratton
•	Kearney’s Michael Ooms

The fastest growing category in all of adult beverage is non-alcoholic. Sales are up 300% since 2019, and this year will top half a billion dollars (Nielsen IQ). Just like every grocery store carries oat milk, and every menu has vegetarian options, every wholesaler and every retailer needs to offer non-alc options. If you don’t, you’re losing money–and losing ground to your competitors. Launching a new product category can be daunting. But getting started is easier than you think, and the rewards are immediate. In fact, Nielsen reports that households buying non-alc are worth 59% more than those that only purchase alcohol. Rich in detailed proof points, revenue models, and consumer insights, this panel is one of the most actionable you’ll attend at WSWA. Hosted by the founders of Ritual Zero Proof, the country’s #1 spirit alternative, you’ll leave armed with everything you need to launch your own non-alc program–and increase your bottom line immediately.

In today's world, our community is no longer limited geographically. It's now easier than ever to connect with peers all over the globe. Building your online community and nurturing these positive connections can expand your brand visibility globally. During this session, you will learn to identify key ambassadors and influential individuals in your network and how best to identify and garner those relationships, through social media. This seminar will provide you with the tools to develop and expand your company, or personal brand, by engaging your target audience. Educating you on how best to forge honest and genuine digital relationships, which can be molded into real-life profits and publicity. Being present online has never been more important.

Mixology Workshops are a hands-on cocktail development experience that focuses on the art of crafting unique and creative drinks. During this interactive session, participants will spend an hour with expert mixologists to explore the fundamental building blocks of cocktails and learn about the fascinating history of mixology, all with the aim of designing innovative creations that align with your brand. With a strong focus on social media, attendees will learn how to create visually stunning cocktails that are sure to make a splash online, at home and at the bar.

In this 45 minute session, TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) specialists will provide an overview of federal regulations and requirements applicable to imported and domestic alcohol beverage products. By the end of the session, you will be more familiar with TTB and its jurisdiction; have a general understanding of permitting, formula, and labeling requirements; and become aware of recent tax reform changes that may be applicable to you. Specialists will then open it up for your questions!

Join us on the LIVE Stage to hear from the next generation of leaders in the wholesale industry as they talk about today's marketplace, the value of distribution partnerships and their plans for the future marketplace!

Join this session to hear Francis Creighton, WSWA President & CEO, discuss a variety of hot topics with the FBI Deputy Director. Deputy Director Abbate with discuss organized retail theft, cyber security and other key issues the FBI is currently focused on.

Following the fireside chat with FBI Deputy Director Abbate and WSWA's CEO Creighton, awards will be handed out to recipients of the Lifetime Leadership Award, Retailer Community Service Award, Access Craft Hot New Now Supplier Award, and the Wholesaler Movers and Shakers Awards.

The exclamation point on a week of unparalleled networking and deal making, Ovation LIVE is a chance to strengthen and celebrate new relationships, connections, and deals made during Access LIVE.