Frank Sinatra famously crooned "if I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere." The "there," of course, is New York City.

The Big Apple was the backdrop for BevNET Live Summer 2024, held on June 12 and 13. Taste Radio's hosts met with founders and executives from dozens of emerging and innovative beverage brands represented at the annual event, including those that participated in BevNET's signature pitch competition, the New Beverage Showdown.

In this episode, the hosts discuss their conversations with attendees, reflect on presentations in the semifinal round of the Showdown and how founders piqued the interest of the competition's judges, and identify what retail buyers want to hear in pitch meetings.

Show notes:

0:25: Gravelly Voices. Two-Minute Sprint. Simplify! A Little Different. Jadakiss. Two Ingredients. – The hosts chat about Ray's "latestagramming," the challenge of 120-second pitches and why Mike talks about why "liquid, packaging and me" are the keys to successful semifinal round Showdown presentations. They also explain how brands can bring value to retailers, the excitement of seeing a hip-hop icon on stage and the brands that quenched their thirst and filled them up during a busy first day of the event.

Brands in this episode: Poppi, Hal's New York, Remedy Organics, Barcode, Once Upon A Coconut, Mela Water, WTRMLN WTR, GNGR Labs, Rockaway Soda