The Pour Decisions Podcast

What separates a great beverage idea from a brand that actually succeeds? And why is taste still the most important ingredient in innovation? On this episode of Pour Decisions Podcast, host Dino Sarti, Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, sits down with Matthew Titmus, Executive Chef at Kerry, Paul Villis, Global R&D Director at Kerry, and Simon Villaflor-Hague, Vice President at Kerry, live from Beverage Forum Europe at Abbey Road Studios in London. Together, they unpack the rapidly evolving beverage landscape, from the explosion of new brands entering the market to the challenges of developing products that consumers actually want to drink again.

What if the food you think is healthy is actually hiding ingredients you never knew were there? And what if understanding what you eat could completely change how you feel, perform, and live?

In this episode of Poor Decisions Podcast, host Dino Sarti, Co-Founder at L.A. Libations, sits down with Eric Katzenberg, Chief Branding Officer, and Vanessa Borchardt, VP of Communications at WISEcode, to discuss the future of food transparency and personalized nutrition.

WISEcode has set out on an ambitious mission: make it easier for consumers to understand exactly what's in their food. With hundreds of thousands of ingredient names in the U.S. food system — and nearly 300 different ways to label sugar — figuring out what's really inside everyday products can be overwhelming.

For Luke Hemsley, Founder of Wednesday's Domaine, that question revealed a major opportunity in the beverage industry. While non-alcoholic beer and spirits were gaining momentum, wine drinkers were being left behind with limited options that often didn't deliver on taste or experience. Luke saw an opportunity to create something different: beautifully branded, great-tasting no- and low-alcohol wines that people would genuinely want to share.

In this episode of Poor Decisions Podcast, hosted by Christine Phan, Global Vice President at L.A. Libations, we sit down with Luke at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London during Beverage Forum Europe to explore how he went from commodities trading and fintech startups to building a modern wine brand.

Luke shares why Wednesday's Domaine was created, how consumer behavior is changing, and why the space between 0% and traditional wine strength could represent one of the biggest opportunities in the category.

For Nic and Sophia Fanciulli, that question sparked the creation of Soba Circus, a premium, non-alcoholic natural energy drink designed for people who want something different. Built from their experience in music, nightlife, and touring, Soba Circus is bringing a new kind of drink to the table: one that combines functional ingredients, a distinctive botanical flavor, and a bottle designed to stand out. In this episode of Poor Decisions Podcast, hosted by Christine Phan, Global Vice President at L.A. Libations, we sit down with Nic and Sophia at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London during Beverage Forum Europe to explore how they turned an idea inspired by backstage culture into a growing beverage brand. They share why they wanted to create a better-for-you energy drink, how they developed Soba Circus's signature flavor and premium glass bottle, and why the future of non-alcoholic drinking is about giving consumers more options—not telling them what to drink.

For Marisa Poster, Co-Founder of PerfectTed, it started with a search for an alternative to coffee. Struggling with the jitters and crashes associated with caffeine, she discovered matcha—and saw an opportunity to bring its unique, calming energy to a much bigger audience. In this episode of Poor Decisions Podcast, hosted by Christine Phan, Global Vice President at L.A. Libations, we sit down with Marisa at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London to explore how PerfectTed went from a personal passion to one of the world's largest matcha brands, with distribution across 50 countries and ambitious plans for global expansion. Marisa shares how she identified a gap in the energy drink market, challenged the perception that matcha was too niche, and built a brand that is making matcha more accessible to everyone.

A great product idea doesn't guarantee a successful product launch. So, what does it really take to turn an innovative beverage concept into a product that can scale, stand out on shelves, and succeed in new markets? In this episode of Poor Decisions Podcast, hosted by Christine Phan, Global Vice President at L.A. Libations, we sit down with Natalie Alibrandi, Founder & CEO of Nali Consulting, live at the Beverage Forum Europe at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London. Natalie shares her expertise in food science, product development, and commercialization, breaking down what happens behind the scenes when bringing a beverage or food product from an idea to market. From navigating the differences between the UK and US beverage markets to avoiding costly packaging mistakes, Natalie explains why founders need to think beyond formulation and consider the entire commercialization journey.

On this episode of the Pour Decisions Podcast, Christine Phan, Global Vice President at L.A. Libations, sits down with Carl Barât, musician, co-frontman of The Libertines, and founder of Riotera Tequila, live from Beverage Forum Europe at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London. After 25 years of exploring Mexico's tequila culture, Carl is bringing his passion for premium spirits to life with Riotera, a tequila brand rooted in authenticity, craftsmanship, and creativity. Carl shares the story behind his transition from rock star to spirits entrepreneur, how his experiences in Mexico inspired the creation of Riotera, and his plans to bring the brand to market through an exclusive, music-driven London launch. He also offers a first look at the brand's upcoming ready-to-drink cocktail line and explains how his background in music continues to shape his approach to building a brand.

In this episode of Pour Decisions, recorded at Beverage Forum Europe, Christine Phan, Global Vice President at L.A. Libations, sits down with Yandis Ying, Founder of Dot Dot Tea, to discuss her journey as a founder and her perspective on the tea category.

From the thinking behind the brand to the wider opportunities in the beverage industry, this conversation explores what it takes to build a business around tea and connect with today's consumers.

For Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu, it sparked a business built around a powerful idea: food can be more than fuel. It can play an important role in how we support our bodies. On this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti, Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, sits down with Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu, Founder & CEO of The Turmeric Co., to discuss his journey from Premier League football to building one of the UK's standout functional beverage brands. After suffering two major knee injuries as a teenager, Thomas began exploring natural ingredients alongside his father. That personal journey eventually inspired the creation of The Turmeric Co., a brand focused on fresh, raw, ingredient-driven turmeric shots. In this conversation, Thomas shares the story behind the business, why inflammation and healthy aging are becoming increasingly important consumer conversations, and how functional beverages could play a bigger role in the future of health and wellness.

That's the thinking behind Minor Figures, and it's helped turn the brand into a global player in the plant-based beverage space. On this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti, Co-Founder of L.A. Libations, sits down with Stuart Forsyth, CEO & Co-Founder of Minor Figures, to unpack the story behind the brand, its specialty coffee roots, and how it's building a global business around one simple philosophy: the future must be delicious. Coming from the coffee industry, Stuart saw an opportunity to approach plant-based milk differently. Instead of trying to replicate dairy, Minor Figures set out to create a product that complements coffee, enhances its natural flavor, and gives baristas and coffee lovers a better experience. In this conversation, we explore how that philosophy became a global business, the challenges of scaling across international markets, the importance of sustainability, and what's next for the brand.