Irish Drinks Forum 2024 to discuss future of the industry
Peter Feeney, chair BIA Innovator Campus, Sandra Regan, food sector project manager BIA Innovator Campus and Derek Dunwoody, general manager, BIA Innovator Campus
The Irish Drinks Forum 2024 returns on Thursday, 12 September, to the BIA Innovator Campus in Athenry, Co Galway following the success of last year’s inaugural event. This year’s theme is Wiser Ways: Embracing Today’s Challenges to Harness Tomorrow’s Opportunities, that brings together industry leaders, innovators, and experts to discuss the future of Ireland’s drinks sector.
The one-day event is powered by BIA Innovator Campus and supported by industry heavyweights such as Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, Bord Bia, Taste 4 Success Skillnet, and Brims, and is a unique opportunity for stakeholders across the value chain to engage in crucial discussions, gain valuable insights, explore innovative solutions and network with their peers.
Twenty-four speakers from Ireland’s all-island industry make up the event’s impressive line-up of experts which includes Tom Cronin (Rye River Brewing Co.), June O’Connell (Skellig Six 18 Distillery), Elliot Hughes (Dingle Distillery + Porterhouse Group), Michael Jacob (Bord Bia), John O’Connell (West Cork Distillery) and Johnny Harte (Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur). Facilitating the exchange of experts’ knowledge and views, while providing a lively and often entertaining platform for debate and ideas, will be Dr. Gordon Steele one of the world’s leading experts on whisky and founding director of the Scotch Whisky Research Institute in Edinburgh.
Bringing together key stakeholders from every element of the drinks business — from agri-producers to distillers, brewers, state agencies, suppliers and brand houses — the day-long event is designed to foster discussion, knowledge sharing, and future-focused thinking, ensuring that Ireland’s drinks industry stays resilient and forward-looking despite global uncertainties.
According to BIA Chair Peter Feeney, “BIA Innovator Campus is delighted to host the Irish Drinks Forum in Athenry for the second time. It really is the place to be for anyone working in the Irish drinks sector and this year’s event will be a genuinely useful forum for collaboration, networking, knowledge-sharing, and industry-wide discussions. The Irish Drinks Forum is where the industry’s brightest minds can come together to shape the future, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming so many of them here to Galway again.”
With last year’s event setting the bar high, the 2024 Irish Drinks Forum is expected to attract even more participants from Ireland’s drinks sector. This full-day event is set to be a landmark gathering for anyone invested in the future of the Irish drinks industry. From raising capital to navigating sustainability and leveraging market opportunities, attendees will leave with actionable insights and new connections. The premier event for professionals looking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market, secure your place now and be part of the conversation that will shape the future of Ireland’s drinks industry.
