Empowering the Next Generation of Beverage Alcohol Innovators
Women of the Vine & Spirits is once again proud to present the second annual BCB Brand Accelerator Pitch Competition at Bar Convent Brooklyn 2026
- a groundbreaking platform designed to spotlight emerging beverage alcohol brands and connect them with industry leaders, strategic partners, and growth opportunities. This high-energy live pitch event will bring together a curated group of emerging and growth-stage brand founders to take the stage and present their brands to a panel of expert judges representing distribution, retail, marketing/PR, consultants and industry trade.
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The Prize Package
Developed and delivered by Women of the Vine & Spirits in collaboration with our network of dedicated Corporate Members this unparalleled package includes access to mentorship, consulting, PR services, distribution support, legal guidance, and industry memberships from leading partners in the beverage space.
This reflects the strength of the WOTVS community as a business network—industry leaders and organizations across every sector coming together to create real value, drive opportunity, and demonstrate the impact we can make when we work collectively.
THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.
Barnes Beverage Group Three-hour strategic advisory session designed to ensure your brand is built on a strong legal and operational foundation. This working session will focus on the critical legal and structural considerations for early-stage beverage alcohol brands, including corporate formation and governance (with an eye toward investment readiness), launch and distribution planning, and essential brand protections such as trademark strategy, labeling, and regulatory compliance. |
Barrel & Bloom Focused strategic growth engagement designed to help strengthen route to market strategy within the U.S. This engagement will equip the winning brand with practical tools and strategic clarity to accelerate growth in both hospitality and retail channels. Including: Three Strategic Growth Sessions; Route-to-Market & Distributor Readiness Review; and Strategic Growth Summary & Action Plan. |
BCB Brooklyn Credit toward participation in the 2027
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Double Forte PR Services to include overall assessment of brand positioning in category, including recommendation for engaging media and influencer audiences; An outlined media outreach strategy; One trade press release**; and two rounds of media follow-up and coordination with team for any sample requests by the media. *For a fee, the winner can pay for distribution of the press release over a PR wire service to be managed by Double Forte. |
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DISCUS Complimentary Craft Membership. |
MHW Credit towards importation, distribution, or BrandArc development services. |
Women of the Vine & Spirits Complimentary Associate Corporate Membership to global membership organization. |
Meet the Judges!
We extend our deepest gratitude to the incredible panel of judges who are lending their time, expertise, and industry insight
to the 2026 BCB Brand Accelerator Pitch Competition!
Thank you for helping us champion the next generation of beverage industry innovators!
Rawnica Dillingham |
Ryan O’Hara |
Brittany Kaplan |
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Caleb Ross |
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Hana Konheim
Maggie Zeman-
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Watch the 2025 Winning Moment Unfold!Experience the excitement and emotion as Amaretto ADRIATICO is announced the winner of the 2025 BCB Brand Accelerator Pitch Competition!
“We are super glad having won this pitch and can’t wait to begin working with the different partners. We are delighted being part of this exciting program, thanks again for your trust in our brand!”
– Jean-Robert Bellanger, Co-Founder of Amaretto ADRIATICO, 2025 Winner. |
Want to See More Opportunities Like This?
Let us know if your company would like to be part of future pitch competitions whether as a prize package contributor or as a judge.
Contact Us - Get involved in Future Events!