Robbie Thain
Founder, CEO
AI-generated illustrative image. Not an official campaign image.
Learn how the 2026 Bevvy Awards highlight the shift toward experiential beverage programs and what this means for CPG field marketing operations.
On September 14, 2026, Informa Connect Foodservice announced the winners of the inaugural Bevvy Awards. The program recognizes innovative beverage initiatives across the convenience and restaurant industries. The awards will be presented during the 2026 Future of Beverage Conference in Dallas, Texas. The ceremony is scheduled for November 11, 2026.
The Bevvy Awards demonstrate that the physical retail space is becoming an active experience layer. The winning convenience store programs were judged on their ability to drive store traffic, trial, exclusivity, and supplier value. For instance, 7-Eleven won Best CPG/Retailer Collaboration for executing exclusive product launches and limited edition flavors. This approach shows how strategic partnerships can give consumers a specific reason to visit a retail network.
Weigel’s won Cooler Marketing Excellence for a cold case program that linked physical execution with loyalty and gamification. The awards coverage credits this program with strengthening supplier relationships, increasing beverage trial, and driving store traffic. Hot Spot secured the Best Adult Beverage Program title by using selection and expertise to attract craft beer enthusiasts. Twice Daily Convenience Stores won Beverage Trendsetter for its White Bison program.
This initiative combines a third wave café experience with freestanding locations and in store concepts. Self service customization also emerged as a major category winner. Sheetz won a cold beverage category for its FizzCity self serve fountain stations and customized popz program. These examples prove that retailers expect beverage programs to function as active engagement platforms.
The awards emphasize that supplier and retailer collaboration is becoming a core part of the consumer experience. When a convenience store commits to an exclusive beverage launch, they expect the supplier to drive foot traffic. 7-Eleven’s winning program successfully integrated co branded experiences directly into its massive retail network. Winning these retail placements requires brands to prove that their activations will actively increase category sales.
We have spent over thirty years executing physical marketing campaigns for premium CPG brands. From our perspective, these award winners prove that experiential marketing must deliver Return on Investment beyond simple visibility. Beverage brands must turn their retail footprints into measurable brand experiences that actively convert shoppers. A VP of Marketing in the CPG beverage category told us: "Robbie, your leadership and vision turned our campaign into something truly special. The Makai team brought our new drink to life with energy, creativity, and flawless execution. Thanks to you, our brand isn't just tasted, it's remembered."
Our team's approach transformed their product launch into a memorable brand experience that generated real momentum. This operational discipline is crucial when managing large scale beverage sampling events. We managed a four week Costco sampling program across multiple markets for Pulmuone's PlantSpired line. The program delivered more than 65,000 samples and recorded an 18 percent sold to sale rate, proving how structured events connect trial with purchase.
The National Restaurant Association’s 2026 report supports this need for high quality physical interactions. According to the report, 87 percent of full service operators and 80 percent of limited service operators said beverages can help drive restaurant traffic. Furthermore, the report found that 37 percent of surveyed consumers make beverage only purchases at least weekly. The report identified demand for new flavors, expanded menus, and wellness focused products.
Among limited service operators, targeted growth categories included coffee at 46 percent, tea at 31 percent, and smoothies at 29 percent. Lemonades, energy drinks, and wellness beverages also ranked highly as targeted growth categories. Consumers clearly want destinations that offer exciting new product options, but getting them to buy requires flawless execution at the point of sale. To drive actual trial, you must build a structured activation that invites the shopper to participate.
This operational reality is why developing a strong convenience retail sampling playbook is critical for any growing brand. You cannot just drop a display into a crowded retail environment and expect immediate sales velocity. The retail floor requires proactive consumer engagement to secure lasting brand loyalty.
When brands build complex beverage experiences, the logistical demands on field marketing teams multiply immediately. HTeaO won an award for a tea buffet that allows customers to sample and customize from more than 26 flavors. Sonic was recognized for offering more than one million potential flavor combinations. Playa Bowls earned Best Functional Beverage Offering for products like its Tidal Wave Smoothie.
The awards article lists this specific smoothie at 31 grams of protein and 520 calories. Offering this level of customization requires intense operational discipline in the field. Every new flavor station demands rigorous staff training, precise inventory controls, and reliable equipment maintenance. Brands running mobile tours or large scale retail activations face identical pressures when they scale customization.
If your promotional staff cannot manage the logistics of a multi pour service format smoothly, the consumer experience shatters. Customization at scale also requires a flawless supply chain to support live events. Teams must implement accurate inventory tracking to keep up with consumer demand during high volume sampling sessions. Consulting a complete guide to beverage sampling in retail can help field teams standardize these operational requirements.
The National Restaurant Association found that 71 percent of Gen Z and millennial consumers value unique flavor experiences. These younger demographics stated that their favorite restaurant beverages provide flavors that are difficult to replicate at home. Seventy two percent of surveyed consumers said restaurants are a good place to learn about beverages they have never tried before. Meanwhile, 54 percent of consumers stated that they enjoy being adventurous when selecting a beverage.
Capitalizing on this adventurous consumer mindset requires field teams to facilitate seamless product trial. When consumers ask about specific protein content or functional benefits, the field staff must provide accurate answers immediately. Failing to train your staff on these nutritional nuances will alienate health conscious shoppers and waste expensive retail space. You must guarantee that every retail location receives the correct promotional materials, prizes, and product inventory on time.
The logistical pressure continues to build when brands attempt to integrate digital tools into the physical retail experience. Weigel's cooler program connected cold vault execution directly with sports tie ins, prizes, and digital rewards. Executing a campaign with multiple touchpoints requires a perfectly synchronized supply chain and detailed field reporting. Without a clear execution strategy, brands will struggle to measure the true return on investment of their physical activations.
Mitch Morrison, CSP’s vice president of Retail Relations and Event Content Director, provided a clear summary of this transition. He noted that convenience stores have moved beyond stale coffee and standardized soda. The channel is now competing directly with specialty beverage formats by offering dirty sodas, crafted lattes, and customized syrups. This evolution forces traditional CPG beverage brands to improve their own sampling programs to keep up with retailer expectations.
The physical retail space remains the most important environment for consumer trial and brand growth. As retailers demand higher engagement, your field marketing must deliver verified purchases rather than just baseline visibility. Are your field marketing operations structured to capture measurable sales pipeline, or are you simply paying for undocumented product giveaways?
Driving measurable store traffic and trial through customized retail beverage experiences requires flawless physical execution. Makai ensures every touchpoint operates smoothly, solving the difficulty measuring real ROI from live events by turning consumer engagement into documented sales pipeline. Through our Promotional Campaigns service, our campaigns connect digital and real world touchpoints to boost visibility and spark brand conversations. Request a proposal
30 Years Experiential & Retail Activation Partner for CPG & Beverage Brands | Multi-Market Demos, Roadshows & Costco/Club Programs That Actually Sell
