Jourdan Gabbini is the Buyer for Beer & Cider at Waitrose & Partners, where he leads the sourcing, range development, and category strategy for one of the UK's leading premium supermarket beer portfolios. With more than a decade of buying experience across the John Lewis Partnership, Jourdan has built expertise in commercial buying, product development, and consumer-led category management before transitioning into beer and cider. He is a Certified Beer Server through the Cicerone Certification Program and has served as a judge for the International Beer Challenge, reflecting his commitment to quality and sensory evaluation.

At Waitrose, Jourdan has championed innovative breweries, sustainability initiatives, and independent producers, helping introduce distinctive beers and ciders that balance exceptional quality with strong consumer appeal. His work includes launching exclusive cider collaborations and expanding support for Britain's independent brewing sector through curated retail programs. Jourdan brings valuable retail buying insight, assessing beers not only for brewing excellence but also for their commercial potential, value, packaging, and ability to succeed with today's consumers.

Known as ‘The Cocktailpreneur’, Eron Mibo is a multi-award-winning international speaker, cultural beverage consultant and founder of Tales & Tails UK.

Tales & Tails UK is a creative hub and cultural beverage consultancy specialising in beverage marketing, strategy and events.

She partners with beverage brands and hospitality spaces to create experiences that blend drinks, culture and storytelling, connecting meaningfully with both trade and consumer audiences.

Recognised with awards including ‘Best DEI Initiative of the Year’ at the Women in Food & Drink Awards 2026, Eron is a passionate advocate for diversity, representation and authentic storytelling within the global drinks industry.

Gabriele Bertucci is a strategy, business development and marketing consultant with over 10 years of international experience across the hospitality and food & beverage sectors - his career includes roles with BrewDog and Carlsberg Group. He is also an educator, an accredited Beer Sommelier and a professional beer judge.

Through HANDLE Advisory, he supports companies and brands with sales, distribution, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, export and market positioning, helping high-potential projects grow into sustainable and profitable businesses.

Combining commercial strategy with specialist product knowledge, Gabriele brings an international, market-focused perspective to beverage innovation, assessing entries for originality, consumer relevance, scalability and long-term business potential.

Rohan Carvalho brings over 25 years of expertise in the bar and beverage industry, spanning mixology, beverage training, product innovation, and drinks development. He has trained generations of beverage professionals and led R&D projects for leading liquor brands, renowned hospitality establishments, and one of India’s largest café retail chains.

Rohan has served as a jury member for prestigious bar awards and judged numerous bartending competitions across India. His extensive industry experience and understanding of beverage innovation, technique, and hospitality give him a discerning perspective as a judge. A TEDx speaker, Rohan continues to mentor and inspire the next generation of beverage professionals.

Natalia Glushchenko is a senior Revenue Growth Management and commercial finance executive with 15+ years helping food and beverage brands turn innovation into sustainable margin — including roles at AB InBev, Nestlé, Danone, and JDE Peet's.

Across her career, Natalia has built the pricing and margin strategies behind product launches at some of the world's largest beverage companies. She is a regular speaker at FMCG RGM Forums.

As a judge, Natalia looks beyond creativity and craft to ask whether an innovation can hold its ground commercially — does it have real pricing power, a viable margin structure, and a path to scale? That lens, paired with deep beverage-sector experience, is what she brings to evaluating this year's entrants.

Scott Rosenbaum is co-host and partner at Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he served as the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

Melissa Bradshaw is the group editor of FoodBev Media, and FoodBev magazine. Melissa reports on new product innovations, groundbreaking new technologies, sustainability initiatives and more. She also produces news for the FoodBev website, alongside the rest of the editorial team, sharing news and analysis from across the food and beverage industry worldwide.