It was a full house in Athenry, Co. Galway for the Irish Drinks Forum 2024, as over 100 industry leaders, innovators, and experts met to discuss the future of Ireland’s drinks sector. Hosted by BIA Innovator Campus and supported by industry heavyweights such as Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, Bord Bia, Taste 4 Success Skillnet, and Brims, this year’s theme, Wiser Ways: Embracing Today’s Challenges to Harness Tomorrow’s Opportunities, resulted in a number of highly engaging stage discussions with valuable insights and innovative solutions shared throughout.

24 speakers from Ireland’s all-island industry made up the event’s impressive agenda which included Tom Cronin (Rye River Brewing Co.), June O’Connell (Skellig Six18 Distillery), Niall Coulston (Enterprise Ireland), 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 also offering his own international industry experience, was Dr. Gordon Steele, one of the world’s leading experts on whisky and founding director of the Scotch Whisky Research Institute in Edinburgh.

Topics up for discussion across the day included:

• Challenges in the production process, from cask supply, wood maturation and glass supply, to resourcing and upskilling workforce
• Sustainability, Ireland’s crop supply and the Origin Green programme, along with managing sustainable malt production
• Looking to the future, raising capital and funding for growth, strategies for development of Irish spirits markets, engaging with retailers and how to cater to that demand

“The BIA Innovator Campus was delighted to host The Irish Drinks Forum in Athenry this week,” said BIA Chair Peter Feeney. “Our goal was not only to provide a forum for the Irish drinks sector to come together and take part in valuable industry-wide discussions, but also to encourage collaboration, networking, and knowledge-sharing. Walking around the event, it was wonderful to see and hear people from all corners of the island and further afield in conversation — connecting, learning from and supporting each other. We are very much looking forward to welcoming the drinks industry back to Athenry in September next year when the forum will expand to become an even more significant two-day event, on the 11^th and 12^th of September.”

For more information, visit www.biainnovatorcampus.com