Senior executives from global drinks brands, government and supply chain leaders will converge in Athenry this September for Irish Drinks Forum 2025, the country’s flagship event for the food and beverage export sector.
The forum will feature a powerhouse line-up of international brands, industry pioneers, and policy leaders to chart the future of one of Ireland’s most valuable export sectors.
This year’s event comes at a critical moment as producers navigate global trade tensions including tariffs, supply chain shocks, climate pressures and shifting consumer demand. Irish drinks exports reached record highs in 2024 while volatility across raw materials, international markets and regulation is intensifying.
Hosted at the BIA Innovator Campus on September 3 and 4, this year’s Forum will feature keynote appearances from global industry leaders including Jamie Fulham, planning and media manager at Diageo, (part of the world’s largest drinks company ) and Emma Walls, CEO of the National Dairy Council.
More than 40 sector leaders from across Ireland, Europe, Asia and North America will contribute, spanning whiskey, beer, Irish cream liqueurs, cider, spirits, malt, finance, sustainability, and innovation. The sector now accounts for almost half of Ireland’s total food and drink exports and supports some 38,000 jobs nationwide, playing a foundational role in local economies from Donegal to Cork.
“The Irish Drinks Forum is more than just a conference, it's a strategic spark for Ireland’s drinks industry at a time when building resilience, innovation, and connection matter more than ever," said Lynn Harte, Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation programme manager, BIA Innovator Campus and programme manager of the Irish Drinks Forum.
"At BIA Innovator Campus, we’re proud to host and power this national platform that unites producers, pioneers, and policymakers under one roof. As the operational home of the Forum, we’re not just facilitating conversations, we're shaping the future of food and drink from the ground up. This year’s programme is bold, forward-thinking, and built on collaboration and we’re excited to see the industry’s next chapter take shape here in Athenry.”
Mary Sadlier, CEO of Coole Swan Cream Liqueur, a premium Irish liqueur brand competing on the global stage, welcomed the focus of this year’s Irish Drinks Forum on building resilience in the industry. “Our resilience is all about moving forward, you only lose when you stop moving," she said. "In a retail-based business the numbers really matter.”
Highlights of this year’s Forum include an analysis of the effects of US/EU tariff threats, an exploration of new revenue streams from brewing and distilling, a global and online market outlook, and a showcase of Ireland's first net-zero whiskey maturation warehouse.
