Why Winning a Medal Isn’t Enough Anymore in Beverage

What does it take for a new beverage brand to get discovered by the people who actually make purchasing decisions? In this episode of Pour Decisions, Dino Sarti sits down with Michele Tell, Co-Founder of Proof Awards and Proof the Magazine, to discuss how one of the industry's most unique beverage competitions helps connect emerging brands with the buyers who can change their trajectory. Unlike traditional competitions, Proof Awards brings together up to 200 beverage buyers from across the country to evaluate more than 1,500 products spanning spirits, RTDs, non-alcoholic beverages, energy drinks, coffee, tea, water, wine, and more. Michele shares what separates Proof Awards from every other competition, the beverage trends she's seeing firsthand, and why authentic brand-building still matters more than ever. Whether you're a founder, retailer, distributor, or beverage industry enthusiast, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how products get discovered and where the industry is headed next. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:09 Meet Michele Tell & Proof Awards 00:55 How Proof Awards Works 02:14 Connecting Emerging Brands with Buyers 02:57 Why Proof Awards Was Created 03:49 The Launch of Proof the Magazine 04:13 Beverage Trends and Category Growth 05:15 What Michele Drinks & Category Favorites 06:21 Standout Brands and Industry Innovation 07:12 Why Authentic Founders Win 08:54 The Power of Buyer Access 09:31 Launching the New CPG Awards 10:00 Final Thoughts & Industry Connections Follow Pour Decisions for more conversations with the founders, retailers, distributors, investors, and innovators shaping the future of food and beverage. #PourDecisionsPodcast #ProofAwards #ProofTheMagazine #MicheleTell #FoodAndBeverageMagazine #BeverageIndustry #CPG #Retail #NonAlcoholicBeverages #SpiritsIndustry #Entrepreneurship #FoodAndBeverage