Gin Guild serves up a second online symposium

Amid unprecedented times for the UK drinks and hospitality industry, the Gin Guild is 'getting a second round in' with its second Ginposium seminar of 2020.

Ginposium, the industry body's annual seminar designed to highlight innovation and promote inspiration, moved online for the first time earlier this year after Covid-19 restrictions prevented an in-person event from happening.

With restrictions continuing, the Gin Guild is hoping to bring a bit of sparkle and light to gin colleagues ahead of the festive season and to encourage further collaboration and communication with a second online semiar, bringing together international speakers.

Going live on the Gin Guild's website on Monday, 16 November, the second Ginposium will feature a discussion of global gin trends and opportunities with Mark Meer, CEO of IWSR, a presentation on the rise of Indian gin by Anand Virmani, from Goa-based NAO Spirits & Beverages, and a talk on the hard seltzer trend from James Chase at Chase Distillers.

Speakers have created a series of videos which are available at www.theginguild.com and www.ginposium.com.

Gin Guild director general Nicholas Cook said: "Sadly, we are still inable to meet in person, but, at such a difficult time, we believe we can provide our usual thought-provoking and engaging content about industry innovations, trends and challenges to a global audience online.

"We had such a positive response from our first online serving in June that we wanted to continue to support our members and the wider industry by expanding our seminar offering.

"As we head towards 2021, facing the double-whammy of Brexit and ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, we hope to spread a little Christmas cheer and hope that a vaccine roll-out in 2021 will allow a responsible and realistic resumption of live events and a recovery of the hospitality industry."

The Gin Guild hopes to bring together members and industry representatives in person at its 2021 Ginposium, set to take place in London on 4 June 2021, but plans to deliver the event virtually again if this is not possible. 

The image shows the 2019 Ginposium.

16 November 2020 - Bethany Whymark