For those who don’t know Raising the Glass can you set out your objectives?
Raising the Glass exists to make the drinks industry more inclusive, representative, and connected. We want to shine a light on under-represented founders, build meaningful networks, and create safe spaces for conversation and action.
At its heart, Raising The Glass is about visibility, allyship, and advocacy and helping brilliant brands and people get the recognition and opportunities they deserve, while making sure the industry evolves to reflect the society it serves. Put simply Raising the Glass exists to drive meaningful connections in the drinks industry.
You are supporting Raising The Glass with two new major initiatives. First you have a dedicated event in November – what is happening?
We’re launching The Mixer, a new trade showcase dedicated to challenger and under-represented drinks brands. It takes place in London this November and will bring together buyers, investors, and industry partners with some of the most exciting early-stage and scaling drinks businesses.
Alongside the exhibition there will be talks, networking, and opportunities to have the kind of honest conversations that often don’t happen at traditional trade shows. The mixer is where challenger brands meet their big break. It’s where bold brands meet the people who believe in them.
How have you chosen the brands who are exhibiting?
The event is open to all with tickets available for exhibition stands and also day tickets to access some of the benefits. Some are part of the Raising the Glass network already, others have come through word of mouth or nomination. At its heart we want to ensure we can deliver an accessible event that drives connectivity with key decision makers and experts in the room. Our focus is about supporting founders and brands that bring something fresh to the table, whether that’s category-breaking innovation, purpose-driven missions, or perspectives often overlooked in the drinks sector.
Who are you aiming the show at?
The show is aimed at founders who want to connect, learn and be part of a community. Buyers, distributors, investors, and partners who want to discover new products and connect with the founders behind them are also welcomed. I am delighted to confirm that we already have confirmed attendance from Tesco, Co-op, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado. It’s also for anyone who cares about the future of the industry and wants to see it become more inclusive and dynamic.
Can more brands sign up to take part?
Raising the Glass holds a number of meetings and events for female drinks entreprenuers and their allies to get involved in
We’ve capped this year’s cohort to keep it curated and to ensure exhibitors get the focus they deserve. We still have tickets available and we’re still welcoming interest from brands who would like to be part of the wider Raising The Glass community and potentially future editions of The Mixer.
Any masterclasses or talks?
Yes, alongside the exhibition, we’re running panel sessions and masterclasses on topics like category insight, founder stories , and inclusive brand-building. These are designed to be practical and interactive, led by people who’ve been there before. We also have a ‘meet the experts session’ where people can spend time with experts on subjects like branding, communication, technical advice, sustainability, category insight, etc.
Do you see this as a one off or the start of a regular event?
The Mixer is very much intended as a regular fixture. We see this as the beginning of an annual gathering point for challenger brands and the wider industry.
You also have a new mentorship programme?
That’s Untapped, our incubator and mentorship programme for women-founded and under-represented drinks brands. Each year we’ll bring together a small cohort of early-stage businesses for a 12-month journey of mentoring, structured workshops, and access to networks.
The aim is to accelerate their growth and connect them to the people and opportunities that can help them thrive. Untapped is built by industry, backed by community and fulled by women.
Alongside Untapped, our incubator for women-founded and under-represented brands, we also run the Raising the Glass Mentoring Programme. It connects experienced professionals across retail, investment, and brand-building with founders and rising talent who need guidance, encouragement, and practical advice.
The idea is to match people not just on skills, but on shared values and lived experience, whether that’s helping someone prepare for a first supermarket pitch, navigating fundraising, or building a culture where everyone can thrive.
How do brands and people apply?
For Untapped, applications are currently open and people can apply via our website. We have kept the process simple and accessible as we know time is a precious resource for founders.
For the mentoring programme, people can apply via our website.
What are you looking for in the application and what is the target type of business?
Rebecca Oliver-Mooney, founder of Raising the Glass: "We’ve already seen the power of bringing people together to share stories and support each other."
We’re looking for founders and professionals who are curious, ambitious, and open to learning. With Untapped, that’s early-stage drinks brands. With the mentoring programme, it can also be people earlier in their career journey who want support breaking into the industry.
At the heart of untapped it is about supporting women and under represented founders with purpose led missions.
What support and advice will they get?
A mix of one-to-one mentoring, themed workshops, and peer-to-peer connection. We focus on practical topics such as scaling, investment, category insight, leadership, but also the softer skills like confidence, resilience, and storytelling.
Who are the mentors offering the advice and their background?
Our mentors are a mix of senior leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs who’ve walked the walk. They bring experience from global businesses, challenger brands, and everything in between. Crucially, they’re people who share our belief that the future of the drinks industry must be inclusive, supportive, and sustainable.
What other ways can you get involved in Raising The Glass?
There are plenty of ways to engage:
• Attend our quarterly networking events, open to the whole industry.
• Apply for Untapped or the mentoring programme.
• Join A Seat at the Table, our supper club series designed for deeper, more personal conversations.
• Support through sponsorship, partnership, or by offering your time as a mentor.
• And of course, come along to The Mixer and connect with the brands in person.
Any other events coming up?
We have our next Seat at the Table on October 16, breaking barriers over breakfast, plus our regular networking events continuing into 2026. We’re also have our podcast series including The Tipple, our short-form podcast series, and we are developing more “Creating Culture” workshops for businesses wanting to build more inclusive teams.
Anything else to say?
Raising the Glass is more than an initiative. It’s becoming a movement. We’ve already seen the power of bringing people together to share stories and support each other. The reality is that only 2% of VC funding goes to women-founded businesses, and representation across the industry still lags behind. We can change that by creating visibility, connections, and advocacy.
That’s what Raising the Glass is here to do. When the barriers come down innovation goes up and the whole industry thrives.
* You can find out more about Raising the Glass and its various initiatives at its website here.
* Its new The Mixer event takes place on November 6, 10am-4pm, Ministry of Sound, 103 Gaunt Street London SE1 6DP. For tickets click here.
