IWSC Group Expansion Continues in North America

NYC Craft Beer Festival added to Portfolio

ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–IWSC Group, a world leading events company in the food and beverage
sector, continues its expansion in North America with the addition of
the NYC Craft Beer Festival to its portfolio – the first beer event for
the organization in North America.

Launched in 2011 by Ken Tesler, Founder, Mad Dog Presents, the NYC Craft
Beer Festival is a triannual event – Spring Seasonals, Summer
International and Fall Harvest – dedicated to helping beer aficionados
and connoisseurs navigate the craft beer market. Each event celebrating
America’s leading craft breweries, showcasing 75 breweries and more than
150 beers.

“Our growth in North America during the past 12 months has been
primarily focused on food and wine-related events. With the strength and
continued growth of the craft beer market, adding a beer-only event was
an important step in our expansion strategy,” said Allen Gibbons, Group
CEO, IWSC Group. “We are committed to building a portfolio with
high-performing events that each have a special appeal or story, and the
NYC Craft Beer Festival has a strong place with savvy and emerging beer
connoisseurs.”

The UK-based IWSC Group has been growing as a business over recent
years, stimulated by strategic partnerships with complementary events to
enhance the business’s portfolio and offerings to both trade and
consumers. In 2015, IWSC Group formed partnerships with The Whisky
Lounge, the biggest producer of whisky events in the UK, and the Atlanta
Food & Wine Festival (AF&WF), which puts an international spotlight on
the rich food and beverage traditions of the Southern U.S. The company
also opened its North American office in the U.S., which is led by AF&WF
Founders Dominique Love and Elizabeth Feichter and includes a full team
to support the expansion.

IWSC Group’s business strategy has been built on developing and
operating industry-leading events in collaboration with some of the
longest-standing brands in the food and drink industry. The group plans
to bring their global expertise to the NYC Craft Beer Festival and to
create cross-collaborations across individual events.

“Now that the NYC Craft Beer Festival is under IWSC’s umbrella I feel
that together we will be able to take the festival to very new and
exciting places,” said Ken Telser, Owner, Mad Dog Presents. “I look
forward to this collaborative effort and know that our attendees are
going to benefit in many ways. Look for the NYC Craft Beer Festival to
build on its strong foundation in order to grow and expand within the
craft food and beverage space.”

The 2016 NYC Craft Beer Festival Summer International will take place
June 17 – 18 at the Lexington Armory. For more information, visit www.nyccraftbeerfest.com.

About IWSC Group

IWSC Group is a world leading events company whose goal is to become the
most innovative and diverse events business offering original,
high-quality occasions for brands to meet customers. The company is
headquartered in the UK with its North American office in Atlanta, GA,
USA.

Founded as the International Wine and Spirit Competition in 1969, the
company’s expertise spans the alcoholic beverage and culinary sectors,
including wine, spirit and beer events, as well as food and drink
festivals.

IWSC Group’s business strategy has been built on developing and
operating industry-leading events in collaboration with some of the
world’s biggest brands, including Amazon, Coca-Cola, Stella Artois,
William Grant & Sons, and Lexus. IWSC Group created the Cathay Pacific
Hong Kong IWSC in 2009 and in 2011 acquired the Spirits of Mexico agave
spirits festival. Subsequently the group has formed partnerships with
US-based Whiskies of the World and the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, and
UK-based The Whisky Lounge. The latest additions to the group’s
portfolio are The Drop, an online media platform for those who want to
learn more about alcohol products; The Beer Awards, and most recently a
partnership with Cochon555 US Tour, a travelling culinary competition
and tasting event that celebrates heritage breed pork.

About NYC Craft Beer Festival

The NYC Craft Beer Festival is the only place where beer lovers of all
kinds, both the casual beer lover to the beer aficionado, can sample
such an extensive, diverse sampling of craft beers, meads and ciders, in
one place at one time. The NYC Craft Beer Festival is the perfect place
for attendees to learn which products are their favorites so the next
time they frequent their local liquor store or bar they are well
prepared to sort through the staggering array of craft offerings.

More than just an event, NYC Craft Beer Festival events offer a number
of learning initiatives and interactive experiences like the Sense Lab
and one-on-one interactions with industry experts and Cicerones in the Craft
Concierge Center, all designed to bolster awareness and appreciation
of craft beer. The three events are focused on current market
availability of beer – Spring Seasons, Summer International and Fall
Harvest – to give a broader perspective of craft beers available to
consumers.

Contacts

360 Media
Tara Murphy, 404-577-8686
tara@360media.net