Name
The Buyer’s Balancing Act: Budget, Vision & The Unexpected
Date & Time
Tuesday, September 9, 2025, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Speakers
Jessica Solomon - Bluebridge Hospitality
Dan Cools - Juniper and Ivy
Kelly Kohlman - Oliver McCrum Wines & Spirits
Kaylan Wedemeyer - Consortium Holdings
Nate Black - Blue Bridge Hospitality
Hayden Stewart - Pauma Valley Country Club
Dan Cools - Juniper and Ivy
Kelly Kohlman - Oliver McCrum Wines & Spirits
Kaylan Wedemeyer - Consortium Holdings
Nate Black - Blue Bridge Hospitality
Hayden Stewart - Pauma Valley Country Club
Description
Being a buyer isn’t just about picking great bottles—it’s about creating a beverage program that makes sense on paper, feels exciting in the glass, and holds up under real-world pressure. In this session, we’ll dive into the challenges buyers face every day: cost of goods constraints, supplier dynamics, shifting team needs, and the ever-present curveballs that come with running a program. We’ll talk through strategies for staying ahead—whether that’s navigating changing budgets, building a list that tells a story, or staying flexible without losing your vision. This is a candid, practical conversation for anyone managing or aspiring to manage a beverage program.
Session Type
Professional Development
Tasting Component?
Non-Tasting
Learning Objectives
Identify common challenges faced when managing a beverage program, including budget limitations, vendor relationships, and operational hurdles.
Analyze cost of goods targets and make informed purchasing decisions that balance quality, creativity, and financial responsibility.
Build and maintain a beverage list that reflects the concept’s vision while adapting to changing inventory, trends, and team dynamics.
Develop strategies to stay ahead of problems—from anticipating seasonal shifts in sales to creating contingency plans for supply disruptions.
Communicate effectively across departments (culinary, front of house, ownership) to ensure the beverage program supports the restaurant’s overall goals.
Foster flexibility and resilience as a buyer, learning how to pivot when expectations, products, or resources shift unexpectedly.
Analyze cost of goods targets and make informed purchasing decisions that balance quality, creativity, and financial responsibility.
Build and maintain a beverage list that reflects the concept’s vision while adapting to changing inventory, trends, and team dynamics.
Develop strategies to stay ahead of problems—from anticipating seasonal shifts in sales to creating contingency plans for supply disruptions.
Communicate effectively across departments (culinary, front of house, ownership) to ensure the beverage program supports the restaurant’s overall goals.
Foster flexibility and resilience as a buyer, learning how to pivot when expectations, products, or resources shift unexpectedly.