Following a series of regional heats throughout June, premium soft drinks, tonics, sodas and mixers brand, Franklin & Sons, has announced the finalists for its nationwide bartender competition, Flavour in Motion 2026.
The final will take place today (11 August), as the ten finalists compete for the winning prize fund of £2,500 towards their career development, with 2nd and 3rd place also being awarded £500 and £250 respectively.
This year marks Franklin & Sons’ 140th anniversary, with the competition theme drawing inspiration from the brand’s heritage while looking towards the future.
The competition aims to celebrate the journey of bartenders across the UK, inviting them to revisit the first cocktail they ever learned to make, reimagined through the technique and skills they have developed over the years.
The finalists are as follows:
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Thomas Mialhe – Cocktail Trading Company, London
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Lili Johnston – El Siete, London
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Heidi Scott – Little Bat, London
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Alice Ford – Opium, London
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David Purkiss – Lab22, Cardiff
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Ben Wilson – The Milk Thistle, Bristol
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Chris Azarim – Nectar, Edinburgh
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Alex Woods – Farrands Bar, Leeds
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Yash Tarfe – Mollies, Manchester
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Millie Evans – Publiq, Sheffield
Tommaso Cicala, Franklin & Sons’ UK brand ambassador, said: “It’s fantastic to be celebrating three years of Flavour in Motion and the incredible bartending talent the competition has helped shine a spotlight on. The creativity, passion and flair shown by our finalists have brought them this far, and we can’t wait to welcome them to London as they present their final serves and we crown this year’s winner.”
The Franklin & Son’s Flavour in Motion finale will be held in at Shoreditch cocktail bar, Callooh Callay.