Sherwin Acebuche, Co-Founder of Tarsier Spirit Ltd, has been recognised as Beverage Innovator of the Year at the 2025 Be Inclusive Hospitality Spotlight Awards, honouring individuals driving positive change and innovation across the UK hospitality industry.

This award recognises a visionary professional within the drinks industry, who is pushing boundaries and helping to shape the future of beverages through creativity and bold ideas.

Sherwin co-founded Tarsier Spirit to celebrate his Southeast Asian heritage, distilling authentic botanicals from the region and introducing bold new flavour profiles to the premium spirits category.

Beyond the liquid, he has become a leading voice for representation and inclusivity, challenging the trade to make back bars and cocktail lists as diverse as the customers they serve.

A passionate advocate for cultural awareness in drinks, Sherwin regularly shares the overlooked contributions of Filipinos to global bar culture; from the early innovators of Tiki in mid-century America to the exchange of distillation techniques between the Philippines and Mexico dating back to the 1600s.

In his acceptance speech, Sherwin urged the industry to drive meaningful change:

“If you want your culture represented in the drinks space, if you want people who look like you to be seen in the drinks space, then list brands that represent you and your values. Change starts in this room. For every bottle sold, our dream of being seen gets a little bit closer.”