Bell’s Brewery will expand distribution into Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota this year and has begun the process of identifying new wholesale partners in each state.
In a press statement, the Michigan-based brewery said no specific launch dates had been set and that distributor selections could “take some time.”
“This process always begins with finding the right distributor partner – one who shares our standards of quality, customer service and passion,” Laura Bell, the company’s vice president said via a statement. “It will take some time, but we’ll work as fast as we can so that beer can start shipping.”
Bell’s made a similar announcement last December, unveiling plans to enter Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas in 2016. Last week, the company signed agreements with a pair of wholesalers in Arkansas, its 24th state, and said it would begin shipping beer in April.
With the addition of the new markets, Bell’s products could be sold in nearly 30 states before the end of the year. The company expanded into four states last year — Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware — and sent a one-time shipment into Colorado for the Great American Beer Festival.
Founded in 1985, Bell’s products are presently sold in 23 states as well as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. The company currently has more than 470 employees.