Distribution

A dispute in one of the most prominent families in the beer industry — the Massachusetts-based Sheehans, owners of Sheehan Family Companies, which operates beer wholesalers in 13 states and Washington, D.C. — has spilled into the court system. Timothy G. Sheehan and George L. Cushing, a trustee who represents trusts that benefit Tim Sheehan and his brother John T. Sheehan, filed a civil lawsuit in Massachusetts’ Suffolk Superior Court alleging that the patriarch and matriarch of the family, Gerald (“Jerry”) and Maureen Sheehan, have violated their fiduciary duties and misappropriated company funds.

Brewbound readers in 2020 sought out news about the pandemic, mergers and acquisitions, brewery closures and job changes. 2020 marked a year of shifts for brewers, as well as Brewbound, which shifted its business model to a subscription model. With that in mind, we’ve pulled the five most-read stories before the paywall was introduced and the five most-read stories after.

Reyes Beer Division is expanding its Southern California operations with plans to add two new warehouses for its Gate City Beverage and Harbor Distributing subsidiaries.

Alcohol distributors are dubious regarding Bang Energy’s ability to rebound from its messy, still-unfurling divorce with PepsiCo, according to a survey by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.

Industry watchdog group Alcohol Justice is urging California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to conduct an independent investigation of Anheuser-Busch InBev and Reyes Holdings for what it believes could be antitrust violations related to acquisitions each company has made in the state.

San Diego-based Societe Brewing is moving wholesaler networks in California. Effective January 4, Societe’s offerings will be distributed by Stone Distributing throughout Southern California, Brewbound has learned.

In the wake of several terminations by a handful of larger beer suppliers over the last two years, a group of California beer wholesalers have launched a new association, the California Family Beer Distributors (CFBD).

Bell’s Brewery has filled out its new distribution map in southern Indiana. The Comstock, Michigan-headquartered craft brewery announced 15 new wholesaler partners, all within Anheuser-Busch’s network of wholesalers in the state.

Middle-tier consolidation continues to chug along, this time in Alabama. Gulf Distributing Holdings in Mobile, the state’s largest beer wholesaler, completed the acquisition of Supreme Beverage Co. in Huntsville on December 4.

Despite claims by Vital Pharmaceuticals/VPX Sports boss Jack Owoc that “terminated means terminated,” PepsiCo can continue to distribute Bang energy drinks until the completion of ongoing dispute between the two parties, according to an emergency arbitration ruling issued on Monday.

Crescent Crown — which operates distribution territories in Louisiana and Arizona and sells more than 37 million cases of beverages annually — announced Monday a deal to acquire Jim Carey Distributing Company in Covington, Louisiana.

When words like “pathetic,” “feckless” and “sub-mediocrity” start getting tossed around, one can assume the spark is well and truly gone. That’s how Bang CEO Jack Owoc summed up the current relationship between his energy drink brand and PepsiCo in an interview with Beverage Digest following the announcement last month that Bang was unilaterally exiting the distribution agreement only a few months after the contract was signed.

The CANarchy Brewery Collective has forged its first non-alcoholic beverage partnership. The craft brewery rollup announced today a master distribution agreement with Revitalyte, a recovery beverage sold in convenience and liquor stores that is targeted to those seeking a remedy for hangovers and athletes looking for a recovery drink.