6 articles · Updated · The Spirits Business · Jun 1
Reyes Beverage Group has taken over RNDC operations in 10 states plus Washington, DC, with the Hawaii portion still awaiting regulatory approval.
The completed deal sharply expands Chicago-based Reyes into wine and spirits, adding to its position as the largest beer distributor in the US.
RNDC has been shrinking its US footprint for the past year, first discussing a seven-market sale to Reyes in January before broadening the transaction in March and dropping Illinois.
That pullback has widened beyond Reyes: RNDC agreed in April to sell operations in all 17 control states to Martignetti and said in May it would cut more than 400 jobs tied to Pacific Northwest divestitures.
With the second-largest distributor dismantled, is the U.S. beverage market heading towards a duopoly between Southern Glazer's and Reyes?
As distributors consolidate into beverage giants, what future awaits America's small, independent wineries and distilleries?
As mega-distributors chase new consumer trends, will the classic beer and wine brands that built the industry be left behind?