New Belgium names 10 Kentucky wholesalers

A concept image of New Belgium’s brewery and Liquid Center (tasting room) location, an 18-acre site along the French Broad River in West Asheville.

New Belgium Brewing Co. has signed contracts with 10 wholesalers in the state of Kentucky and is slated to open that market once its second brewery in Asheville, N.C., comes online in late 2015. Earlier plans had New Belgium opening Kentucky and Hawaii in 2014 but robust sales and capacity constraints have pushed plans back until new capacity is complete. New Belgium’s Kentucky network is as follows:

1. Eagle Distributing Co. — AB
2. Golden Eagle Distributing Inc. — AB
3. J.B. Distributors Inc. — AB
4. Bud of Owensboro (Hand Family, LLC) — AB
5. Kentucky Eagle Inc. — AB
6. Perry Distributors, Inc. — AB
7. River City Distributing — M/C
8. Smith Brothers Distributing Co. — AB
9. Stagnaro Distributing — M/C
10. Edward Utley Jr. Inc. — AB

“We’ve been starting the distributor selection process earlier than in the past,” said New Belgium Brewing’s Sales Co-Pilot Brian Krueger. “This allows us plenty of time for planning so that we can really hit the ground running when we open these new territories. Kentucky has been on the horizon for a while now, so we’re excited to be moving on to the next stage.”

Dates for distribution will become firm closer to completion of New Belgium’s Asheville facility sometime in late 2015. Kentucky will be New Belgium’s 38th state of distribution.