Brown-Forman, the parent company behind major whiskey brands like Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve, announced on Thursday that it completed the biggest distribution shakeup in the United States in over 60 years.
The whiskey giant hired new distributors in 13 markets. The distribution shift signified that it was parting ways with its longtime distributor, Republic National Distribution Company (RNDC), in several territories.
VinePair reports that Brown-Forman’s departure isn’t the first blow to come for RNDC. The company lost Tito’s Vodka in January and Sazerac in December 2022 — the same year Nick Mehall became RNDC’s CEO. Vinepair reported that RNDC’s CEO, Nick Mehall, announced he was stepping down from his position in February. The outlet referred to his time with the company as “marked by intense supply chain disruptions,” and the post-pandemic industry correction.
Yet Brown-Forman appears to keep its focus on the future. Though Brown Forman’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Robinson Brown, expressed gratitude for distributors like RNDC’s “hard work,” it is clear the company is looking forward.
“This is Brown-Forman’s first significant change to our route-to-consumer landscape in more than 60 years,” said Senior Vice President and Managing Director USA & Canada, Brown-Forman, in a statement. “These decisions were taken with great thought and care, and we believe they will bring tremendous opportunities for growth in the years and decades to come. Together, we will share Brown-Forman’s iconic family of brands with consumers across the U.S., fueling accelerated momentum and achieving new levels of success.”
As part of the new arrangement, Brown-Forman shared that it will be represented by these new distribution companies starting August 1, 2025.
Distributors Representing Brown-Forman
- Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits: Louisiana, New York. The brand will continue with SGWS in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Rhode Island.
- Keg-1 River City: Kentucky
- Columbia Distributing: Washington
- Oklahoma Spirits Alliance in conjunction with Capital, LDF, & Fisher 59 Distributors: Oklahoma.
- Reyes Beverage Group: California starting May 2025. Hawaii.
- Johnson Brothers: Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas
- Specialty Imports: Alaska
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