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EXCLUSIVE: Beer distributor expanding to West Chester

May 25, 2016  |  Ohio Eagle Distributing
Ohio Eagle Distributing

Cincinnati Business Courier

A beer distributor is moving its local operations to West Chester Township.

Ohio Eagle Distributing, a wholesale distributor of domestic, imported and craft beers in Butler, Warren and Preble counties, purchased 9300 Allen Road in West Chester from Bakery Craft LLC for $4.5 million. Devyn Dugger, president of Ohio Eagle Distributing, said the company will move its warehouse operations, delivery, hospitality center and administration offices to the new building from its current location at 150 Lawton Ave. in Monroe.

The 136,550-square-foot building on Allen Road will be retrofitted to Anheuser-Busch specifications.

John Saputo, chief executive officer and owner of Ohio Eagle Distributing, said the move will nearly double the amount of space for the beer distributor. He said the company outgrew its existing space.

“The three counties we’re distributing in are three of the very few counties in Ohio showing population growth,” Saputo told me. “Population is the biggest driver of growth.”

Saputo’s Sarasota, Fla.-based Gold Coast Eagle Distributing acquired Dickerson Distributing at the end of 2014, renaming it Ohio Eagle Distributing. Since acquiring the distributor, Saputo has increased employment to about 85, up from 75 at the end of 2014.

Saputo said it will take between six and 12 months to complete the retrofit of the space. The upgrades, which will include controlled environment warehousing to keep beer a certain temperature even in hot summer months and a hospitality and tasting room that will eventually be open to the public, will be a “significant investment” in the property.

In addition to growing population, Saputo credits the distributor’s growth to switching its salespeople to focus on one type of account: grocery, convenience stores and independent stores, and bars, restaurants and taverns.

“It’s had a significant effect on our business,” Saputo told me.

Ohio Eagle Distributing also made an investment in new equipment, tractors, trailers and vans, working with Mike Albert Fleet Solutions.

Robert Bunton, vice president with CBRE’s Cincinnati office, represented the seller, Bakery Crafts, in the deal. Rod MacEachen with SqFt Commercial represented Ohio Eagle Distributing.

“The new location will give Ohio Eagle Distributing an opportunity to potentially expand its operations and its current portfolio of domestic, imported and craft beer,” Bunton said.

Ohio Eagle Distributing is the local distributor for Anheuser-Busch, Corona, Yuengling, Kona Brewing Co., and Breckenridge Brewery along with other craft beers. Last year, the distributor had revenue of $69 million. Saputo said sales have been growing by 1.5 percent to 2 percent per month.

  

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/05/25/exclusive-beer-distributor-expanding-to-west.html