USA: Reyes Beverage Group to acquire Windy City Distributing

Leading U.S. beer wholesaler Reyes Beverage Group (RBG) is expanding in the craft segment with an agreement to acquire Windy City Distributing, a craft wholesaler covering Chicago and eight northern Illinois counties, for an undisclosed sum, Shanken News Daily reported on December, 17.

The deal is expected to close by year-end.

Reyes, whose Chicago Beverage Systems unit handles MillerCoors and Heineken USA labels among others, will not integrate Windy City—which distributes more than 40 craft brands including Tyranena, Lagunitas and Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales—into its local operations, instead allowing it to remain a separate craft-focused entity within Reyes. Windy City president Bob Collins will stay on in that role.

RBG distributes more than 95 mln cases annually across 11 U.S. markets and has revenues approaching $2 bln. Its move in Chicago’s craft segment follows its acquisition of 6-million-case Chesbay Distributing in Virginia by less than a month.

19 December, 2012