USA, AL & FL & TN: Good People Brewing Co. to enter new markets in Florida and Tennessee

Good People Brewing Co., the oldest and largest brewery in the state of Alabama, announced on February 5 that it will begin selling its selection of high-quality beers in two new markets in the coming month. Starting the week of Feb. 29, Good People will expand into the Florida Panhandle; the following week, on March 7, the brewery will expand into central Tennessee.

“We couldn’t be more excited to finally break this news,” said Michael Sellers, who cofounded Good People in 2008 with his friend Jason Malone. “Speaking as a small business owner, this is obviously a great opportunity to grow our company. It’s a milestone for everyone here. But speaking as an Alabamian, it’s also a chance to show more folks around the South the kind of quality and character that our state has to offer.”

Three years ago, in Feb. 2013, Good People expanded into Nashville, Tennessee. Building on the success of this first step into an out-of-state market—as well as invaluable hometown support—the brewery is prepared to meet the demand of devoted customers in the Panhandle and central Tennessee.

“Birmingham’s our home,” Sellers said. “With every new market we go to, we want to be ambassadors for the Magic City. This city’s made a comeback, no doubt about it, and we want to spread that good news every time someone takes a sip of one of our beers. Birmingham represents the very best that the South has to offer—great food, great music, great people—and that’s the standard we’re trying to live up to.”

After humble homebrewing origins in the Five Points South neighborhood, Good People established a new brewery in an old warehouse across from Railroad Park in May 2010. Recent years have seen extensive renovations, including a modern redesign of the taproom and the addition of a state-of-the-art quality control lab on the premises in 2015. And as Birmingham thrives with new energy, Good People continues to play host to music festivals, homebrewing competitions and fundraisers for worthy causes.

The brewery will be partnering with Goldring Gulf Distributing to expand into the Panhandle, and with Hand Family Companies to enter the Chattanooga, Clarksville and Cookeville markets.

“Goldring Gulf Distributing’s decision to partner with Good People Brewing Company in the Panhandle of Florida is, put simply, the result of our belief in Good People,” said Pete Teske, craft ambassador for Gulf Distribution Holdings. “We’ve built a strong relationship with the Good People family through our existing partnership in lower Alabama and know they are focused on producing consistent, flavorful and high quality beer. I guess the question becomes, why wouldn’t you want to partner with Good People in any market?”

10 February, 2016