The country’s third largest craft brewery, New Belgium Brewing, today announced the signing of seven wholesale agreements in Florida, the 32nd state where its beer is distributed.
The Fort Collins-based brewery inked partnerships with six MillerCoors wholesalers — Gold Coast Distributing, JJ Taylor, Florida Distributing, Cone Distributing, Goldring Gulf, and Champion Brands. New Belgium also signed an agreement with one Anheuser-Busch distributor, Daytona Beverage.
New Belgium beers will begin flowing in the Sunshine State on July 29.
As Brewbound.com reported in February, the company will initially rollout its core brands — Fat Tire, Ranger and 1554 — in 22-oz bottles as well as seasonal and Lips of Faith Series beers. New Belgium spokesman Bryan Simpson said the strategy is to generate initial consumer trial, before the company begins selling its beer on draft and in 12 oz. packages 60 days later.
“Florida is a great craft beer market,” Simpson said in February. “It was the right market for the amount of volume and capacity the brewery is able to handle this year.”
New Belgium also began distributing its beer in Louisiana and Alaska earlier this year.