NEW ORLEANS – Republic National Distributing Company, LLC (RNDC) and Central Liquor Company today began a new chapter in their existing relationship by announcing an agreement to form a new joint venture distributorship in Oklahoma, effective Oct. 1, 2018. The two companies will join together to distribute wines, spirits and beer as a result of a historic law change in the state of Oklahoma that will shift from a four-tier system to a three-tier system — a move that will expand the new company’s retail customer base by 3,695 accounts.
“October 1 will be a momentous day for the state of Oklahoma, and for RNDC,” said RNDC President and CEO Tom Cole. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to move from being a broker to a distributor, and expand our valued and longstanding partnership with the Naifeh family and their Oklahoma team.”
“We take great pride in the roots our family has established in Oklahoma. Following the repeal of Prohibition, we became just the sixth company to receive a liquor license,” commented Central Liquor Company Partner Brad Naifeh. “It is only fitting that changes in legislation would once again mark a new chapter in our family’s story with this significant partnership with RNDC.”
The new joint venture will have the distinct advantage of operating out of a state-of-the-art, 406,000 sq. ft. automated distribution center in centrally-located Oklahoma City, enabling convenient and efficient service to its customers across all 77 counties in Oklahoma. This legal modernization will provide new retailers throughout the state a greater selection of fine wines, spirits and malt beverages for Oklahoma consumers to enjoy responsibly.
“Building upon the strong foundation set by Central and RNDC, together we look forward to leveraging the best location in the state to bring superior service and offerings from our supplier partners to Oklahoma retailers and restaurateurs,” added Cole.
Today, Central Liquor Company is owned and operated by third generation partners — Brad, Greg and Justin Naifeh. Since 2004, RNDC has partnered with the Naifeh family through its brokerage operation in the state.
RNDC will serve as the managing partner of the new distributorship, which will be named at a later date.
About Republic National Distributing Company
RNDC is a distributor of premium wine and spirits with operations in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. RNDC employs more than 9,500 associates nationwide. For more information, visit www.rndc-usa.com.