EVERETT – A Seattle-based beverage wholesaler and importer has purchased Friendly Distributors, a local distributor of beer and wine, with plans to keep operating the smaller north Everett company.
Alaska Distributors Co. acquired Friendly’s assets at the end of June. Founded in 1969 by Kim and Sharon Blunt, Friendly serves customers in Island, San Juan, Skagit and Snohomish counties from its 96,000-square-foot warehouse on E. Marine View Drive.
Stephen Loeb, president and chief executive officer of Alaska Distributors, said in an announcement of the deal that Friendly’s distribution center is the only one in this market handling wine. That and the location in a growing area made it attractive, according to the company.
In addition to buying Friendly’s assets, Alaska Distributors has signed a five-year lease for the Everett warehouse and will continue to operate it under the Friendly name.
Loeb was out of the country Friday and could not be reached for further comment on the deal; neither of the private firms involved disclosed the financial terms of the acquisition.
Founded in 1934, Alaska Distributors has become one of the largest private companies based in Washington, serving clients in seven Northwest states.
With the addition of Friendly’s work force, Alaska has more than 750 employees. The company recently announced plans to relocate its headquarters from south Seattle to a new space in Kent next year.
Friendly Distributing is the second Everett beverage distributor to be bought within the past few months. In April, Portland, Ore.-based Columbia Distributing Co. purchased Sound Beverage, which had moved here after buying out another company.
Gerald Goldman, Alaska Distributors senior vice president of finance and operations, said it’s easier for a distributing company to operate competitively if it has a relatively large territory. Also, he said, beverage suppliers may push distributors to expand.
“If you’re a good distributor, the suppliers like to see you have a bigger territory,” Goldman said.
Gigi Burke, president of the Washington Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association and a vice president at Arlington’s Crown Distributing Co., agreed that consolidation is happening industrywide.
“Our wholesalers association has dropped greatly in membership, but the members that remain are getting bigger,” she said.
Family-owned Crown, which has been around for more than 50 years, has purchased smaller rivals and expanded its territory over the years just like its bigger peers, Burke said. While the new owners of Everett’s distributors will provide stiffer competition, she said, Crown doesn’t plan to go anywhere.
“With these larger corporations purchasing territory up here, we hope our quality of service shines brighter,” Burke said.
Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com.
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