Breakthru Beverage exec joins Reyes
US distributor Reyes Beverage Group has hired Brian Albenze to manage the markets it is set to acquire from RNDC.
Albenze worked at fellow distributor Breakthru Beverage Group for 25 years.
In switching to Reyes, he will serve as the distributor’s market president, overseeing operations in the 11 states it is set to acquire from Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC): Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington DC.
A statement from CEO Tom Day, shared with Reyes employees, read: “I am pleased to announce that Brian Albenze will join our organisation as market president to oversee and manage the new markets as part of our recently announced purchase agreement.
“He will work closely with Reyes Beverage Group leadership across both the corporate and division teams as part of this new role. Brian brings more than 30 years of beverage alcohol distribution and supplier partnership experience, with deep expertise across sales leadership, commercial strategy and operating execution.
“Most recently, he served at Breakthru Beverage Group as executive vice president – united division, leading strategy, profitable growth and talent development for a division dedicated to the Diageo and Moët Hennessy USA portfolios.
“Throughout his career, Brian has built high-performing teams and delivered measurable commercial impact. His accomplishments include outperforming US growth trends across key supplier portfolios, improving margin performance and inventory levels, and scaling digital and business intelligence capabilities to boost customer engagement.
“He is known for his ability to run a good business, using a clear, data-driven approach to change management, developing strong supplier and customer relationships, and demonstrating a leadership style grounded in integrity and a commitment to developing talent. All key tenets of how Reyes Beverage Group operates every day.”
The RNDC acquisition
Reyes has 55 distribution facilities in the US, employing more than 10,000 people. It is also the largest beer distributor in the US.
The company expects the RNDC transaction, which will be its largest acquisition to date, to close at the end of May.
“This acquisition reflects our commitment to always evolving our business,” Jimmy Reyes, president of Reyes Holdings, said of the deal. “Our team is built to execute and win in this space.”
Once finalised, the agreement will see Reyes take over RNDC’s distribution of Pernod Ricard’s mainline and ready-to-drink (RTD) portfolio in Maryland and Washington DC.
Last week, Pernod Ricard confirmed it was in discussions with Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman over a potential merger between the two spirits giants.
In other distribution news, the US’s biggest spirits distributor, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, acquired Clare Rose and the Colorado operations of Eagle Rock. Its president of commercial sales said he expects ‘continued consolidation‘ across all tiers for the rest of the year.
Meanwhile, Southern Glazer’s and Breakthru Beverage Group both confirmed job cuts, as part of a recalibration of the North American spirits market.
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