Breakthru enters KY and Indiana with RNDC deal
Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) is set to exit Kentucky and Indiana after agreeing a deal with Breakthru Beverage Group.
Breakthru Beverage has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to buy RNDC’s stakes in its joint venture businesses with National Wine & Spirits (NWS) in Kentucky and Indiana.
It followed RNDC’s confirmation last month that it was working with its joint venture partners in New York, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan “on the best paths forward”.
The deal with Breakthru is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026, subject to the finalisation of a definitive purchase agreement and regulatory approval.
Once the transaction is concluded, Breakthru Kentucky and Breakthru Indiana will be fully integrated into the Breakthru family, expanding the group’s operations to 18 states.
Breakthru Beverage Group CEO Tom Bené said: “We’re incredibly excited about the opportunity to expand our footprint into two new states, Indiana and Kentucky, which reflects our continued commitment to thoughtful and strategic growth.
“We are also excited about the opportunity to partner with NWS as we integrate these businesses into the Breakthru family to further drive growth in these markets.
“We value the existing teams and intend to maintain the current employee structure as we evaluate the needs of our suppliers and customers.”
The CEO of NWS, John Baker, described Breakthru as the “best distributor” to drive the business in the two markets.
He added: “I am confident that, with Breakthru’s leadership, strong experience, and commitment to execution excellence, these businesses will be well-positioned for their next chapter of growth and sustained success.”
The potential deal follows similar ones struck by RNDC with Reyes Beverage Group and Martignetti Companies.
Last month, RNDC agreed to sell its operations in all 17 US control states to Martignetti.
The company also provided an update on its deal with Reyes, which took on an additional five US states from RNDC in March, bringing the total to 11.
RNDC also recently signed a LOI with Columbia Distributing to sell its operations in Oregon, Washington and Alaska.
Last summer, RNDC ceased operations in California, cutting jobs and leaving smaller brands scrambling to find a new distributor.
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