Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the largest North American wine and spirits distribution company, has signed a Letter of Intent to form a joint venture distributorship with Jarboe Sales Company to create an integrated wine, spirits and beer wholesaling operation in Oklahoma.
The joint venture, which will operate under the name Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Oklahoma, is expected to close on October 1, 2018, when new provisions allowing grocery stores and convenience stores to sell wine and cold, full-strength beer in Oklahoma take effect.
The joint venture will significantly expand the new company’s customer base across the state of Oklahoma by more than 3,700 accounts, the company says. The venture will operate a sales division that goes to market under the Jarboe name.
“Southern Glazer’s has more experience than any other distributor addressing the kind of regulatory changes that Oklahoma will be facing, similar to what’s already taken place in markets like Tennessee, Arkansas and Washington,” says Brad Vassar, Chief Operating Officer, Southern Glazer’s. “With that knowledge, and Jarboe as our partner, I’m confident that we will be able to bring the best brands, service and value to retail customers in the state.”
The venture will leverage Jarboe’s brand new, state-of-the-art distribution facility located in Tulsa which opened in March of this year, the company says. The new company will operate as part of Southern Glazer’s Central Region.
