Major Brands purchases major A-B distributorship Western Beverage

ST. LOUIS Belgian beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev is selling one of its major company-owned beer distributorships, called Western Beverage Co., to Major Brands Inc. CEO Todd Epsten. The wholesale operation is based in Eugene, Ore., produces approximately 6 million to 7 million case equivalents per year and ranks in the top 25 A-B distributorships.

Wine and liquor producer Major Brands Inc. resides in Missouri, near the Maplewood exit off Interstate 44. Epsten is establishing a new company called Major Eagle Inc. in order to buy A-B’s 56% stake, as well as the other shareholders’ 44%, in Western Beverage.

Tony Short, Anheuser-Busch’s VP business and wholesaler development, stressed that the transaction “was under consideration for several months prior to the close of the A-B InBev merger.” The deal should be closed by the end of the year.