Dive Brief:
- Two of the largest beer distributors serving New York City are set to merge, according to a report by Beer Business Daily.
- The tie-up between Manhattan Beer Distributors, which operates four facilities in and around New York, and Phoenix/Beehive, which runs two facilities, would give a single company distribution of Heineken, Guinness, Miller, Coors, Sam Adams, and a large number of craft brews.
- The news comes just weeks after Brooklyn Brewery, the draft versions of which are distributed by Phoenix/Beehive, announced it would build a new brewery on Staten Island.
Dive Insight:
Without knowing the details of this deal, it's hard to say what is driving the merger. But one thing is certain: Phoenix/Beehive has a distribution facility on Staten Island — the future home of Brooklyn Brewery and the present home of recent startup Flagship Brewing. That bodes well for Manhattan/Phoenix/Beehive, or whatever the new company is called.