After five years of self-distributing its beer, Block 15 pulled the trigger on creating its own distribution company. On April 14, the Corvallis, Oregon brewery announced the launch of Block 15 Distribution.
Block 15 co-owner and founder Nick Arzner said that because the infrastructure was in place from self-distributing, most of the costs related to launching the distributing company were for professional fees, as a law firm was hired to assist in the transition.
From the initial investigation into creating the company to receiving all of the approved licensing, the process took almost a year.
“The reworking of our licensing was an intense process with a lot of moving parts. After we realized this, we hired a law firm that specializes in these types of things,” Arzner said. “They were able to work with us, the TTB, & OLCC (Oregon Liquor Control Commission) to complete our transition.”
The management team for Block 15 Distribution is a continuation of the self-distribution team, overseen by Chris Althouse, a staple in the company for ten years.
“We organically grew our distribution over the past five years. During that time we developed a fantastic team,” Arzner said.
Currently, the company is working with brands it has prior relationships with.
“For us to consider suppliers they must have high quality products that are adding to the conversation in their segment, be environmentally conscious, and have programs for employee welfare and benefits,” Arzner added.
“We have had a lot of interest from potential suppliers and direct them towards our supplier information sheet on our website. Through this we are able to identify potential partners and begin to think about our overall portfolio.”
Arzner added that the artisans the company works with are passionate, so Block 15 Distribution does its best to treat the products as their own.
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