The pending sale of Fredericksburg Distributing Co. to a firm based in Northern Virginia will end nearly eight decades of local ownership.
Premium Distributors of Virginia, which is a division of Chicago-based Reyes Holdings, has agreed to a deal to purchase FDC, said FDC General Manager Rocky Sizemore. The sale is expected to close Oct. 8.
FDC sells a large variety of beer labels including Coors, Corona, Pabst, Yuengling, Miller, Sam Adams and Fosters in a territory that spans the entire Fredericksburg area and beyond.
FDC's local roots date back to 1933, when the end of Prohibition in the U.S. persuaded the late Solly Ventura to give up his wholesale fruit operation and start the beer-distributing business. Three generations of the Ventura family operated the business over a 55-year ownership run spanning three generations.
Like FDC, most U.S. beer wholesalers were started near the end of Prohibition and remain privately owned. There has lately been a trend toward consolidation.
In June 1988, the Ventura family sold Fredericksburg Distributing Co. to a group headed by L. Wayne Sanders, whose family is now selling it. Sanders died at the age of 60 in May 2007.
Another Fredericksburg-area beer distributor whose roots date back to the Prohibition era, Freeman Beverage, is also exploring a sale. Freeman also sells wine and non-alcoholic beverages.
FDC employs about 107 people. Sizemore said most of its employees, including himself, will stay on with Premium Distributors. The deal includes FDC's Commerce Parkway facility off U.S. 17 in Stafford County.
Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405
Email: bfreehling@freelancestar.com