North Carolina Beer Distributors Host Members of Congress for Warehouse Visits

Rep. Walter Jones with Clark Moore, Leigh Jeffries Fanning, Coastal Beverage Co. President Tuney Nunnelee III and Coastal Beverage Co. employeesWith members of Congress home in their congressional districts during most of August, beer distributors in North Carolina invited several of their elected representatives to visit their warehouses and see firsthand the critical role beer distributors play in getting bottles, cans, cases and kegs from a brewer or importer to local stores, restaurants or bars through a safe, transparent and accountable system.

Coastal Beverage Co. hosted U.S. Representative Walter Jones (NC-03) at its Farmville warehouse with Leigh Jeffreys Fanning, principal of R.A. Jeffreys Distributing Company, LLC, in attendance. Coastal Beverage Co. employs around 350 employees across its four locations in North Carolina, with approximately 120 employees working in the Farmville warehouse.

According to Coastal Beverage Co. Vice President Clark Moore, the beer distribution company is now an annual stop for Rep. Jones, who spoke with operations, warehouse, sales, administrative and managerial staff during his most recent visit. Rep. Jones spoke to employees about the political environment in Washington, D.C., and the impending debt crisis. The employees also used the opportunity to ask the senior House Armed Services Committee member for his perspective on how proposed cuts to the military’s budget might impact the economy of Eastern North Carolina.

(L to R) Tim Radigan, Rep. G.K. Butterfield, Clark Moore and Russ Saputo Coastal Beverage Co. also hosted U.S. Representative G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) at its Elizabeth City warehouse, which employs 52 men and women. Russ Saputo of Carolina Eagle Distributing Inc. – who recently hosted a visit by U.S. Representative Renee Ellmers (NC-02) to his company’s Rocky Mount warehouse – was also on hand for Rep. Butterfield’s visit in Elizabeth City.

The visit was Rep. Butterfield’s second to the Elizabeth City warehouse. Following a tour of the warehouse conducted by Operations Manager Tim Radigan, Rep. Butterfield talked with employees and learned about the good jobs and benefits that the company provides. The company’s leadership team used the time with Rep. Butterfield to update him on policy issues important to America’s beer distributors, including the three-tier system of alcohol distribution and the value of reaffirming a state’s ability to regulate alcohol.

Moore said Coastal Beverage Co. employees spoke of the company’s commitment to the community as a locally-owned and -operated business, citing specifically the “Corona Cares” program – now in its third year. As part of the annual fundraiser, North Carolina distributors across the state have committed 25 cents of every case of Corona Extra and Corona Light sold during the month of August to the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, with a goal of raising $150,000 this year. The funds will be used to support programs that benefit patients and families receiving cancer treatment.

###