Who We Serve

North Carolina’s network of independent beer and wine distributors provide a transparent and safe path to market for the products they sell and the communities they serve.

The three-tier regulatory structure prevents market dominance by ensuring a clear separation between producers, distributors and retailers. This allows the smallest breweries, wineries and importers to compete on a level playing field with the largest suppliers.

These same regulatory principles also place small, locally-owned retailers on an equal footing with the largest chain and big box stores.

Finally, this three-tier structure safeguards public health by creating a traceable chain of custody for every product sold.

Through state-based distribution, our members take responsibility for quality control and tax collection, and help ensure that the products they sell are authentic, safe for consumption and are fully compliant with state and federal laws.

Employee moving a huge case of beer and wine at the warehouse
Employee loading Miller High Life cases of beer
Tall warehouse with cases of beer and wine

1

Policymakers
& Regulators

You need to make decisions that are both safe for the public and good for the economy.

We live and work in the communities we serve. Our members have a vested interest in how alcohol is marketed and sold here at home.

We Provide:

We uphold the three-tier system, which provides the common sense controls needed to keep the market safe for consumers, and fair and balanced for distributors and their industry partners.

Local wholesalers collect over $150 million in excise taxes for the State of North Carolina each year.

Our member companies employ over 3,600 hardworking men and women statewide, contributing roughly $332 million in local wages, salaries, and benefits and an overall economic impact of $1.4 billion.

Smiling in the beer warehouse
Birds eye view of cases of beer in wine in a warehouse

2

Beer & Wine
Distributors

You know how to run your business; we know how to navigate the capitol.

We protect a fair, safe & competitive market, ensuring that the gears of the industry keep turning in your favor. We’re your eyes and ears, keeping things steady so you can stay focused on what you do best.

We Provide:

We defend the three-tier system to ensure every distributor plays by the same common sense rules. This prevents unfair advantages and keeps the market open for local employers to compete fairly.

We translate on-the-ground warehouse and route realities into objective insight for lawmakers. We make sure the people who actually run the system have a say in how it’s regulated.

We focus on the long game. By keeping the regulatory environment steady, we create the certainty you need to invest in your fleet, your warehouse, and your people for sustained business growth.

We protect the structure of the industry so you can focus on your daily operations. We handle the “big picture” threats so your path to the consumer remains safe and predictable.
Birds eye view of the beer warehouse
Employee smiling standing in front of a Coors Light truck

3

Industry
Partners

We know that for our partners, a good year isn’t just about sales — it’s about a clear & stable market.

We protect and support the reliable structure that connects distributors to their supplier and retail partners, ensuring a stable and predictable market ecosystem that benefits North Carolina consumers.

We Provide:

Maintaining a three-tier system that’s easy to navigate and free from bottlenecks and barriers.

Supporting a stable network of distributors who are accountable, professional, and rooted in their communities.

Ensuring the rules don’t favor one side over the other, creating a fair environment where both the smallest winery and the largest retailer can thrive.
Employee working hard in the liquor warehouse
Setting up the beer lines