Understanding the Wholesaler Tier, with Scott Cook of NW Beverages

Reuben's Sightglass

English - August 25, 2021 12:00 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MB - ★★★★★ - 41 ratings
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Previous Episode: What a Leading Brewery Accountant Wants You to Know About Starting a Brewery, with Chris Farmand of Small Batch Standard

Next Episode: The Art of Running a World-Class Beer Bar: Nat and Vern from Brouwer’s Cafe

Sightglass Season 4, Episode 4: Understanding the Wholesaler Tier, with Scott Cook of NW Beverages

Since the end of prohibition the alcohol industry in the United States has been governed by the Three-Tier System for alcohol distribution. The first tier is something we've covered often on Reuben's Sightglass: the brewery (or winery, distillery, etc.), also known as the supplier. We soon will cover the third tier in next week's episode: the retailer (your local bottleshop, restaurant, or grocery store.) But probably the least understood of these entities, at least for the average consumer, is what a wholesaler or distributor does in our industry. Scott Cook, the General Manager of NW Beverages, is here to shed light on their essential, distinct, and at times complicated role in getting you your favorite beer.

NW Beverages, including its earlier entity Click Wholesale, has been a trusted and crucial partner for our brewery for a number of years. Scott Cook leads NW Beverages as General Manager, helming an important organization in Western Washington that works closely with hundreds of suppliers (like us) and thousands of accounts (like your favorite bottleshop or local convenience store.) The role of the wholesaler is to get our product, and dozens of others, to market efficiently and to ensure that retailers have what they need to give you, the consumer, exactly what they want, when they want it.

And what is one of the main take-aways from this conversation? That you - yes, you! - have more power than you know in influencing how retailers, wholesalers, and suppliers like Reuben's Brews get you the beer that you want. Listen now to find out how exactly that happens.

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The fourth season of Reuben’s Sightglass dives deep into the Business of Beer. Listeners will learn about the backend of the brewery businesses, the highs and lows, mistakes and wins, and what makes a good beer vs what makes a great beer. Let this season guide you through your personal beer story.

It’s time to embark on your beer journey.