WINCHESTER, Ky. (June 6, 2012) — Ale-8-One Bottling Company and Kentucky Eagle have signed a distribution agreement to expand Kentucky’s soft drink to restaurant and bar accounts.
The limited agreement covers approximately 300 bar and restaurant accounts in Fayette, Madison and Scott counties being serviced by Kentucky Eagle. Ale-8-One trucks and personnel will continue to cover grocery, discount and convenience store accounts. Fielding Rogers, fourth generation owner of Ale-8-One and president, said the agreement made sense for the bottler.
“The Ale-8-One truck fleet keeps hours, routes and policies that are conducive to retail delivery accounts which don’t necessarily cross over to the food and beverage industry. Kentucky Eagle trucks are already making deliveries to these accounts, so consolidating sales of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages in one stop, is convenient for everyone,” Rogers said.
“Any time that we get a chance to partner with another family owned Kentucky business and bring great products to our customers, we are very interested,” said David Stubblefield, vice president and general manager for Kentucky Eagle.
Widely known as a beer distributor, Stubblefield said Kentucky Eagle will do over $5,000,000 in non-beer sales in 2012 and that the nonalcoholic portfolio is one of the fastest growing areas of the company.
Cheapside, Tin Roof, Parlay Social and Al’s Bar in Lexington are among the establishments that carry Ale-8-One and have featured it with bourbon. Some call it the Exacta, others the Kentucky Cocktail or Maker’s 8, but the ingredients are the same, bourbon and Ale-8-One. The fruit and ginger flavor of Ale-8-One has also been paired with vodka, rum and red wine.
Local restaurants carrying Ale-8-One include Ramsey’s, Old Chicago, Texas Roadhouse, Meadowthorpe Cafe and Gumbo Ya Ya.
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