Drink distributors to merge

RIDGEFIELD – Ridgefield food and beverage distributor Corwin Beverage Company announced Monday it will merge with craft beer distributor Kendall’s Pioneer Distributing of Kelso.

Both companies are owned by Corwin Holdings. Merging the two companies into one, more diverse company will help it grow in the future, a spokesman said Monday afternoon.

The two will be fully integrated, working from Corwin Beverage’s headquarters in Ridgefield by the end of 2016, according to the press release.

“As our businesses evolve and the marketplace changes, it became apparent that we are a stronger and more scalable company by combining forces,” said Corwin Beverage CEO Keith Richards.

A spokesperson said Kendall’s Pioneer Distributing employees will be offered positions at the new company, though some may not choose to work from Ridgefield.

Kendall’s Pioneer, founded three years ago by owners of Corwin Beverage, focuses on the region’s growing craft beer and wine industries. It works with more than 40 brands and 400 establishments across 10 Southwest Washington counties, the companies said.

Corwin Beverage is a fourth-generation family business formed in 1941. It employs more than 140.