Improving Business in the Wilmington Region
COASTAL BEVERAGE TO INVEST IN NEW OPERATIONS AT PENDER COMMERCE PARK
Eastern NC Beverage Company Will Build HQ and Distribution Center
February 5, 2018 (Wilmington, N.C.) – Coastal Beverage Company, Inc., one of eastern North Carolina’s premiere distributors of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages, has selected a 27.7-acre parcel at Pender Commerce Park that will serve as regional distribution space as well as its corporate headquarters. Pender County Commissioners voted earlier today to approve the transaction pending satisfaction of the upset-bid requirement.
“This announcement by Coastal Beverage is once again indicative of the success of our on-going efforts to invest in economic development for the purpose of creating jobs for our Pender County citizens,” said George Brown, Chairman of the Pender County Board of Commissioners. “The county’s strategic vision to develop Pender Commerce Park was a bold one, and is proving to be the job creator we desired.”
The announcement by CBC, which will be Pender Commerce Park’s fourth tenant, comes just days after FedEx Freight unveiled plans for a 18,000-square-foot parcel at Pender Commerce Park. Memphis-based FedEx intends to invest at least $5 million in a sorting hub there. It also comes on the heels of Empire Distributors’ arrival to the park two years ago. Acme Smoked Fish became the park’s first tenant in 2013.
“Pender Commerce Park has convenient proximity to both customers and workers, and that makes it a winner for a variety of manufacturers and logistics businesses,” said Scott Satterfield, CEO of Wilmington Business Development (WBD), which partners with Pender County in recruiting and retaining jobs and companies. “Today’s news from CBC also proves the park can accommodate headquarters operations, making it an asset that can facilitate economic diversification for our region.”
Coastal Beverage Company, Inc. is a third-generation family owned business run successfully by the Nunnelee family for over 60 years. They currently serve retailers in 38 counties and work with leading brands such as MillerCoors, Constellation, Yuengling, Pabst and Heineken, as well as with wines and non-alcoholic beverages. CBC has 4 service centers in Wilmington, Farmville, Elizabeth City, and Pollocksville. Their operations at Pender Commerce Park will span approximately 150,000 square-feet.
“Our need to relocate and expand in the Wilmington market is a testament to the hard work of all Coastal Beverage team members accompanied by the growth Southeastern NC is experiencing,” said Brian Rector, CFO of Coastal Beverage Company, Inc. “This new facility will better position our organization for future growth and improved efficiencies in a way our current location cannot accommodate. We are very excited about this opportunity and are grateful to Wilmington Business Development, Pender County and Cape Fear Commercial for their assistance in helping us make this move.”
Located on U.S. Highway 421 in the community of Currie, Pender Commerce Park is a 450-acre full-service industrial park completed in 2011. “The property is exceeding the expectations we envisioned for it a decade ago when it was only an idea,” said David Williams, a Pender County Commissioner and member of WBD’s board of directors. “In building the park, we did a lot of things right — including turning it over to WBD to market on our behalf.”
WBD worked with Will Leonard of Cape Fear Commercial in addressing Coastal Beverage Company’s location needs. Both companies are longtime WBD members. Founded in 1956 as the Wilmington Committee of 100, WBD oversees business recruitment and industrial retention for the City of Wilmington, New Hanover County and Pender County. A private, non-profit organization [501(c)(6)], WBD supports its members, partners and allies through a broad array of technical expertise, leadership resources and value-added business services. For additional information, visit www.wilmingtonbusinessdevelopment.com
Contact: Scott Satterfield
910-763-8414 x1
