According to industry sources, Markstein Beverage Co., an independent Anheuser-Busch wholesaler in San Diego county, California, has agreed to sell its key brands to AB. This will add to the existing AB-owned distribution footprints that AB already has in the state. AB is the largest distributor in California.
Markstein, which also operates AB houses in northern California, lost the Constellation brands in June of last year. They currently sell a few craft brands such as Sierra Nevada and Drake’s. It is unlikely that AB will purchase any of the non-AB brands from the Markstein portfolio.