Coastal Beverage Company History
Coastal Beverage Company, Inc. is a family-owned Distributorship serving Eastern North Carolina retail customers in thirty-eight counties. There are four branch operations in Wilmington, Farmville, Pollocksville and Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
The company was incorporated on November 27, 1959 and began operations on January 1, 1960 with Miller Brewing Company as its primary supplier. Lewis T. Nunnelee II, company founder, began operations in 1960 with six employees. During the first year of business, the company sold 115,000 cases of beer.
In 1969, Philip Morris purchased Miller Brewing Company and brought in a new management team to operate the brewery. In 1970, Coastal Beverage sold about 275,000 cases of beer. Lewis T. Nunnelee III (Tuney), son of founder Lewis T. Nunnelee II, joined the company in 1973 after finishing college and a two-year stint with Wachovia Bank.
Coastal Beverage experienced tremendous growth through the seventies with the new approach to marketing that the new Miller Brewing Company management team presented to the beer consumer. By 1981, the company sold 1,237,000 cases of beer. Between 1978 and 1988, Coastal Beverage won the prestigious “Miller Master Award” seven times. This award went to the top fifteen Miller Wholesalers in the country. The “Miller Master” program was Coastal Beverage Company’s blue print to become the best in sales, service, merchandising and operations. Coastal was also very honored to win Miller Brewing Company’s prestigious "High Life Achievement Award” in 2004 and 2005.
In 1986, Coastal Beverage Company, Inc. purchased Field Distributing Company of Wilson, North Carolina. Field Distributing Company’s primary supplier was Miller Brewing Company. In 1987, Clark Moore resigned his position as Regional Sales Manager with Miller Brewing Company and became a stockholder and General Manager of the Wilson operation.
In 1996, Coastal Beverage purchased Belcross Beverage Company, the Miller distributor in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Coastal Beverage sold 2,631,000 cases of beer in 1997 because of the acquisitions in Wilson and Elizabeth City as well as the growth in Wilmington.
1999 was an historic year for Coastal Beverage. In January Coastal purchased C.O. Tankard Company, the Miller distributor in Washington, North Carolina. This completed the consolidation of Miller Brewing Company products in Eastern North Carolina. Also in 1999 Coastal Beverage purchased four Coors, Pabst, Heineken and Guinness wholesalers in New Bern, Goldsboro, Rocky Mount and Tarboro, North Carolina. With the acquisitions, Coastal Beverage was serving 3,800 customers in 39 counties. In June of 2000, as the company was celebrating its forty year business anniversary, Lewis T. Nunnelee IV (Tee), son of Lewis T. Nunnelee III (Tuney), graduated from college and joined Coastal Beverage Company. By 2003 Coastal Beverage Company had consolidated its distribution operations into four locations, Wilmington (expanded in 2007), Farmville (new building 2001), Pollocksville (new building 2002) and Elizabeth City (expanded building 2003). In a span of eight years, from 1999 to 2006, case sales have grown 140%.
Coastal Beverage Company‘s success has been the dedication, loyalty and professionalism of its employees. The company has always tried to adhere to a philosophy that permits employees the freedom to use their talents in developing sales and business plans for growth and profitability. Accountability for the execution of sales and business plans are critical to Coastal Beverage Company’s past and future success. We are dedicated to the development of our most important asset, our people. We are committed to providing quality; value-added products and services to our retail partners. We are committed to long-term success.
Coastal Beverage Company History
Coastal Beverage Company, Inc. is a family-owned Distributorship serving Eastern North Carolina retail customers in thirty-eight counties. There are four branch operations in Wilmington, Farmville, Pollocksville and Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
The company was incorporated on November 27, 1959 and began operations on January 1, 1960 with Miller Brewing Company as its primary supplier. Lewis T. Nunnelee II, company founder, began operations in 1960 with six employees. During the first year of business, the company sold 115,000 cases of beer.
In 1969, Philip Morris purchased Miller Brewing Company and brought in a new management team to operate the brewery. In 1970, Coastal Beverage sold about 275,000 cases of beer. Lewis T. Nunnelee III (Tuney), son of founder Lewis T. Nunnelee II, joined the company in 1973 after finishing college and a two-year stint with Wachovia Bank.
Coastal Beverage experienced tremendous growth through the seventies with the new approach to marketing that the new Miller Brewing Company management team presented to the beer consumer. By 1981, the company sold 1,237,000 cases of beer. Between 1978 and 1988, Coastal Beverage won the prestigious “Miller Master Award” seven times. This award went to the top fifteen Miller Wholesalers in the country. The “Miller Master” program was Coastal Beverage Company’s blue print to become the best in sales, service, merchandising and operations. Coastal was also very honored to win Miller Brewing Company’s prestigious "High Life Achievement Award” in 2004 and 2005.
In 1986, Coastal Beverage Company, Inc. purchased Field Distributing Company of Wilson, North Carolina. Field Distributing Company’s primary supplier was Miller Brewing Company. In 1987, Clark Moore resigned his position as Regional Sales Manager with Miller Brewing Company and became a stockholder and General Manager of the Wilson operation.
In 1996, Coastal Beverage purchased Belcross Beverage Company, the Miller distributor in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Coastal Beverage sold 2,631,000 cases of beer in 1997 because of the acquisitions in Wilson and Elizabeth City as well as the growth in Wilmington.
1999 was an historic year for Coastal Beverage. In January Coastal purchased C.O. Tankard Company, the Miller distributor in Washington, North Carolina. This completed the consolidation of Miller Brewing Company products in Eastern North Carolina. Also in 1999 Coastal Beverage purchased four Coors, Pabst, Heineken and Guinness wholesalers in New Bern, Goldsboro, Rocky Mount and Tarboro, North Carolina. With the acquisitions, Coastal Beverage was serving 3,800 customers in 39 counties. In June of 2000, as the company was celebrating its forty year business anniversary, Lewis T. Nunnelee IV (Tee), son of Lewis T. Nunnelee III (Tuney), graduated from college and joined Coastal Beverage Company. By 2003 Coastal Beverage Company had consolidated its distribution operations into four locations, Wilmington (expanded in 2007), Farmville (new building 2001), Pollocksville (new building 2002) and Elizabeth City (expanded building 2003). In a span of eight years, from 1999 to 2006, case sales have grown 140%.
Coastal Beverage Company‘s success has been the dedication, loyalty and professionalism of its employees. The company has always tried to adhere to a philosophy that permits employees the freedom to use their talents in developing sales and business plans for growth and profitability. Accountability for the execution of sales and business plans are critical to Coastal Beverage Company’s past and future success. We are dedicated to the development of our most important asset, our people. We are committed to providing quality; value-added products and services to our retail partners. We are committed to long-term success.