FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is California Family Beer Distributors?
A group of independent, family-owned beer distributors based in California, working to promote a fair and equitable system to protect the ability of family businesses to provide consumer variety and access to market for everyone.
Why was CFBD established?
To be a voice for California’s family-owned beer distributors and the thousands of Californians they employ. To promote the value of these family run small businesses and the positive impacts they have on their communities and on beer consumers throughout the state.
How is CFBD different than CBBD?
CFBD represents California-based, family-owned beer distributors who make up the majority of beer distributors in the state. CFBD members are committed to protecting small business and preserving jobs in California. In our experience, CBBD serves the interests of one or two companies owned by billionaires from out of state and are focused on mass consolidation resulting in jobs moving out of the state.
What are the primary issues CFBD will be focused on from the start?
- Protecting member companies from forced consolidation by global mega-companies.
- Creating a fair regulatory environment that ensures access to market for brewers and beverage producers of all sizes, such as small craft brewers.
- Protecting consumers, distributors and retailers from unfair practices due to a lack of competition.
- Protecting the thousands of jobs that family beer distributors have created in California
What role do California family distributors play in helping local craft brewers?
CFBD believes that no company should have a monopoly on the beer business in California. CFBD is committed to a system where craft brewers have a variety of distributors to choose from when deciding how their beer will get to market. In many cities and towns across California today, a craft brewer has only one distributor option, and that sole distributor may decline to distribute their product.
Why is it important to have family distributors in California?
- Family-owned beer distributors live in and care about the communities they service. Many of these businesses have been operating in their local markets for 50, 75 or even 100 years.
- Local, family-owned distributors are consistently engaged in their local communities, supporting dozens of local causes and involved throughout the community.
- Local, family-owned distributors are more aware of their community’s consumer preferences and therefore are more likely to bring products to these markets that are more localized for the consumer’s needs.
- Local, family-owned distributors create jobs that are rooted in family culture. These high-paying, benefit-heavy jobs create opportunity for a diverse group of people to be successful.
Why is competition in the beer market important?
Competition in the distribution of beer is a must. It keeps jobs local, provides better access to market for small brewers which increases variety and gives a higher level of service to retailers. A monopoly amongst distributors creates problems that are amplified the longer the monopoly exists including the loss of local jobs to other states as out-of-state corporations take over, higher costs, less choice for beer consumers and limited access to market for brewers of all sizes.
How do I become a member of CFBD?
We welcome independent beer distributors based in California. Please visit CaliforniaFamilyBeerDistributors.com for more information.