Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
FRENCH LICK – An Orange County beer distribution business that’s been in existence for five generations is expanding its territory into Floyd County.
Orange County Beverage acquired LC Nadorff & Son of New Albany in December.
The Wininger family, which owns Orange County Beverage, will now be the sole distributor of Anheuser-Busch and select brands in Orange, Washington and Floyd counties.
Justin Wininger, vice president of Orange County Beverage, said the expansion increases the business’ volume from distributing 250,000 cases to 600,000 cases a year. Orange County Beverage has added seven new employees including drivers, sales representatives, managers and a marketing rep and may hire for a few more positions.
“We’re still in the genesis of the expansion and ironing out what we’re going to need,” Wininger said. “But we’ve got a good plan in place.”
The Winingers and Nardoffs have been friends for years, Wininger said, traveling together for corporate meetings. The Nadorffs approached the Winingers in 2022 when they were ready to retire and offered them first chance to make an offer to purchase.
As an Anheuser-Busch distributor, OC Beverage carries all Budweiser and Bud Light products, several craft brands and Constellation, which includes Modelo and Corona.
Business roots
Founded in 1947, Orange County Beverage started soon after Prohibition laws were repealed in Indiana.
In those days after Prohibition, Indiana law required that a Republican and Democrat share jointly in the licensing for selling alcoholic beverages. Wininger’s great-great grandfather was the Democrat owner. Over time, laws changed,politics was removed from ownership and eventually the Wininger family became sole owner.
The business supplied beverage service solely in Orange County until 1992 when it expanded into Washington County.
With its business growing, OC Beverage moved to its current location at 7980 W. Hunter’s Run Drive in French Lick in 1995.
OC Beverage experienced another growth spurt when the French Lick Resort casino opened in 2006 and added on to their building in 2007.
“When the casino opened, we saw an increase of 20,000 cases as soon as it opened,” Wininger said. “You had the tourism volume from the casino but now you’ve got more people in town. They’re going to the water park, or 33 Brick Street or the Legendz Sports Bar & Grill and it spreads out from there.”
After 76 years in the business, the Winingers – Justin and his dad Barry, president of OC Beverage, have seen tremendous change, from consumer tastes and preferences for lighter beers and seltzers to technology upgrades that improved distribution efficiency.
Paper invoices and orders sheets have been replaced by iPads and drivers are equipped with UPC scanners to ensure the right products are delivered to the correct customer.
Sustained growth
At one point there were 200 beer distributors in Indiana; now there are about 20.
Barry and Justin are proud to represent the fourth and fifth generations of Winingers in the business. And Justin, at 41, said the recent expansion is paving the way for the sixth generation – Justin’s two daughters – to join the family business.
The operation’s success is rooted in core values of customer service and seeing employees as assets rather than commodities.
“A lot of factors have gone into where we are today. We’ve always placed a priority on taking care of our employees,” he said. “My dad and I can’t do every job and take care of every customer. Our philosophy is if you take care of your employees, your employees will take care of your business.”
“Past that, it’s really just making sure we’re doing what we need to do and focusing on long term growth.”