Sun King Picks Monarch
Sun King was founded in downtown Indianapolis in 2008.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis-based Sun King Brewing Co. has announced a deal with the state’s largest beer and wine distributor. The agreement will shift retail, bar and restaurant distribution in Marion County from in-house to Monarch Beverage Co. Sun King and Monarch are already partners on distribution throughout most of the rest of the state.
Co-owner Clay Robinson says the decision to shift from self-distribution in the brewers largest market is driven by increasing demand. "We’ve decided to focus more on what we do best – brewing quality, flavorful beer that is unique to Indiana," Robinson says. Sun King says it will continue to self-distribute to events run by nonprofits and and community organizations throughout the state as it currently does.
Monarch General Manager John Xenos says the company looks forward to an expanded relationship. "Sun King is not only an exceptional Indiana brewery with great beer, it’s also a Hoosier company that, like Monarch Beverage, believes in giving back to the local communities that it serves," he says. Monarch says it has 7,000 retail accounts throughout the state.
A year ago, Sun King announced it had resumed selling throughout the entire state after reaching agreements with several distributors in multiple Indiana regions. The distribution deals last year and this year represent a change for the nine-year-old brewery, which helped lead successful lobbying efforts in the General Assembly to raise brewing limits and still be able to self-distribute. The cap was increased from 30,000 barrels per year to 90,000 barrels per year. Sun King is considered Indiana’s second-largest brewery.