Cardinal Spirits Poised For Indiana, National Growth
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowWith Indiana’s first Sunday of package alcohol sales behind it, Bloomington-based Cardinal Spirits LLC President Jeff Wuslich says the company is poised for expansion inside and outside the state. A new deal with Texas-based Republic National Distributing Co., which is one of the largest distributors in the country and has a presence in Indiana, will grow the distiller’s footprint in its home state. A relationship with Blueprint Brands of Brooklyn will also place it in multiple markets on the East Coast in the spring and in the coming weeks, Cardinal Spirits will launch a ready-to-drink canned cocktail line.
During an interview on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick, Wuslich said the thirst for craft spirits, beer and wine has not yet leveled-off. "Indiana is well poised for this — great agriculture, smart, educated consumers — so it definitely is growing in Indiana and throughout the country," he said.
The company’s expansion outside the state includes Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York and Washington D.C. In-state, Wuslich believes Sunday carryout sales will have an impact on Hoosier craft distillers. "We’d been well-served by our previous distributor for the past three years, but now, as we’re growing and we want to expand into more accounts — especially as grocery stores and liquor stores are open (to sell carryout alcohol) on Sunday — we really needed a team to back us up there and get our products into all these locations," Wuslich said.
Cardinal Spirits opened in early 2015 and the company says it produced more spirits than any other Indiana distiller that year.