Mockler Beverage Company expands to Central and Southwest Louisiana.

Timothy and Patick Mockler along with Chris Davis, President of Mockler Beverage, have purchased Southwest Beverage Company, the Anheuser-Busch distributor in Lake Charles, Alexandria, and Leesville from Ben Marriner.  The sale includes the facilities and staff at each location, which means continued employment for the employees of Southwest Beverage.  "The addition of these new markets brings new talent into our organization.  We are excited to share ideas and best practices on how to sell our excellent portfolio of products."  said Tim Mockler, Chairman of Mockler Beverage.  Tim explains, "Our family got bigger today.  We, along with our great suppliers, look forward to servicing the communities of these 11 parishes."   

 Mockler Beverage has a culture of engraining itself in the community.  The newly acquired territory will be no different. Chris Davis, a graduate of Leesville HS says "This will be easy for us being this area is my home. I'm from here.  I grew up here. I started in the beer business here in 1989.  Now I am thrilled to serve in the ownership role serving these communities."

 A proud Anheuser-Busch distributor, Mockler Beverage also represents brewers such as Constellation, Mark Anthony, and New Belgium along with several craft brewers including Gnarly Barley and Urban South.  Their portfolio also includes many non-alcoholic brands such as Prime, Ghost and Evamore water.  Chris explains what this means to the overall business, "the expansion of our business will provide benefits for our supplier partners, providing scale and opportunity for the growth of their business throughout the state.  Our brands and our people are what made all this possible.  We all just got bigger, faster and stronger today."

 Mockler Beverage, the Baton Rouge based distributor began in 1987.  That year the company patriarch Gary Mockler purchased Southern Beverage Company.  Mr. Mockler, a proud Marine Veteran, began his career in the beer business in St. Louis as a delivery driver for Anheuser-Busch.  When he bought Southern Beverage, he was one of five Region Vice Presidents for AB. The company was re-named "Mockler Beverage" in 1995.  From the original territory of 8.5 parishes, the Mockler Family has grown to cover the New Orleans metro market as well as the bayou parishes in the Houma and Thibodaux area.  The acquisition of Southwest Beverage increases the total footprint of Mockler Family companies to 29.5 parishes including the city of Eunice in St. Landry parish.