PepsiAmericas has teamed with the state of Kentucky in an exclusive beverage contract that the state says will result in unprecedented benefits for numerous agencies. The contract makes Pepsi the exclusive beverage distributor for the executive branch of state government, which includes Kentucky rest areas, state parks and state-run cafeterias, but makes exceptions for retailers that have existing deals.

Specifically, the agreement calls for the Kentucky Office For the Blind to receive $20,000 per year to pay for tuition and books and special promotions that would provide an additional $10,000 to $15,000 a year.

Pepsi also will partner with the Department of Parks in promoting and marketing for the state’s park system, which includes 52 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. And the Governor’s Scholars Program will receive $30,000 a year. Pepsi will put the “Kentucky Unbridled Spirit” logo on 10 million Pepsi cans that will be sold in the state, and will feature the state brand in ad campaigns, on delivery trucks and during University of Kentucky and University of Louisville promotions.BI

Welch’s announced it will close its Kennewick, Wash., processing plant in February. According to reports, the Kennewick plant produces only 10 percent of Welch’s total production and it proved more cost-effective to move production to its Michigan and Pennsylvania facilities. Welch’s will continue to operate a juice extraction plant in Grandview, Wash. BI

The National Beer Wholesalers Association, Alexandria, Va., in coordination with the Beer Industry Electronic Commerce Coalition (BIECC), has released an industry guide to help wholesalers and others in the beer industry understand the issue of global data synchronization and the importance of data integrity in the three-tier system of beer distribution. The publication, The Impact of Global Data Synchronization on the Beer Industry: A Guide for Wholesalers & Brewers, is available to all NBWA members.

GDS, or “data sync,” is the coordination of master product data among retailers, wholesalers, brewers and importers. For brewers, importers and wholesalers, it allows management of information in the supply chain for efficiency, increased speed to shelf, cost savings and better customer satisfaction. NBWA says it will free up personnel in order processing, customer support, accounts receivable and shipping, and retailers benefit from accurate, complete and consistent item information because they are able to merchandise diverse products.

But data sync presents unique challenges for direct-store-delivery communities. The association says implementation is not easy or inexpensive, but it is the foundation for collaborative commerce and likely to be the launch pad for future initiatives such as radio frequency identification. BI

Grupo Modelo, the leading Mexican brewer, with three of the Top 10 imported brands in the United States is a new octogenarian. The company recently celebrated its 80th anniversary, which Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Fernandez says gives it long-term perspective on future growth: “We are empowered to give results not only in the next quarter or even the next year; we are looking at the next generation.”

Modelo is the seventh-largest beer company in the world, with 11 brands, including Corona Extra — the No. 1 imported beer in the United States — Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo, Pacífico, Corona Light and other regional beers. The company exports five of its brands to more than 150 countries.

“Our expansion into international markets has served our company as a catalyst for better practices within our company,” Fernandez says. And he adds: “All of the Modelo brands have particular characteristics that distinguish them in Mexico and all over the world.” BI

National Distributing Co., Atlanta, and Remy Cointreau USA have agreed to a long-term contract that makes NDC the exclusive distributor for Remy Cointreau in nine markets, with rights to parts of the portfolio in New Mexico and Virginia. The new deal extends the pre-existing relationship in which NDC had exclusive distributor/brokerage rights in Georgia, Colorado, Florida, South Carolina, Maryland and Washington, D.C. NDC also announced a joint venture with Eber Bros., which was named the exclusive distributor for the portfolio in New York. BI