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Wholesale trade group urges committee to preserve beer and wine franchise protections at SB 23 hearing
Summary
Jacob Evans of the Wholesale Beer and Wine Association told the Small Business and Economic Opportunity Committee that Senate Bill 23's proposed changes to Ohio's franchise framework would reduce wholesalers' incentive to invest in craft brands and harm distribution-led growth; senators pressed him on contract length, barrel thresholds (25,000 vs. 250,000) and inventory rules. The committee took no vote and concluded the third hearing.
Jacob Evans, representing the Wholesale Beer and Wine Association, testified in opposition to Senate Bill 23 at a third hearing before the Small Business and Economic Opportunity Committee, arguing the bill would weaken the franchise framework that undergirds wholesaler investment in craft beer brands.
Evans told the committee that wholesalers are the first purchasers of product, pay cash up front and assume financial risk for inventory and that the ability to recover those costs over the life of a contract supports investments in marketing, refrigerated storage and distribution infrastructure. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," he said, urging members to preserve the current system.
Why it matters: Evans said those…
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