Republic National Distributing Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Declining Alcohol Consumption
Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), a major beer, wine, and spirits distributor with over 128 years in business, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The move comes amid declining alcohol consumption post-pandemic, macroeconomic challenges like high interest rates and inflation, and the loss of key supplier partnerships that contributed to financial deterioration. The company cited a significant drop in off-premises drinking as well as excess inventory from pandemic stockpiling as major factors behind its struggles. Alcohol consumption among U.S. adults has reached levels not seen in nearly 90 years since 2022, impacting spirits sales which fell by 2.2% to $36.4 billion in 2025. RNDC is seeking a going-concern sale of its remaining assets and the wind down of operations across several markets it has already sold off this year.