Business View - January 2016 97
and Albertsons, as well as to many local, independent
stores throughout four counties in northwestern Wash-
ington. “We also have over 1,500 vending machines
throughout the area” says Carothers. “We are a full-
service vendor. We not only vend beverage products,
we also have snacks and some food items.” Thus, oth-
er Walton Beverage clients include casinos, universi-
ties and colleges, restaurants, bars, hospitals, hotels
and motels, and golf courses.
Recently, the company has expanded its product range.
“From 1931 until 2014, we essentially were a distribu-
tor of the soft drinks and non-alcoholic products that
are either managed by, or owned by, PepsiCo – all the
Pepsi products: Aquafina Water, Lipton Tea, Frappuc-
cino, Gatorade, products like that,” Carothers says. “In
2013, when I came on board, the company had been
looking at beer and wine as, potentially, a category
that they would get into. We applied for the applicable
licenses, and in 2014, we began selling craft beers
that are produced in the northwest. We also sell local
wines produced here in Whatcom County and we even
have a couple of local distilleries that we sell.”
Carothers continues: “Pepsi is our most important
brand, but we focus on many things, now. We sell
some innovative food products; there’s a product
called Moon Cheese – a product that was developed
FOOD & BEVERAGE
