Wholesale distributor puts nearly 400 Tampa employees on notice amid pending sale

A national wholesale distribution company for wine and spirits has placed 393 Tampa employees on notice as it pursues an asset sale, according to state filings. While the firm says the potential layoffs will be permanent, some employees could receive employment offers from the new owner as a result of the sale.

Republic National Distributing Co., based in Jacksonville, disclosed its plans in a letter dated April 23 and sent to the Florida Department of Commerce and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, among others. Companies are required to alert local and state authorities of mass layoffs under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. 

The letter states employees working out of a RNDC facility at 4901 Savarese Circle North in Tampa, could face layoffs scheduled to begin on or within fourteen days of June 21, 2026. 

This is because RNDC has been “exploring various strategic alternatives, including potential sale transactions involving certain of the company’s market and operations.”

According to the letter, the company has entered into an agreement with Reyes Holding Company LLC, which intends to purchase Republic facilities in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington, D.C. 

In conjunction with the pending sale, Republic National Distributing expects to cease operations at its facility in Tampa June 21, the letter says. The firm says it is also closing facilities in Deerfield Beach, affecting 363 employees; in Jacksonville, affecting 169; and in Pensacola, affecting 121, putting a total of nearly 1,000 Florida jobs at risk. 

“The company understands that Reyes or its affiliate intends to extend offers of employment to many of the Company’s employees at or reporting to the facilities included in the transaction,” the letter says. 

According to an emailed statement to the Business Observer, RNDC’s potential transaction with Reyes is on track to close as early as the end of May, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. 

“As part of this process, RNDC has issued conditional WARN notices to certain associates in impacted markets,” RNDC says in the letter to the Business Observer. “This is a step intended to provide advance notice and to comply with any potential legal requirements and does not represent final employment decisions. Many RNDC associates may have the opportunity to continue their employment with Reyes, and there are no immediate changes to current roles or operations."

Republic National Distributing Company is among the nation's leading wholesale distributors of premium wine and spirits, operating in 39 states and Washington, D.C. according to its website.