January 13, 2017

Climbing high

High Country Beverage prepares to spread out in larger facility

JOHNSTOWN — As an independent, family-owned and operated business, High Country Beverage places a high value on both its external customers and its internal customers.

The company distributes beverages for more than 30 suppliers and goes to great lengths to make each one of them successful.  Likewise, it keeps an eye on what it takes to make its employees feel the same kind of attention.

“We’ve never had to cut a position,” said Bryce Kopperud, director of sales and marketing.

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High Country Beverage celebrated its 20-year anniversary in 2016. Today, the company is in the beginning stages of moving its operation to a larger facility in Johnstown.  The new address at 4200 Ronald Reagan Blvd. will bring employees and products from two buildings in Loveland and one in Fort Collins under the same roof.

The 16-acre plot in Johnstown, which is near the southeast corner of Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 34, is designed to give High Country almost twice as much space to do business.  The 130,000-square-foot facility will include a warehouse, a distribution center and office space to sustain the company’s ongoing growth.  Additionally, the area will allow for expansion as needed.

“It’s great for employee morale when people can see each other face-to-face in the hallway,” Kopperud said, adding that efficiency will increase, as well as employee morale, as a result of having everyone under the same roof.

Stage one of the relocation will start the end of January, when the warehouse and delivery teams will make the move.  “We’re hoping to be fully moved in by early to mid-March,” Kopperud added.

High Country Beverage was founded by Dave Nichols in 1996, who continues to be actively involved in the business.  A lot of his current emphasis is on making sure that High Country gives back to the community, Kopperud said.

The company contributes both products and dollars to local nonprofit organizations that include the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, the Fort Lupton Arts Council, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Hispanic Women of Weld County.

Dave’s son, Steve Nichols, is president and runs the day-to-day activities of the operation.

“The doors to our senior team’s offices are always open, Kopperud said.  “We work to have a relationship with all of our employees and listen to all suggestions for improvement that they give.”

To him, one of High Country Beverage’s sources of success is making sure they have the right people in the right jobs.

“We have 175 families to support, and we want to do that responsibly.  That means that when we look at potential opportunities and what the industry could look like in 10 years, we want to be clear about where the best place is to invest employee-wise.”

Making sure those employees continue to do a good job once they’re in the right position requires attention as well.

“As we plan our growth, we want to make sure employees can do their jobs well and have a good work/life balance too,” he said.

Adding a similar personal touch with suppliers and accounts keeps High Country Beverage in demand so that it can sustain its growth.

The company distributes for about 30 different beverage companies, including MillerCoors, Heineken USA, Pabst, New Belgium Brewing, Oskar Blues, Boulder Beer, Mikes Lemonade, and Angry Orchard Cider, as well as some non-alcoholic beverages. Within those companies are more than 270 brands.

“We also just picked up Firestone Walker as a new brand,” Kopperud said.

High Country Beverage builds an individual plan for every supplier, he added.  “We work with companies that have common goals and do business in a similar fashion as we do.”

On the receiving end of distribution are more than 1,500 accounts that include liquor stores, restaurants and bars.

JOHNSTOWN — As an independent, family-owned and operated business, High Country Beverage places a high value on both its external customers and its internal customers.

The company distributes beverages for more than 30 suppliers and goes to great lengths to make each one of them successful.  Likewise, it keeps an eye on what it takes to make its employees feel the same kind of attention.

“We’ve never had to cut a position,” said Bryce Kopperud, director of sales and marketing.

High Country Beverage celebrated its 20-year anniversary in 2016. Today, the company is…

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