Our Story
Stoup Distro was born from a shared love of great beer and real respect for the people who make it.
Launched by Stoup Brewing’s Brad Benson, Lara Zahaba, Robyn Schumacher, Jason Bass, and Day One Distro’s Robby Roda, the company grew out of years of friendship, industry experience, and a shared belief that small breweries deserve thoughtful, quality-driven representation. Benson and Roda first began talking about the idea in 2020, recognizing a natural alignment between Stoup’s reputation for cold, carefully handled beer and Day One Distro’s relationship-centered approach. In 2021, Stoup Distro formally launched with Wayfinder Beer as its first represented brewery, establishing a small distribution footprint up and down the I-5 corridor.
Brewers first, Stoup built their brand on quality, consistently self distributing cold, fresh beer to over 400 accounts across the state of Washington. Stoup Distro maintains that commitment to quality, treating all breweries’ beer as they do their own. As they grew, breweries like Ruse, Heater Allen and Gold Dot, Fieldwork, Pizza Port, and Perennial signed on.
In 2022, Brad and Robby traveled to California to talk with Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo about reintroducing Russian River to the Washington market for the first time in a decade. Russian River had left the state in 2012 after frustrations with the big distribution model and the loss of control that can come with large-scale wholesale partnerships. Stoup Distro offered something different: a smaller, more nimble, more personal approach rooted in trust and long-term brand stewardship.
“Our business needs change just as the wholesale business needs change,” says Cilurzo. “They [Stoup Distro] weren’t around 10 years ago and they are a great fit for what we are looking for. They are not a huge house and we are not looking for mass distribution. Every market is different and has different needs, we choose wholesalers who are a good fit for our needs.”
Since then, growth hasn’t stopped for Stoup Distro. Today, the company distributes across the entire state of Washington, representing over 25 breweries. Robby, Brad, Lara, Jason, and Robyn remain focused on what brought them together in the first place: exceptional beer, careful handling, and strong relationships with the breweries, retailers, and communities they serve.
