TRYON & FOUNDERS BREWING PARTNER WITH WATERKEEPERS CAROLINA TO CLEAN UP OVER 1200 POUNDS OF DEBRIS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

Asheville, NC – Last week, Tryon Distributing teamed up with supplier partner Founders Brewing Company, and local nonprofit the French Broad Waterkeeper, to clean up a river in Asheville. About a dozen people across both companies volunteered their time to come together at Hominy Creek River Park, where the group was able to gather over 1200 pounds of debris in just two hours. This was the first of several cleanups that Founders and Tryon will host across the state.

“Our local team was looking for how we could make a bigger impact helping our North Carolina community. Knowing the impact Western NC is still feeling from Hurricane Helene naturally made this area our priority. Jon Stamper and the French Broad Riverkeeper team have been working tirelessly across the region since last Fall and I’m proud to say that following this event, we received confirmation from Buncombe County that Hominy Creek River Park is officially back open to the public! We’re building on this event by hosting additional river clean ups throughout 2025, and hopefully beyond that. I’m excited to see this idea finally come to life and I’m hopeful it will continue to raise awareness and support for the initiatives that Waterkeepers Carolina and the local Riverkeeper groups fight for on behalf of all of us - the right to clean water here in our backyard,” said Founders Regional Market Manager, Jordan Page.

Founded in 2001, the French Broad Riverkeeper serves as a fundamental protector of the French Broad River Watershed in MountainTrue’s Central Region in Western North Carolina. The French Broad Riverkeeper fights for safe and healthy waterways for all residents of the French Broad River Watershed by bringing together local residents and communities to identify pollution sources, enforce and advocate for stronger environmental laws, engage in aquatic ecosystem restoration, and educate and empower the public. The French Broad Riverkeeper serves communities in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties.

President of Tryon Distributing Ed Johnston said, “When the idea of a Western NC cleanup first emerged, we were excited to make it a reality. The enthusiasm from our employees and from the team at Founders was truly inspiring. Tryon is very proud to work with Founders and the French Broad Riverkeeper on this event, and thankful that we share the same moral compass when it comes to demonstrating business leadership via community engagement and betterment. Events like this give us the chance to not only help our community, but also to create great camaraderie between business partners.”

In an effort to further support clean water initiatives in NC, Founders has partnered with the Waterkeepers Carolina and will be donating $1 per case sold throughout the state of their All Day branded products from April 1 to July 31.

Page continued, “Knowing the critical role clean water plays in brewing great beer, it’s a perfect match for us and aligns with how Founders supports Freshwater Future in the Great Lakes. Partnering with Waterkeepers Carolina to drive awareness and fundraising for their mission, while working with the local Riverkeeper and Tryon Distributing teams, provided us an opportunity to maximize our efforts and support for an initiative that impacts our entire state. We’re also thankful for the commitment we’ve had from the entire Founders leadership team to give back to the communities where we live and work. At Founders, what we love most about beer is how it brings people together - and it gets even better when it’s for a great cause.”

Tryon Distributing is a Charlotte-based craft beer and wine distribution company that started 40 years ago with three people and has grown into a statewide distributor with almost 300 employees. Tryon is proud to be family-owned and operated.

Established in 1997, Founders Brewing Company is a nationally recognized brand whose dedication to fresh water has shown through in everything they do. Surrounded by the Great Lakes, they’re devoted to using their freshwater resources in a sustainable fashion to provide the highest quality beer possible – from All Day IPA to craft beer stalwarts like KBS, which celebrates 20 years of barrel-aged excellence this year.