Wilmington-based Coastal Beverage Co. announced Friday the acquisition of Atlantic Shores Distributors, according to a news release.

The transition of Atlantic Shores' business to Coastal Beverage took place Friday. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Atlantic Shores Distributors is a Wilmington-based operation off Netherlands Drive. The operation there will close, Tee Nunnelee, president of Coastal Beverage, said in an email Friday.

With the acquisition, Coastal Beverage will acquire full distribution rights for brands represented by MillerCoors, Heineken, Diageo, Pabst and Oskar Blues in New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Columbus, Bladen and Duplin counties, officials said in the release.

"Company reach will remain the same, however, our cases per delivery will increase significantly," Nunnelee said.

Total employment count for Atlantic Shores was not immediately available, Nunnelee said, but a total of 20 employees will transition with the acquisition.

Coastal Beverage went go through an interview process with all of the Atlantic Shores staff and brought on some of Atlantic Shores' sales, delivery and warehouse personnel “to help us manage the volume of product related to the acquisition,” Nunnelee said.

There are about 140 employees with Coastal Beverage, but with the acquisition, that count will grow to about 160, he said.

“This acquisition marks an historical and exciting moment in our company’s history. As an organization, we are always looking for opportunities to represent and distribute brands viewed as first choice by consumers and retailers. We believe this acquisition will further our ability to accomplish this," Nunnelee said in the release.

Officials said in the release that the integration of Atlantic Shores' brands and partners with the established regional capacity of Coastal Beverage will allow Coastal Beverage to "strengthen its market share in the southeastern NC beer market, improve scale and agility, and capture substantial operational synergies."

Coastal Beverage is currently building its new headquarters facility in the Pender Commerce Park off U.S. 421.

"The walls of our current facility will be busting at the seem until we can make the move," Nunnelee said of the company's space off Harley Road in Wilmington. The company is slated to move into its new Pender County location in October.