Section 563.022, Florida Statutes, is designed to accomplish three goals: (1) ensure the distributor "is free to manage its business enterprise" (2) ensure the distributor will "devote reasonable efforts and resources to sales and distribution" of an importer's products and maintain a "satisfactory" sales level and (3) establish and maintain an orderly system of beer distribution to the public. The Florida Legislature strictly regulates the relationship between importers and distributors of beer. The exclusive sales territory "shall be embodied in a formal written agreement," which must designate the brands for which the territory is granted and the exact geographical boundaries of the territory. Distributors are entitled to an exclusive sales territory for each product imported. The Statutory Schemeīecause they can sell directly to consumers only in limited circumstances, importers and manufacturers of beer must assign distributors for their products.
The statute is therefore reviewed first, and then the undisputed facts giving rise to this lawsuit are described. The parties' actions and claims must be understood within the context of § 563.022. Micro Man sued, alleging a violation of § 563.022, Florida Statutes, which governs the relationships between beer distributors and beer importers. terminated the exclusive beer distribution franchise for the state of Florida assigned to Plaintiff Micro Man Distributors, Inc. On February 20, 2013, Defendant Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. Upon consideration, genuine issues of fact remain as to the reasonableness of Plaintiff's distribution efforts and whether Defendant's termination of the franchise was made in good faith. 49), and the corresponding responses (Dkts. 39), Louis Glunz Beer, Inc.'s Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. BEFORE THE COURT are Plaintiff's Motion for Partial Summary Judgment (Dkt.