That's the Spirit!

Marsala Beverage in Monroe, Louisiana, is a story about family, perseverance and community service. It’s also one that Origin Bank is proud to be a part of.

Marsala began as Budco Distributing in 1952 with six employees delivering Anheuser-Busch products in northeast Louisiana. Charles Marsala joined the company’s warehouse crew in 1971, working his way to general manager then as part owner in 1992. Eight years later, his adult children bought the remaining shares of Budco, truly making it a family affair.

These days, if you’re enjoying a beer in northeast Louisiana, chances are Marsala Beverage delivered it. With two-thirds of the market share, the company maintains its headquarters in Monroe with a branch warehouse in Ferriday. With a staff of more than 100, Marsala sells, delivers and markets its brands to over 800 licensed retailers.

Origin Bank has been a key component of Marsala Beverage’s growth, assisting the company with its ability to upgrade and adapt new technologies, and to do so while maintaining strong ties to its region.

“Part of our value statement is supporting the communities where we do business. It’s definitely something that Marsala Beverage and Origin Bank have in common,” says Damon Marsala, the beverage company’s president. 


As both continue to grow, the local ties will become even more important, says Origin Banker Billy Haddad. “We don't want to ever lose that community connection.” 


And at the heart of that connection is Origin’s culture of relationship banking that attracted the Marsala family.

“It’s things that we’ve seen such as the accessibility,” Damon Marsala says. “Not just saying, ‘Hey, I'm here if you need me’, but proving that. It builds trust and I think that’s how they are with a lot of their clients. That means a lot.”