The merger of two Pacific Northwest beverage distributors could mean new brands for Central Oregon consumers and another option for local beermakers.

The joint venture of Odom Corp., based in Bellevue, Wash., and Portland-based Maletis Beverage announced plans Friday to begin distribution services in Bend by mid-September, and go head-to-head with what will be one of the Northwest’s largest distribution companies in search of new beverage accounts.

“Central Oregon is a growing market, but it’s challenging because it has such a vast geography to cover,” said Rob Maletis, the president and CEO of Maletis Beverage.

“That does not discourage us by any means. The growth opportunities for Bend make it a good long-term decision.”

Maletis and Odom will enter Central Oregon for the first time. The combined company, Odom-Maletis Beverage, will concentrate on wine and craft and imported beer, as well as nonalcoholic beverages, Maletis said.

“There are some brands that we will be bringing to the market as well as some brands that we would like to secure for that area,” he said, declining to elaborate. “We would love to secure distribution rights for a couple of Bend beers.”

CoHo, which will combine three Oregon companies — Columbia Distributing Co. of Portland, Mt. Hood Beverage Co. of Portland and Gold River Distributing of Medford — when the merger is completed in September, will become one of the largest beverage distributors in the Northwest.

Columbia Distributing and Mt. Hood Beverage already distribute in Central Oregon.

Smaller in size, Odom-Maletis will cover the same territory in Central Oregon and offer many of the same brands, Maletis said.

Officials from the companies forming CoHo could not be reached for comment Friday.

Both Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. and the Bend Brewing Co. distribute their beers through Columbia, one of the companies that will become CoHo.

“I wouldn’t think it would have any effect on us because it’s not easy to switch distributors,” said Tonya Cornett, the brewmaster at Bend Brewing Co.

Chris Justema, a partner and president of Redmond-based Cascade Lakes Brewing, said that the increased competition could mean a more intense bidding for the most lucrative accounts and more widespread distribution.

“With our brand, we feel fortunate to be in the hands of CoHo,” Justema said. “Some people might see this as an opportunity to go with a new distributor, but we’re happy with where we are.”