Beverage wholesalers and distributors are the typical go-to sources for drinks for restaurants, fast food chains, hotels and institutions. While the large general food distributors handle wholesale beverages as part of their product line, some specialty drinks as well as alcoholic beverages may require special sourcing from beverage suppliers.

Beverage distributors deal with all kinds of beverages. Carbonated soft drinks account for the lion’s share of the beverage market — 28.3 percent according to the Beverage Marketing Association — followed by milk, bottled water, beer and coffee. However, chai teas, vitamin waters, energy drinks and other innovative products are adding considerable variety to the wholesale beverages market.

When looking for beverage distributors and wholesalers, consider the following:

1. Buying from major food and beverage wholesalers.
2. Beverage suppliers for restaurants and caterers.
3. Alcoholic beverage distributors.
4. Coffee and tea beverage suppliers.
5. Bottled water beverage distributors.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy wholesale beverages from the major food wholesalers

Each of the big food and beverage wholesalers carries a complete line of soft drink beverages. These beverage distributors and wholesalers service grocery stores as well as the hospitality, education, healthcare, government and military industries.

I recommend: U.S. Foodservice, SYSCO, Gordon Food Service and Performance Food Group (PFG) are all national food and beverage wholesalers. They have many distribution points throughout the U.S. For a listing of all the brands made by beverage companies, visit the American Beverage Association’s “who makes what” page.

Use beverage suppliers for restaurants and caterers

Finding beverage suppliers for smaller operations like restaurants and catering businesses is a matter of local sourcing.

I recommend: BevNET.com’s distributor directory lists 104 beverage distributors in the U.S., both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. Food and Beverage Marketplace, a subscription-based online database, helps you connect with beverage distributors in your area. Regional big-box retail stores like Smart & Final in the Western states offer competitive prices without having to deal with major distributors. Alibaba.com is a global marketplace for sourcing international beverages such as a tumeric and tamarind herbal drink from Indonesia or LuShanJiu Jasmine tea from China.

Alcoholic beverage distributors

After prohibition ended, the government set up a three-tier distribution system for alcoholic beverages: A producer must sell to a distributor who must then sell to a retailer (brewpubs and wineries that sell on-site are exceptions). Most producers grant exclusive regional rights to a single distributor, which means you must deal with several different local beverage suppliers to get a variety of beer, wine and spirits.

I recommend: Anheuser-Busch, which sells Budweiser, Michelob, Bud Light and Busch, has a wholesaler locator searchable by state. Visit the International Beverage Network, which can connect you to beer and wine wholesalers worldwide. Shelton Brothers imports beers from small breweries and lets you search for beverage distributors in your state. Business.com’s directory of alcoholic beverages distributors and wholesalers and beer distributors will help direct you to distributors in your state or region.

Finding beverage suppliers for bottled water

Many beverage suppliers specialize in bottled water, a large and rapidly expanding category.

I recommend: Sparkletts and MySpringWater.com offer delivery of several spring water brands. Find more bottled water distributors at Business.com.

Coffee and tea beverage distributors and wholesalers

Offering coffees and teas by brand is a very competitive way for a caterer or restaurateur to distinguish an establishment.

I recommend: Espresso Zone features Italian coffee and espresso beans plus barista supplies. Angeles Crest Coffee distributes artisan micro-roasted, fair-trade coffees to cafes, coffee houses, espresso bars, fine dining establishments and gourmet caterers. Jelks distributes its own brand of more than 200 flavored coffees. Check the Business.com listings for coffee wholesalers and tea distributors and wholesalers to find local and national beverage suppliers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Choose beverage wholesalers that offer attractive pricing for the quantities you need.
• •  Serving locally produced beverages from local beverage suppliers helps brand your restaurant as a regional specialist.
• •  Sourcing coffees and teas from beverage suppliers who deal with fair trade producers can send a sound statement of ethics to your customers.