Distributor Profile: Blue Ribbon Products Reflects on an 85 Year Legacy

Since 1934, Blue Ribbon Products has been a pillar in the community of Joliet, IL. The key to the longevity and success has been generations of the Londergon family investing in their business, but equally important is the continued support of the community in and surrounding Joliet. Don Londergon is the current President of Blue Ribbon Products and follows in the footsteps of his father and both grandparents who helped take their localized business to a large operation currently investing in nine counties. 

PEOPLE MAKE IT ALL POSSIBLE

Blue Ribbon was built on the dedication of hard working and committed people. Healthy businesses know that the key to longevity is taking care of your people so they are energized and excited to invest in your partners working outside of the business, in this case, the suppliers and consumers of the beer industry. These suppliers and consumers had this connection with the founder of Blue Ribbon Products. “Everyone knew and loved Jimmy Londergon,” Don remembers fondly, and he even recalls the extra mile that he went during his time at Blue Ribbon Products, taking a Monday sales route and personal orders from local liquor stores. It is no wonder that Blue Ribbon continues to have staff who have been in it for the long haul, especially on their sales team where there is very little turnover.

“The sales and delivery team is out on the street everyday making it happen, and in such a competitive industry like the beer industry, those people taking ownership of their jobs and taking it seriously is the key to making it happen.”

— Don Londergon, President

Highs and Lows of longevity

Over the past 85 years, Blue Ribbon Products has had to make adjustments to meet the changing needs and desires of both the suppliers and the consumers. They learned to stay afloat in seasons of plenty and seasons of loss, including two fires, the second in 1975 when they had a total loss and decided to rebuild on the same location. As a testament to their commitment and resilience, the Blue Ribbon team was back on the street selling and delivering within 24 hours of the fire.

After the rebuild was complete, they added Corona Extra to their portfolio, which at the time was a pretty unknown brand. Corona Extra and Modelo Especial changed the landscape of the business for Blue Ribbon Products. Jimmy used up all his favors getting customers to take Corona and was tempted to give up on several occasions. Constellation, the brewery of Corona and Modelo is now their largest supplier. Learning from this experience the leadership team at Blue Ribbon Products is committed to working hard with each of their partners. Due to rapid growth, Blue Ribbon Products moved to a new facility two years ago, in the heart of Joliet.

making joliet their mission

Not only does Blue Ribbon Products value their brands, suppliers, and the consumers of their products, but Don and the company have been a pillar in Joliet for the last 85 years and continue to invest in the community that they know and love. One of their newest community partnerships and particularly exciting project is working with Habitat for Humanity to construct the House that Beer and Bourbon Built on the west side of the city, with construction starting in early 2020. 

always looking forward

Don recognizes that a big part of the success of any distribution company is their portfolio of brands and despite expected and unexpected challenges, they always seemed to achieve balance. When one area of the business faltered, another brand held it together. Blue Ribbon Products is grateful for years of experience and the wisdom they have gained from 85 years in business. They have a long history in Joliet, but you can be sure Blue Ribbon Products will be in Joliet for another 85+ years.

Distributor Profile: 150 Year Milestone for George A. Mueller Beer Co.

Eric Mueller recalls hand delivering three cases of beer up three flights of stairs as a twelve year old boy to a woman named Annie as a sweet reminder of the humble beginnings of what is known as the oldest continuing distributor in the nation. No doubt, the George A. Mueller Beer Co. team is incredibly proud of 150 years in business. The company has been through multiple transitions throughout its time, but one thing is certain; at five generations strong this distributor promises (and delivers) service and integrity and is a pillar in the community of Decatur, IL. 

History Revisited

Starting off as a beer and wine company and with delivery to home residences, then coming into the world of candy distribution during prohibition and having customers literally lined up around the block to get their hands on the goodies, and back to beer, wine and liquor post-prohibition, George A. Mueller Beer Co. has always had the consumers best interest at heart. 1969 was a turning point for the Mueller family. They moved into a large facility in Springfield and acquired the Gallo franchise which was partnered with 48 counties, and allowed them to become a very large distributor with over 100 employees covering a vast territory.

In the early 90’s however, their business shifted due to the absence of franchise laws in liquor and wine and they sold off their portfolio and began acquiring distributors in Decatur, IL. Today, they have a distribution footprint of 14 counties. The success of George A. Mueller Beer Co. is their strong foundation, and commitment to integrity, loyalty, and family. Eric Mueller, retired after 45 years at the company, recalls “no one wanted to be the last one to turn off the lights.” As Mueller generations rose up in the industry the pride only increased, with each generation wanting to honor the one before it through hard work and dedication. 

Legacy of Service

Serving both the consumer and suppliers well is of high value to George A. Mueller Beer Co. Throughout the generations they have made a commitment to only partner with suppliers who they know that they can serve well and who bring something unique to the consumer marketplace. Lance Mueller, General Manager, asks intentional questions before taking anyone on; “Does that brand have something to offer? Where does the brand fall in priority rankings?” This intention and attention to detail helps George A. Mueller Beer Co. build a portfolio that is carefully curated so that they have the capacity to do the right thing by those brands and ultimately so that the consumer has the best experience possible with their products. Moving from distribution of four beer SKUs in the early days to inventory of over 1,000 SKUs has not been an easy process but Eric Mueller, retired General Manager credits his son, Lance, and Kevin Jackson, Sales and Operations Manager, for excelling in their management over the varied inventory.

Rooted in Decatur

George A. Mueller Beer Co. has always been willing to adapt and dig in, from their work in beer, to liquor, wine, and more recently leaning into the non-alcoholic segments where they have seen a lot of growth in the past five years. This is a company who sees value not only in their personal passion as a distributor but also in what the consumer is seeking. Decatur, IL is definitely a beneficiary of this thoughtful approach to business. From spearheading the effort to bring a steel 9-11 memorial to Decatur, to going “all-in” with Barstool Open as a response to a personal ask for investment in people and communities with disabilities, they are committed to community advancement in Decatur. Eric Mueller and his team helped move Barstool Open from sixteen participants to now over four thousand, and raised over one million dollars for this event. George A. Mueller Beer Co. kick started the event in partnership with their community so that every single bar in the area is involved and at capacity. It’s a lot of fun, but the real purpose is serving the needs of their community.

Generation by Generation

The future of the ever-changing beer industry doesn’t worry George A. Mueller Beer Co. because of their proven ability to adapt. They see their employees continuing to work hard, be informed, and find success. It doesn’t matter where you work in the company, you will be going on sales routes. “I’m not sure how you can go into a sales meeting if you aren’t doing the sales work yourself,'' says Lance, who still goes on a weekly sales route. So the future for George A. Mueller? It looks like continued relationship building, growth in knowledge of the market, and more generations building on the success of the ones that come before them.

Distributor Profile: Lakeshore Beverage Celebrates Five Years in Chicago

Collaboration, intention, and training are just some of the ways that Lakeshore Beverage sets themselves apart as a premier Chicago distributor. Just five years since its beginning, they continue to prioritize their employees, the consumer, and celebrate suppliers by telling compelling stories and providing relevant and up-to-date information.

New Beginnings

Lakeshore Beverage was born out of a restructuring of City Beverage LLC and River North Beer,  spread across five offices in Chicagoland and Bloomington, IL. JR Hand, the CEO of Hand Family Companies, a distributor based in Clarksville, TN saw an opportunity for growth potential in the market in Chicago and in January of 2015 Lakeshore Beverage was born.

Director of Marketing, Wei Fraser remembers those early days and gives credit to the hard work of everyone involved in getting this new venture off the ground.

“Hard work and a willingness to adapt were traits that came up pretty clearly in the process as a key to success; our team members invested many hours and adjusted to others’ best practices to develop Lakeshore Beverage’s identity.”

Beginnings tend to be full of challenges and it can sometimes feel like around every corner there is a new project or collaboration that can stretch the organization, but it is born out of these experiences that cohesive and intentional businesses are built. Lakeshore is no exception. Wei recalls that everybody was an expert in their microcosm. This sort of teamwork from the very early days helped Lakeshore Beverage work through inevitable culture clashes, and helped to bring the best from each organization involved in the merger and incorporate those together. 

Beverage Portfolios Grow

It has now been five years of Lakeshore Beverage, and they are not immune to the evolving landscape of beer, including changes in both federal and state legal interpretations to changes in retailer and consumer habits. Lakeshore Beverage is now invested in bringing the best of the best in beer and a selection of other beverages to the consumer. Broadening the scope of their focus to a varied portfolio reflects the desires of a more educated and aware consumer, as well as retailer demands. Lakeshore Beverage is adapting in order to stay compelling and relevant on all fronts.

So how do they do it? Training, training, training. With a level of commitment to their employees that rivals Chicago’s love for the Cubbies and White Sox, Lakeshore Beverage prioritizes their people in order to give the best service to the consumer in multiple ways. The leadership at Lakeshore Beverage wants to make sure that their people are engaged, educated, and trained in order to be the best employees and versions of themselves as possible. Their on-site trainer, Chris  Kolodziej has extensive experience in the industry, and brings his sales perspective to educate the staff on their growing product mix. Lakeshore Beverage has committed to pour into their employees not only an abundance of information about their beer and beverages, but also to be a leader in non-trade specific training including cultural diversity, harassment and ergonomics.

Partnering Where it Matters

In their first five years of operations, Lakeshore Beverage learned that collaboration is key. Not only are they intentional with their employees, suppliers, and consumers, but they also believe in holistic investment in the community and partner with several organizations through sponsorship and supporting charitable ventures that these organizations are involved with. Whenever Lakeshore Beverage partners with an organization, it’s more than just a sponsorship. While they are a sponsor of the Chicago Cubs, they support both Cubs charities and player charities. This trickles down to retail locations they work with like the Cancer Foundation through Lou Malnati’s. Lakeshore Beverage is committed to community partnerships for the good of their people and the community that their people live in.

Photo credit: Lakeshore Beverage

Distributor Profile: Ronchetti Distributing Company Celebrates 85 Years

Ronchetti Distributing Company roots run deep, all the way back to the turn of the century in southern Illinois. The founder, Felix Ronchetti worked in the coal mines, and he got into the beer business on the side with Pabst. He saw the need for beer in the area, and slowly grew the business while still working in the mines. When Felix moved to Nokomis, IL in 1914 he went to Budweiser, and soon after the business really started taking off and he was able to work full time at the distributorship. Ronchetti Distributing Company has been with Anheuser-Busch since 1914 and current President, Robert Ronchetti, is the third generation of this family legacy.

Customer Service From Day One

In the early days, it was the one-on-one relationship with people that grew the business. Felix took care of people, especially other people in the business. Tavern owners often told Robert and his father later that they were in the bar business because of him. Felix took care of the local people through his success with Budweiser.

“ Today, I will still call on every customer personally, no matter the size.”

— Robert Ronchetti

“What most people care about today is beer and the bottom line, and that customer service has been lost.” A key to their success today in a more rural area is making sure their personal relationships are strong. However, Robert also believes that 51% of the business is good product. Fortunately, their commitment to Anheuser-Busch has ensured they have a quality product base, which is their foundation even in the midst of the proliferation of SKUs and the growth of craft beer. Ultimately, Robert reminds us, “It still comes down to what the customer likes and wants.”

Beer vs. Beverage

When Ronchetti Distributing Company first started there was an opportunity to expand into liquor and wine, but they decided to focus on beer as that part of the business took off. This was a common decision at the time, and for many decades following. It remained a successful strategy for many years, but what’s old is new again, and beer distributors are becoming beverage distributors once again. Robert reminds us of the customer presence in these portfolio decisions. “Ultimately, distributing water and seltzer is being driven by customer interests and trends.”

Portfolio

For most of Ronchetti Distributing Company’s history, they have been focused on commonly available Anheuser-Busch products. As customer interest has evolved, their portfolio has expanded as well. They are now selling some of the Anheuser-Busch craft brands and have expanded other offerings too, including a local brewery and imports like Stella Artois. Robert says, “Our role with the small craft brand is to get the word out, celebrate the story, and raise awareness of the local product. We oftentimes talk about Riggs Brewery, and their goal of growing a large portion of ingredients on their farm.”

Innovating to Adapt

Robert still has a sales ticket from 1973, which included three brands of beer for a total of three SKUs. For a small distributor like Ronchetti, they are now sitting with 60-70 brands and 300 SKUs, and are learning how to succeed in this new reality. They handle this growth by continuing to watch sales and adjusting routes weekly. This constant adjustment has pushed Robert to consider some innovative solutions to ensure the sustainability of the distributorship. One such idea is considering going to four day work week, with 10 hour days to maximize efficiency of the routes. However, one thing that will never change for Ronchetti Distributing Company is the legacy and commitment to customer service. Robert wisely reminds us that there is no better replacement for a face-to-face meeting with a customer, and that will always live alongside the push to constantly evaluate and innovate.

Marketing & Social Media Consulting Sessions

 ABDI has teamed up with Stout Collective, a marketing and design studio built for the beer industry. The Stout team will conduct three digital marketing and social media consulting sessions with some of our members.

We wish this was a service we could offer to everyone, and hopefully someday we can. For now, we're taking requests for any distributor that might like to take part. To apply, fill out the form below. Only five spots available, so submit your request today!

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The Agenda

Each consulting session will include a pre-meeting phone call to set an agenda, as well as a half day in-person training and consulting session.

Matt Tanaka, Founder and Creative Director, will lead you and your team through a number of branding exercises and online marketing scenarios, as well as equip you with best practices for how to begin to use, or improve existing digital marketing strategies. Topics covered will include:

Social Media For Distributors

Social media marketing is important - no one is debating that - but there's a question that plagues beer distributors the country over: does it really matter to a distributor?

Engaging and high performing social media content is about providing unique access to something that people care about, and distributors are insiders in the world of beer. From breweries to events, venues and beer personalities, every distributor has a wealth of interesting and unique content that beer fans in your market want to see. Plus, it’s an opportunity to promote your brands locally.

We will help wrestle through these questions, as well as begin to define a social media strategy. From there we will work directly with your team to create a social media content calendar and some content ideas, so you leave the session with the ability to execute right away.

Online Advertising

Digital ads allow for advertisers to be incredibly specific and targeted in their approach. Are you launching a new product focused on millennials in urban environments who would describe themselves as "foodies?" You can use Facebook ads to place announcements directly into their feed.

We will talk through the options, pricing structure, and help your team define a strategy and budget to begin an advertising campaign.

Website Design

Websites are non-negotiable in 2019. Potential customers are looking for information online, and you want them to be able to find you. Say a new restaurant opens in your territory, and they have a first-time beverage director who doesn't know the brands. The first thing they'll do is Google, "how do I order beer?" You want your information to appear as a result in that search.

We will talk through options for building website (from affordable to completely custom) or perform an audit on your existing site to share expert tips that the site can be improved or tweaked.

Video Marketing

According to HubSpot, video is projected to claim more than 80% of all web traffic by 2019. The same study says 90% of customers report that product videos help them make purchasing decisions. The numbers for video marketing are truly staggering in terms of traffic and conversion.

We will discuss how video can impact your brand, boost your relevance in the market place and help grow sales, as well as different options for producing video content.

Event Promotion And Planning

Events are key to a brewery's success. But in a market where restaurants, bars, and breweries are all competing for attention, you need to do something to stand out, beyond a standard tap takeover. It's much more powerful to build the kind of experiences that give beer drinkers lasting connections to the breweries you host. That's how you win fans.

We will talk through your event strategy and work with your team to brainstorm events that truly connect with consumers and build brand awareness and loyalty.

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About Stout Collective

Stout Collective is a marketing and design studio built for the beer industry. They equip breweries, retailers, distributors and festivals across the country with the tools and strategies they need to reach their customers.

On the distribution side, Stout Collective has worked with numerous wholesalers, from startups to third generation family companies. The Stout team builds websites, creates social media strategies, designs logos and packaging, and more, all in an effort to build more effective and lasting brands.  

Distributor Profile: 30 Years For LaMonica Beverages

30 years in business for LaMonica Beverages, located in Loves Park, IL, means celebrating and getting back to their roots as a company. Even with the rapid increase in the number of products, increased technology in the business, and the dominance of craft beer, the critical foundation remains the same - building lasting relationships with people. It’s how the business was founded, how it weathered the inevitable ups and downs, and how LaMonica Beverages thrives today.

It’s Still All About The People

Michael LaMonica Sr. worked for Anheuser-Busch as VP of Sales and Marketing when he took over Bell Beverage and became the owner of the distributor that continues to carry his name. Michael Sr. took the opportunity in 1988, and today, Rick LaMonica, Merchandise Manager, and Mike LaMonica Jr., President, own the business and carry on the family tradition. Michael Sr. brought to the business the Anheuser-Busch way after having been so deeply involved in the company culture. The distributor became more corporate feeling, in sync with being an AB distributor, which helped put critical structures in place. But Michael Sr. was smart enough to keep the business local and invested in the community. He sent local bankers to St. Louis to pitch investing in their business instead of just using St. Louis banks, and that sense of re-investing locally was important to him. That tradition continues today.

“We buy locally, we support locally, and if you aren’t local, you really need to justify why we would do business with you.”

— Mike Jr.

While other distributor and business owners disappeared after they took over, Michael Sr. became very visible around town. He hopped on the truck and met everyone, and it made a difference. He got out, saw the market, learned the market, and his sons did the same as they joined the business. There has been a lot of consolidation in the industry, but they have stayed put. Mike Jr. says, “We aren’t just present in the community through charitable giving or local support - we actually live here, we see it, we feel it, and we are actually local.”

Carefully Growing Their Portfolio

At the heart of the business, LaMonica Beverages is a loyal Anheuser-Busch distributorship. In the 90’s, they brought in the Corona brands. LaMonica Beverages is extremely proud of the teamwork between Constellation and LBI to grow brands like Modelo Especial, Corona Familiar and Corona Premier. Our partnerships with ABI and Constellation are crucial to our success. There was a real explosion of the Goose Island brands when AB bought them, and it opened their eyes to the potential power of craft beer. Now, they carry a range of craft brands including Bells Brewery, Founders Brewing, Shiner Bock, Ballast Point, Alaskan Brewing, SweetWater Brewery, and Breckenridge Brewery, to name a few. The balancing act with craft is the impulse to increase choice, and the leadership at LaMonica strongly believes that too many choices can actually be a detriment to the consumer, the brewers, and the distributor. It’s important as a craft brand to differentiate your IPA from the crowd, and make sure it’s really good. The tension for the distributor, and their challenge now, is to make savvy choices about how many and which products to carry in order to keep the product fresh and selling. “We are great at saying yes to brands, but we aren’t very good at saying no, but then you walk through the warehouse and there are 800 types of seasonal beers, and it’s too much. A priority for us is local, and that’s high value because there is an important story to tell.”

Predicting the Future

“If I had a crystal ball, I would tell you that you will have to be a bigger business to survive and stay relevant.”

The LaMonica Beverages leadership emphasized that they don’t see a lot of potential survival in the industry if portfolios don’t include beer as well as hard seltzers, wine and spirits, and non-alcoholic. To put it bluntly, if distributors don’t find a way to maximize deliveries when their trucks are going to stores anyway, Mike and Rick predicted they would be losing. Beer distributors need to evolve to be beverage distributors. Rick summed it up nicely: “We have to diversify, and the old model of just being a beer distributor is gone.”

Distributor Profile: Brewers Distributing, 85 Years Later

The legacy of Brewers Distributing is the beer, of course. With an amazing portfolio of suppliers, and a family commitment to being the best in customer service, the Brewers Distributing story is a really good one. However, an equally important legacy emerges through their history, and it turns out the Brewers Distributing employees and the surrounding community do a lot more than drink good beer together. Read on for the real story about how this beer family also doubles as “second first responders” for their town.

In Search of Refrigeration

Brewers Distributing was started in 1934 by the Koch family, owners of local grocery stores. After Prohibition ended, Adolphus Busch III approached them in search of refrigeration for his product. At the time many of the only people with commercial refrigeration were grocers, so the Koch family agreed and distributed Anheuser Busch products until 1974. Walter F. Jacob (“Budd”) moved with his family to Peoria in 1968, where he and Kurth Koch became friends. Kurt didn’t have any family members that wanted to continue the business, which was struggling at the time due to the presence of the Pabst flagship brewery in Peoria Heights. Budd bought in in 1974 and purchased the rest of the shares in 1978 and become the sole owner. When Pabst closed in 1982 there was a large boycott of Pabst products in the area and Brewers Distributing took off, and the rest as they say, is history.

Budd’s Sales Strategy

“My Dad was a trench warfare guy. He knew we needed to win the battle in the on-premise before we could win the war in the off-premise.” Paul Jacob, President

When Budd was first running the business, 70% of sales were on-premise and 30% were off-premise, and today it is completely reversed. His focus and determination on-premise very quickly led to Brewers’ domination in that segment. Once the on-premise segment was developed, he set his sights on the ever growing off-premise of which Brewers had a very low share. Due to his relationship building skills and those of his team, slowly but surely the tides began to shift. Brewers currently holds a 55% share of their off-premise market. 

Budd was also a big believer in community involvement, and at any fair, festival, or concert in the area, the portfolio of brands were represented. According to Paul, “My dad was an incredibly hard worker -- he was out there seven days a week. He went face-to-face, and was constantly on the street for those first few years until he got a really good crew around him that he could rely on to continue his relationship building strategy.”

“My Dad was a trench warfare guy. He knew we needed to win the battle in the on-premise before we could win the war in the off-premise.”

— Paul Jacob, President

Community Comes First

For the Brewers Distributing team, their focus is being the market leader and the best in service and support with customers and suppliers. The front line people make a huge difference and give the customer the best experience from start to finish. Paul talks about the legacy of community service at the Company as a core value. “We encourage everyone in the company to participate in their local community. Schools, churches, charitable organizations - we have always backed them up and given them the time to get involved and provided financial resources to do that.”

But it goes beyond just volunteering regularly. Brewers Distributing is at the heart of so many community events, and is the first to show up when things get tough. Pauls recounts one such event:

“About five years ago we had a F5 tornado that blew away half the town of Washington. We got a call from one of our employees, and a group of us were out there handing out water and other supplies before the Red Cross showed up. We also acted as the hub for bringing in supplies and donations, and brought the supplies out to first responders as needed. Our entire warehouse was full of canned water, fruit, flashlights, everything. We almost act as a second first responder. We come together as a community to help each other out.”

What’s Next

The beer industry looks a lot different today than it did years ago. According to Paul Jacob, “The Company’s previous President, my brother, George F. Jacob recognized the evolving trends in the marketplace. He began in earnest to acquire new brands both imports and craft.” Today, more people are drinking a wide variety of beers and aren’t always as brand loyal. As a distributor it’s harder because of the increased number of SKU’s, but Paul reminds his team that it’s important to listen to what the consumer wants. And he’s grateful the technology has kept pace with the increase of suppliers. There is still opportunity in the midst of the changing beer culture and the brand portfolio is key. The team at Brewers Distributing is focused on intently listening to consumers as they continue to evolve and discover what they are interested in trying and drinking. “It’s what keeps us successful. The market and consumer tastes change quickly, and you must be able to adjust and go to retail with the knowledge and insights of a rapidly evolving environment.”

“It’s what keeps us successful. The market changes quickly, consumer tastes change quickly, and you must be able to adjust and go to retail with knowledge of the environment out there.”

Distributor Profile: Town & Country Distributors Looks Back at 65 Years in Business

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT LOCATION

House #45 Senate #23 Congressional #8

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS SERVICED

House #3, 4, 19, 20, 39, 40, 45, 46, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 77, 78

Senate #2, 10, 20, 23, 27, 28, 29, 39

Congressional #4, 5, 6, 8

Town and Country Distributors is celebrating 65 years in business in 2018. From 42,000 cases when they started to over six million cases today, it’s fair to say that co-founders Jack Rohner and Walter Sowa began a true beer powerhouse. Town and Country witnessed the peaks and valleys of the beer business over the last few decades, but it’s only refined their purpose and value proposition. The leadership at Town and Country is committed to being the absolute best in customer service and being true partners with their suppliers. It’s part of their legacy, but it’s also their future in a changing and competitive market.

First Days

“Wally had a lot of the connections and I had the money, that’s the way it worked!” Jack Rohner is 95, retired from Town and Country, and remembers their first days of the business in vivid detail. “We bought the distributorship for $18,000, which was a phenomenal price at the time. We wanted to be in business for ourselves.” At the time there was one supplier - Meister Brau - and two worn-out trucks. Their first day of business was tough - the clutch went out on one of the trucks, and they lost a few hours getting it fixed. When they finally got back out there, they worked until 10pm. “We were both driving at the time. They were humble beginnings for sure.”

“We were both driving at the time. They were humble beginnings for sure.”

— Jack Rohner

They had strong relationships with everyone, especially tavern owners. Early on, Jack and Wally invested in the on-premise side of the business, and it paid off. They increased the brand equity of Meister Brau and it grew to be a beer that was well-loved and had a good reputation with their customers. The morning routine went like this, according to Jack. “I used to live on the south side and I would get up at 4am, pick up Wally and Paul, our first employee, and then go get the trucks which were stored in a local garage, and then drive to the brewery, which at the time was at North and Clybourn. Then we would go out and make deliveries. We did that for almost ten years.” In 1962 the first warehouse for Town and Country was built.

Moving Up

Meister Brau came out with draft beer in bottles and cans, which was unpasteurized. That made the brand take off, as the the new product was smoother and very drinkable. Meister Brau really exploded with the introduction of light beer. Jack remembers, “It actually was easy to sell Meister Brau Lite to bars. Word spread quickly and it took off. The selling story for our bars was that they could get their customers to drink three beers instead of two because it wasn’t as filling and you could sell more product.” Meister Brau trademarked the word “lite,” and after the initial success of the beer, Philip Morris, owner of Miller, bought the brand in order to acquire the “lite” label. The company changed the name to Miller Lite and came out with the “great taste, less filling” ad campaign, complete with movie stars and professional athletes. “That’s a true benchmark for significant change in the beer business. Up until that point no one had done anything like that.”

Town and Country built their second warehouse on Chase Ave, outgrew that one, and moved to the one we they are in now. In 1970, they had five routes and sold about 600,000 cases. Over the years they kept adding routes and expanding their offerings. According to Jack, “When Miller took over Meister Brau, we were able to grow the business more, sell more brands, increase acceptance of new products, and add new routes. We went to two million cases, then three million cases, and on and on. We were at almost six million cases when I retired in the 90’s.”

Bringing It All Together

What made all this growth possible? Jack boils it down to hard work and dedication to service. Larry Sowa, Wally’s son, and current President of Town and Country Distributors, explained it this way: “What both of them did was build the company on true customer service. They went back over and over to meet customers before they even placed an order. That’s how you get from 50,000 cases to 100,000 in the beginning and then where we are today, which is six million cases. What Wally and Jack built was carried forward for 65 years. They are titans of customer service.”

“What Wally and Jack built was carried forward for 65 years. They are titans of customer service.”

— Larry Sowa

Today, Larry and John Holland, CEO of Town and Country and Jack’s grandson-in-law, continue the commitment to customer service specifically through their refusal to adopt case minimums. “If a customer calls us and they need something, we will hotshot it out to them. We take care of our customers. From an operational standpoint, we will not leave anybody without beer.” It’s a nod to those early days. Jack says, “Wally and I used to give customers our home phone numbers and they would call us at home. One thing I remember is during the first Super Bowl game, back in the 60’s, a customer called me up at home while I was watching the game. He had bought 150 cases of Meister Brau, but was running out, and asked if I could bring more over. So I put about 150 cases on the truck, and he took it all. When we got there on Monday morning he was out of beer again. That was a nice feeling.” John adds, “Both Jack and Wally bought station wagons. Many, many times guys would call them on the weekends and they would throw 30 cases in the back of the station wagon, and bring it out.” True titans of customer service, indeed.