Hensley Beverage Company
Hensley Beverage Company is a privately held wholesale beverage distributor founded in 1955, distributing beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages across Arizona and New Mexico through eight warehouse locations and a portfolio of 200-plus brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1955
- HeadquartersPhoenix, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hensley Beverage Company does
Hensley Beverage Company is a privately held, regional wholesale beverage distributor founded in 1955 by Jim Hensley in Phoenix, Arizona. The company distributes a portfolio of approximately 200 brands spanning Anheuser-Busch beer, craft beer, imports, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages to retail and on-premise accounts across Arizona and New Mexico. As of 2023, the business was selling approximately 30 million cases annually, distributed through eight warehouse and distribution facilities spanning Phoenix (corporate HQ), Chandler, Prescott Valley, Tucson, and Show Low in Arizona, plus Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Clovis, and Farmington in New Mexico. The portfolio is sourced from major supplier partners including Anheuser-Busch (founding relationship), with additional suppliers across wine, spirits, and the growing non-alcoholic category (notably the 2026 Rhinestone partnership).
Hensley Beverage Company firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hensley Beverage Company
- Legal name
- Hensley Beverage Company
- Website
- https://hensley.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1955
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Hensley Beverage Company is a privately held wholesale beverage distributor founded in 1955, distributing beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages across Arizona and New Mexico through eight warehouse locations and a portfolio of 200-plus brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hensley Beverage Company industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Beverage Distribution
- NAICS
- Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Alcoholic Beverage Wholesale (Beer, Wine, Spirits) (AFAIAGAA), Bar, Restaurant & On-Premise Beverage Supply Wholesale (AFAIAGAI), Bulk Beverage & Keg Distribution (AFAIAGAK)
Keywords
Where Hensley Beverage Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Phoenix
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
Hensley Beverage Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Beverage Distribution (Wholesale Margin): Hensley Beverage Company generates revenue by distributing Anheuser-Busch products, craft beers, imports, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages to retail accounts across Arizona and New Mexico. The company earns a wholesale margin on products distributed from its supplier partners. Revenue is derived from the difference between supplier invoice pricing and retail/wholesale pricing to customers.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Hensley Beverage Company product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hensley Beverage Company is a wholesale beverage distributor serving Arizona and New Mexico. It distributes a portfolio of more than 200 brands spanning Anheuser-Busch beer, craft beer, imports, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages to off-premise retail accounts (grocery, convenience, liquor stores) and on-premise accounts (restaurants, bars, venues) through eight warehouse and distribution facilities and dedicated field sales teams.
Product overview
Hensley Beverage Company is a regional beverage distribution company serving Arizona and New Mexico with a diversified portfolio of products. The company operates as a single unified distribution platform offering four core product categories: beer (including craft, import, and domestic), wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages. Their Arizona Portfolio and New Mexico Portfolio represent regional distribution platforms covering the Southwest territory. The company distributes hundreds of brand partners including Anheuser-Busch products, craft breweries like Four Peaks and Sierra Nevada, wine suppliers, spirits brands, and non-alcoholic beverage makers. Beyond distribution, the company provides career opportunities across sales, warehouse, delivery, merchandising, marketing, business, and brand functions, as well as event sponsorship services for community engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Beer Distribution Wholesale distribution of beer products, including craft, import, domestic (Anheuser-Busch), and specialty beers, to on-premise and off-premise accounts across Arizona and New Mexico.
- Wine Distribution
Quantifiable outcome
- 30 million cases sold in 2023, up from 8 million cases in 1982 with 170 employees
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hensley Beverage Company
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Hensley Beverage Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Hensley Beverage Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- RhinestonecoreRhinestone, an Arizona-born alcohol-free beer brand founded in July 2025, signed a full statewide distribution partnership with Hensley Beverage Company. The agreement brings Rhinestone's portfolio of alcohol-free brews to on- and off-premise accounts across Arizona, following the brand's rollout into 47 Sprouts Farmers Market locations statewide. The partnership positions Rhinestone for continued momentum as it builds toward regional and national expansion.
- Premier Distributing CompanycoreHensley Beverage Company completed the acquisition of Premier Distributing Company, a New Mexico-based beverage distributor, on May 19, 2023. The acquisition expanded Hensley's geographic footprint to include most of New Mexico and added approximately 7.5 million cases to its portfolio. This acquisition was a key milestone in Hensley's expansion strategy into the New Mexico market.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hensley Beverage Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Reyes Beverage Group: One of the largest AB-affiliated beer distributors in the US, operating across multiple states with a comparable three-tier distribution model. Hensley is a smaller, two-state AB wholesaler competing for supplier allocations and large-format retail accounts against Reyes' broader scale.
- Ben E. Keith Company: Major regional beverage distributor with a substantial Anheuser-Busch footprint across multiple southern and western US states. Highly comparable in business model — multi-state beer, wine, spirits, and NA distribution to on- and off-premise accounts.
- Crescent Crown Distributing: Multi-state beverage distributor operating in AZ and adjacent Southwest markets with overlapping AB and craft portfolios. Direct competitive overlap in the Arizona on- and off-premise accounts Hensley serves.
- Johnson Brothers: Family-owned regional beverage distributor operating across multiple US states with wine, spirits, and beer portfolios. Highly comparable in ownership profile, supplier relationships, and on-/off-premise distribution model.
- Eagle Distributing: Arizona-based beer wholesaler carrying Anheuser-Busch and other supplier portfolios. Operates as a direct competitor within the same Arizona on- and off-premise retail and venue channels Hensley serves.
- Katz Beverage Group: Mid-sized beverage wholesaler distributing beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic products to on- and off-premise accounts. Closely comparable in scale, portfolio breadth, and customer segmentation.
Broad incumbents
- Breakthru Beverage Group: Large multi-state beverage distributor with national scope across beer, wine, and spirits. Comparable full-line distribution model but materially larger scale and broader geographic reach than Hensley.
- Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits: Largest US beverage alcohol distributor with nationwide coverage across wine and spirits. While wine/spirits-skewed, its scale and multi-state reach make it a strategic competitor for supplier relationships and large retail accounts.
- Republic National Distributing Company: Major national beverage distributor covering wine, spirits, and beer across dozens of states. Comparable multi-category distribution model at significantly larger scale.
Regional players
- Coors Distributing Company of Las Vegas: Regional beer and beverage distributor operating in adjacent Southwest geographies. Comparable three-tier distribution model and supplier partnerships, though focused on a different sub-region than Hensley.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hensley Beverage Company social profiles
Digital presenceHensley Beverage Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hensley Beverage Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Hensley Beverage Company subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Hensley Beverage Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hensley Beverage Company M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hensley Beverage Company
What does Hensley Beverage Company do?
Hensley Beverage Company is a wholesale beverage distributor serving Arizona and New Mexico. It distributes a portfolio of more than 200 brands spanning Anheuser-Busch beer, craft beer, imports, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages to off-premise retail accounts (grocery, convenience, liquor stores) and on-premise accounts (restaurants, bars, venues) through eight warehouse and distribution facilities and dedicated field sales teams.
Is Hensley Beverage Company a public or private company?
Hensley Beverage Company is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Hensley Beverage Company founded?
Hensley Beverage Company was founded in 1955. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Hensley Beverage Company based?
Hensley Beverage Company is headquartered in Phoenix, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hensley Beverage Company make money?
One revenue line is on record: beverage Distribution (Wholesale Margin).
Who are Hensley Beverage Company's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Reyes Beverage Group, Ben E. Keith Company, Crescent Crown Distributing, Johnson Brothers, Eagle Distributing and Katz Beverage Group. Broad incumbents are Breakthru Beverage Group, Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits and Republic National Distributing Company. Coors Distributing Company of Las Vegas is listed as a regional player.
Does Hensley Beverage Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hensley Beverage Company.
What industry is Hensley Beverage Company in?
Hensley Beverage Company's product category is Beverage Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAIAA, Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution, with a secondary code of AFAIAGAA, Alcoholic Beverage Wholesale (Beer, Wine, Spirits). Its NAICS code is 42482 and its SIC code is 5180.