Great Lakes Wine and Spirits
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersHighland Park, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Great Lakes Wine and Spirits
- Legal name
- Great Lakes Wine & Spirits, LLC
- Website
- https://glwas.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wholesale Alcohol 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 industry
- Alcoholic Beverage Wholesale (Beer, Wine, Spirits) (AFAIAGAA)
Keywords
Where Great Lakes Wine and Spirits is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Highland Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Wholesale Alcohol Distribution: The company operates as a wholesale alcohol beverage distributor, purchasing products from wineries, breweries, and spirits producers and selling to retailers (restaurants, bars, party stores, wine shops) across Michigan. Revenue is generated through markups on product sales, operating on a traditional wholesale distribution model with volume-based purchasing and selling.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | B2B pricing through direct inquiry |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Great Lakes Wine & Spirits is Michigan's largest family-owned wholesale alcohol beverage distributor, purchasing wine, spirits, beer, ready-to-drink cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, and glassware from producers and reselling these products to licensed retailers, restaurants, bars, hotels, and other on- and off-premise businesses across all 83 Michigan counties. The company operates a 24-hour distribution network staffed by CWP-, CWE-, and CSW-certified product specialists who provide consultative selling, category management, and staff training to thousands of Michigan business customers.
Product overview
Great Lakes Wine & Spirits is Michigan's leading family-owned wholesale alcohol distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages through multiple distribution channels. The core offering consists of wine (6,000+ unique varieties), spirits (3,000+ options), ready-to-drink cocktails, non-alcoholic alternatives, glassware, and beer. The company operates 24 hours a day across all 83 Michigan counties, providing strategic business insights, product knowledge, and customer service technology to help Michigan businesses succeed. Staff includes CWP-, CWE-, and CSW-certified specialists for product recommendations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Little Guy Wine Company: Founded in 2007, focused on small production wines from passionate 'Little Guys' who craft unique, hand-crafted and hard-to-find wines from around the world.
Products and services
- Wine Distribution Wholesale distribution of 6,000+ unique wines sourced from nearly every wine-producing region, served to thousands of Michigan retailers and hospitality businesses.
- Spirits Distribution Wholesale distribution of 3,000+ spirits ranging from well-known recognized brands to new-and-noteworthy producers, supplied to Michigan retailers and hospitality operators.
- Ready to Drink (RTD) Distribution Wholesale distribution of pre-mixed cocktails and ready-to-drink beverages featuring real spirits with real juice, supplied to Michigan on- and off-premise customers.
- Non-Alcoholic Beverage Distribution Wholesale distribution of non-alcoholic beverages including non-alcoholic spirits (such as Lyre's), mocktails, and zero-proof alternatives for Michigan retailers and hospitality businesses.
- Glassware Distribution Wholesale distribution of varietal-specific glassware including Riedel stemware, delivered alongside beverage orders to enhance customers' wine service offering.
- Beer Distribution Wholesale distribution of hundreds of beer options to Michigan retailers, hospitality businesses, and party stores, with expanded coverage through the 2012 Bayside Beverage Company acquisition.
Companies that use Great Lakes Wine and Spirits
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC)coreRegulatory partnership with state liquor authority for licensing and compliance. The company works with MLCC for licensing verification and regulatory compliance in alcohol distribution.
- Lyre'sminorDistribution partnership for Lyre's non-alcoholic spirits. GLWAS distributes the Lyre's range of non-alcoholic spirits including American Malt, Italian Spritz, and Pink London Cosmopolitan in Michigan.
- High NoonminorDistribution partnership for High Noon Ready-to-Drink cocktails. GLWAS distributes High Noon products featuring vodka and tequila-based RTDs with real fruit juice.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits: The largest wine and spirits distributor in the United States, operating across 44 states. Directly comparable as a multi-state alcohol wholesaler, though significantly larger and geographically broader than GLWAS.
- Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC): The second-largest alcohol beverage distributor in the U.S., operating across multiple states. A direct analogue to GLWAS at much greater scale, with the same wholesale distribution business model serving on- and off-premise accounts.
- Breakthru Beverage Group: A leading North American alcohol wholesaler operating across multiple U.S. states and Canada. Closely comparable wholesale distribution model, supplier relationships, and customer base to GLWAS.
- Johnson Brothers: A family-owned multi-state alcohol wholesaler operating across the Midwest and other regions. Comparable as a family-led regional wholesaler with overlapping supplier relationships and a similar consultative service model.
Others
- E. & J. Gallo Winery: The largest family-owned winery in the world and a key GLWAS supplier (multiple GLWAS awards reference Gallo brands). Comparable as a major industry supplier with whom GLWAS partners in the wholesale channel.
Regional players
- Hand Family Companies: A Texas-based family-owned alcohol distributor. Comparable as a regional, family-run wholesaler serving a single-state market with similar operational characteristics to GLWAS.
- Fabiano Brothers: A Michigan-based family-owned alcohol wholesaler (GLWAS acquired its wine distribution rights in 2017). A directly comparable Michigan competitor in the same geographic market.
Direct peers
- Skurnik Wines: A family-owned importer and distributor of fine wines across the U.S. Comparable as a family-run, specialist-driven wine wholesaler with curated portfolio depth similar to GLWAS's fine wine emphasis.
- Empire Merchants: A large regional alcohol distributor serving the New York metro market. Comparable as a single-state regional wholesaler with similar supplier relationships and on/off-premise customer mix to GLWAS.
- Winebow: A major U.S. wine and spirits importer and distributor with multi-state operations. Comparable as a fine-wine-focused wholesaler with a similar portfolio depth strategy to GLWAS (which carries 6,000+ SKUs).
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits social profiles
Digital presenceGreat Lakes Wine and Spirits compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries13 records
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Great Lakes Wine and Spirits
What does Great Lakes Wine and Spirits do?
Great Lakes Wine & Spirits is Michigan's largest family-owned wholesale alcohol beverage distributor, purchasing wine, spirits, beer, ready-to-drink cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, and glassware from producers and reselling these products to licensed retailers, restaurants, bars, hotels, and other on- and off-premise businesses across all 83 Michigan counties. The company operates a 24-hour distribution network staffed by CWP-, CWE-, and CSW-certified product specialists who provide consultative selling, category management, and staff training to thousands of Michigan business customers.
Is Great Lakes Wine and Spirits a public or private company?
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Great Lakes Wine and Spirits founded?
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits was founded in 2008. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Great Lakes Wine and Spirits based?
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits is headquartered in Highland Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does Great Lakes Wine and Spirits make money?
One revenue line is on record: wholesale Alcohol Distribution.
Who are Great Lakes Wine and Spirits's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), Breakthru Beverage Group and Johnson Brothers. E. & J. Gallo Winery is listed as an others. Regional players are Hand Family Companies and Fabiano Brothers. Direct peers are Skurnik Wines, Empire Merchants and Winebow.
Does Great Lakes Wine and Spirits have an API?
No public API is recorded for Great Lakes Wine and Spirits.
What industry is Great Lakes Wine and Spirits in?
Great Lakes Wine and Spirits's product category is Wholesale Alcohol 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.