Lakeshore Beverage Co
Lakeshore Beverage Co is the Illinois operating subsidiary of Hand Family Companies, a third-generation family-owned beverage distributor. It distributes beer, cider, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages from four Illinois warehouse locations to bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and grocery accounts across the Chicagoland area.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersClarksville, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Lakeshore Beverage Co firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lakeshore Beverage Co
- Legal name
- Hand Family Companies
- Website
- https://handfamilycompanies.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Lakeshore Beverage Co is the Illinois operating subsidiary of Hand Family Companies, a third-generation family-owned beverage distributor. It distributes beer, cider, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages from four Illinois warehouse locations to bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and grocery accounts across the Chicagoland area.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lakeshore Beverage Co industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Beverage Distribution
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alcoholic Beverage Wholesale (Beer, Wine, Spirits) (AFAIAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Beverage Wholesale Distribution (Non-Alcoholic) (CRAOAAAH), Bar, Restaurant & On-Premise Beverage Supply Wholesale (AFAIAGAI), Beverage Wholesale (Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic) (AFAIABAH)
Keywords
Where Lakeshore Beverage Co is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clarksville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Lakeshore Beverage Co business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Beverage Distribution: Revenue generated through distribution margins on beer, cider, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages sold to retailers. Acts as intermediary between breweries/suppliers and retail outlets.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Lakeshore Beverage Co product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lakeshore Beverage is a wholesale beverage distributor acting as an intermediary between breweries/suppliers and retail accounts, distributing beer, cider, wine, spirits, hard seltzer, and non-alcoholic beverages across Illinois. The company operates warehouse and delivery operations serving bars, restaurants, liquor stores, supermarkets, and large venues, with supporting services including the BEES online ordering platform and Fintech electronic payments.
Product overview
Lakeshore Beverage Co is a Chicagoland beverage distributor and subsidiary of Hand Family Companies, offering multi-category beverage distribution services. The core offering is beer distribution spanning domestic (Bud Light, Budweiser, Busch), craft (Bell's, Founders, Goose Island, Surly), and imported (Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Carlsberg) brands. Beyond beer, the company distributes cider (Blake's, Magners, Woodchuck), wine (101 North, Crown Imports), spirits (Cutwater, Legends Distillery), and non-alcoholic beverages (Essentia, Crystal Geyser, non-alcoholic beers). Supplementary services include the BEES online ordering platform for retailers and Fintech electronic payment processing. The product portfolio encompasses over 200 supplier brands across multiple beverage categories, serving Chicagoland and surrounding Illinois suburbs from multiple warehouse locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Beer Distribution Services Multi-state beer and beverage distribution services encompassing domestic, craft, imported, and specialty beer brands across Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, and California markets.
- Cider Distribution Distribution of hard cider brands including Blake's Hard Cider, Magners Irish Cider, Woodchuck Hard Cider, and Bold Rock Hard Cider.
- Wine Distribution Distribution of wine brands including 101 North Wines, Crown Imports, and various domestic and imported wine options.
- Spirits Distribution Distribution of spirits including Cutwater spirits, Legends Distillery products, and various whiskey, vodka, gin, and tequila brands.
- Non-Alcoholic Beverage Distribution Distribution of non-alcoholic beverages including waters (Essentia, Crystal Geyser, Icelandic Glacial), sparkling waters, functional drinks, and non-alcoholic beer options.
- Hard Seltzer Distribution Distribution of hard seltzer brands including Bud Light Seltzer, Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer, and various flavored malt beverage options.
- Draft Beer Tap System Services and Venue/Event Service Tap system installation, draft service, and beverage logistics for premiere venues and events including Lollapalooza, Chicago Gourmet, Pitchfork Music Festival, Wrigley Field, and United Center.
Companies that use Lakeshore Beverage Co
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Lakeshore Beverage Co technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Lakeshore Beverage Co partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and regional.
- Goose Island Beer CompanycoreChicago-based craft brewery representing the 312 Urban Wheat Ale and other craft offerings. One of the flagship craft brands in Lakeshore's portfolio.
- Founders Brewing CompanycoreMichigan-based craft brewery known for All Day IPA, Breakfast Stout, and other acclaimed beers distributed throughout the Lakeshore territory.
- Anheuser-BuschcoreCore supplier partner providing Budweiser, Bud Light, and other major domestic brands. Historical partnership dating to the founding of the company.
- Bell's BrewerycoreMichigan craft brewery including Two Hearted Ale, Oberon, and Official IPA in the distribution portfolio.
- Surly Brewing CompanycoreMinnesota-based craft brewery with regional distribution in the Lakeshore territory.
- Boulevard Brewing CompanycoreMissouri craft brewery known for Tank 7, Unfiltered Wheat, and seasonal offerings.
- Pabst Blue RibbonmajorHistoric American lager brand distributed through the Lakeshore network.
- BrewDogmajorScottish craft brewery with Punk IPA and other offerings in the portfolio.
- SweetWater Brewing CompanymajorGeorgia-based craft brewery including 420 and SweetWater strains in the portfolio.
- Revolution BrewingregionalChicago craft brewery with local following and regional distribution.
- Moody Tongue Brewing CompanyregionalChicago-based craft brewery known for culinary-inspired beers.
- Hopewell Brewing CompanyregionalChicago craft brewery in the distribution portfolio.
- Virtue CiderregionalMichigan cider producer distributed through Lakeshore.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lakeshore Beverage Co competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits: The largest wine and spirits distributor in the US, operating across 44 states plus Canada and the Caribbean. Directly comparable to Lakeshore as a multi-state beer/wine/spirits wholesaler serving bars, restaurants, and retail accounts.
- Standard Beverage: Family-owned beverage distributor based in Indiana distributing Anheuser-Busch and craft brands to on-premise and off-premise accounts. Comparable supplier mix, customer base, and regional wholesaler scale to Lakeshore.
- Monarch Beverage Company: Indiana-based Anheuser-Busch wholesaler distributing beer and non-alcoholic beverages across the Indianapolis market. Directly comparable to Lakeshore's role as a key AB-InBev wholesaler serving bars, restaurants, and retailers.
- Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC): Second-largest wine and spirits distributor in the US, operating in 40+ states with a similar model of supplier-to-retailer beverage distribution serving on-premise and off-premise accounts.
- Heidelberg Distributing: Family-owned beverage distributor serving Ohio and surrounding Midwest states with beer, wine, and spirits. Comparable to Lakeshore as a multi-generational, multi-category Midwestern wholesaler.
- Wirtz Beverage Group: Illinois-focused beer distributor (operating as Beverage One in Illinois) that competes directly with Lakeshore Beverage in the Chicago market and shares deep Anheuser-Busch wholesaler relationships. Highly comparable geography, supplier portfolio, and customer mix.
- Breakthru Beverage Group: Major US beverage distributor formed via the merger of Southern Wine & Spirits' breakaway operations and The Winebow Group. Comparable to Lakeshore across beer, wine, and spirits distribution with multi-state operations and similar supplier/retailer relationships.
- Crescent Crown Distributing: Major Anheuser-Busch wholesaler serving multiple states including Illinois. Directly comparable as a multi-state beer and beverage wholesaler with overlapping craft and import portfolios and similar on-premise accounts.
- Johnson Brothers: Family-owned multi-state beverage distributor covering beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages across more than 20 states. Closely mirrors Hand Family Companies' model of multi-generational family ownership plus diverse category distribution.
Regional players
- Eagle Beverage: Multi-state Anheuser-Busch wholesaler operating across several western states. Comparable as an AB-InBev-aligned distributor serving bars, restaurants, and retailers, though operating in a different geography than Lakeshore.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lakeshore Beverage Co social profiles
Digital presenceLakeshore Beverage Co financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lakeshore Beverage Co leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
Lakeshore Beverage Co subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Lakeshore Beverage Co funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lakeshore Beverage Co 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 Lakeshore Beverage Co
What does Lakeshore Beverage Co do?
Lakeshore Beverage is a wholesale beverage distributor acting as an intermediary between breweries/suppliers and retail accounts, distributing beer, cider, wine, spirits, hard seltzer, and non-alcoholic beverages across Illinois. The company operates warehouse and delivery operations serving bars, restaurants, liquor stores, supermarkets, and large venues, with supporting services including the BEES online ordering platform and Fintech electronic payments.
Is Lakeshore Beverage Co a public or private company?
Lakeshore Beverage Co is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Lakeshore Beverage Co founded?
Lakeshore Beverage Co was founded in 1949. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Lakeshore Beverage Co based?
Lakeshore Beverage Co is headquartered in Clarksville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lakeshore Beverage Co make money?
One revenue line is on record: beverage Distribution.
Who are Lakeshore Beverage Co's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, Standard Beverage, Monarch Beverage Company, Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), Heidelberg Distributing, Wirtz Beverage Group, Breakthru Beverage Group, Crescent Crown Distributing and Johnson Brothers. Eagle Beverage is listed as a regional player.
Does Lakeshore Beverage Co have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lakeshore Beverage Co.
What industry is Lakeshore Beverage Co in?
Lakeshore Beverage Co's product category is Beverage Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIAGAA, Alcoholic Beverage Wholesale (Beer, Wine, Spirits), with a secondary code of CRAOAAAH, Beverage Wholesale Distribution (Non-Alcoholic). Its SIC code is 5180.