Lakeshore Beverage Co

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

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

• Beverage distribution services
• Beer wholesale distribution
• Craft beer distribution
• Wine and spirits distribution
• Alcohol beverage wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Clarksville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 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

Core 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.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and regional.

• Goose Island Beer CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationChicago-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 CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationMichigan-based craft brewery known for All Day IPA, Breakfast Stout, and other acclaimed beers distributed throughout the Lakeshore territory.
• Anheuser-BuschcoreTechnology or IntegrationCore supplier partner providing Budweiser, Bud Light, and other major domestic brands. Historical partnership dating to the founding of the company.
• Bell's BrewerycoreTechnology or IntegrationMichigan craft brewery including Two Hearted Ale, Oberon, and Official IPA in the distribution portfolio.
• Surly Brewing CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationMinnesota-based craft brewery with regional distribution in the Lakeshore territory.
• Boulevard Brewing CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationMissouri craft brewery known for Tank 7, Unfiltered Wheat, and seasonal offerings.
• Pabst Blue RibbonmajorTechnology or IntegrationHistoric American lager brand distributed through the Lakeshore network.
• BrewDogmajorTechnology or IntegrationScottish craft brewery with Punk IPA and other offerings in the portfolio.
• SweetWater Brewing CompanymajorTechnology or IntegrationGeorgia-based craft brewery including 420 and SweetWater strains in the portfolio.
• Revolution BrewingregionalTechnology or IntegrationChicago craft brewery with local following and regional distribution.
• Moody Tongue Brewing CompanyregionalTechnology or IntegrationChicago-based craft brewery known for culinary-inspired beers.
• Hopewell Brewing CompanyregionalTechnology or IntegrationChicago craft brewery in the distribution portfolio.
• Virtue CiderregionalTechnology or IntegrationMichigan cider producer distributed through Lakeshore.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct 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

• Facebookfacebook.com/lakeshorebeverage
• Instagraminstagram.com/lakeshorebeverage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lakeshore Beverage Co