Saratoga Eagle

What Saratoga Eagle does

Saratoga Eagle Sales & Service is a family-owned wholesale beverage distributor, founded as part of Try-It Distributing in 1928 and operating today as a subsidiary of the Vukelic family's Try-It Distributing parent. The company distributes alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (beer, cider, energy drinks, teas, and craft brands) to over 2,500 retail accounts across at least nine New York State counties (Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, Washington, Essex, Albany, Rensselaer, Franklin, and additional territories), delivering more than 5 million cases annually from a 150,000 square foot headquarters facility in Saratoga Springs and seven additional distribution centers in Lancaster, Olean, Elmira, Plattsburgh, Oneonta, Rochester, and Syracuse. Core supplier relationships include Anheuser-Busch (since 1946), Labatt (since 1949), and the Balkan Beverage subsidiary's non-alcoholic portfolio of Red Bull and Arizona Tea (since 2004); the portfolio has also grown to include craft breweries such as Northway, Frog Alley, Common Roots, Bolton Landing, Awestruck, and Paradox, plus 1911 Cider.

Revenue is generated through wholesale transactional sales to retail accounts (bars, restaurants, convenience stores, and small retailers) on a quote-based, pay-as-you-go pricing model administered through field sales representatives and a VTInfo-powered VIP Retailer Portal for ordering, inventory viewing, and online bill pay via DocuSign. Supporting the core distribution service are three add-on offerings: a Draft Service for draught troubleshooting and maintenance, Trailer Rentals for special events (with NY State Liquor Authority permit support), and the New Supplier Questionnaire onboarding flow for prospective beverage brands seeking distribution. Infrastructure investments include a CNG fleet and solar panels supporting sustainability initiatives across the eight-facility network.

The company has remained under Vukelic family control across three generations, with Jeff Vukelic serving as President/COO since the 2005 acquisition of Saratoga Eagle (formerly Northern Distributing). It is a private corporation with no disclosed institutional investment, no funding rounds, and no public ticker. The family has been recognized with the Canisius College Family Business of the Year Award, reinforcing the multi-generational ownership narrative that anchors its regional brand equity.

Name

Saratoga Eagle

Legal name

Saratoga Eagle Sales & Service

Website

https://saratogaeagle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Saratoga Eagle Sales & Service is a family-owned wholesale beverage distributor delivering 5M+ cases annually to 2,500+ retail accounts across nine New York State counties from eight distribution facilities, as a subsidiary of Try-It Distributing under Vukelic family control.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Beverage Distribution

NAICS

Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (42481), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Alcoholic Beverage Wholesale (Beer, Wine, Spirits) (AFAIAGAA)

Keywords

• Wholesale beverage distribution
• Beer distribution services
• Non-alcoholic beverage distribution
• Draft beer service
• Special event beverage supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Saratoga Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Beverage Distribution: Saratoga Eagle generates revenue through wholesale distribution of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to retailers. The company distributes beer, cider, and various branded beverages including Anheuser-Busch products, Red Bull Energy drinks, and Arizona teas. Revenue is generated through direct sales to retail accounts including bars, restaurants, and stores.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Saratoga Eagle Sales & Service is a family-owned wholesale beverage distributor delivering beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages to over 2,500 retail accounts across 9+ counties in New York State. The company operates from a 150,000 square foot facility and delivers more than 5,000,000 cases annually, with supporting services including draft beer equipment service, draught trailer rentals for special events, and a VIP Retailer Portal for online ordering and bill payment. The business operates as a subsidiary of Try-It Distributing, with Balkan Beverage handling non-alcoholic beverage distribution (Red Bull, Arizona teas).

Product overview

Saratoga Eagle Sales & Service is a family-owned wholesale beverage distributor operating as part of a multi-subsidiary structure under Try-It Distributing. The core offering is beverage distribution services covering beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages delivered to over 2,500 retail customers across New York State. Supporting the core distribution service are add-on modules including Draft Service (draught troubleshooting and support), Trailer Rentals for special events, and a VIP Retailer Portal for online ordering, inventory viewing, and bill payment. The company also distributes portfolio brands including craft breweries (Northway, Frog Alley, Common Roots, Bolton Landing, Awestruck, Paradox) and cider (1911 Cider) through its subsidiary Balkan Beverage, which focuses on non-alcoholic beverages including Red Bull and Arizona teas. Operations span from a 150,000 square foot facility with annual delivery of over 5,000,000 cases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wholesale Beverage Distribution Service Core wholesale distribution of beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages to retail accounts including bars, restaurants, convenience stores, and retail outlets across 9+ New York State counties, delivering over 5,000,000 cases annually.
• Draft Service Draught beer equipment service including troubleshooting, maintenance guidance, and consultation for retail accounts that operate draft beer systems.
• Trailer Rentals Rental of draught beer trailers for special events within New York State, with support for obtaining NY State Liquor Authority permits.
• Balkan Beverage Non-Alcoholic Distribution Wholly-owned subsidiary distributing non-alcoholic beverages including Red Bull Energy drinks and Arizona teas, with distribution centers in Lancaster, Rochester, and Syracuse.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000,000+ cases delivered annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Red BullcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004Balkan Beverage subsidiary distributes Red Bull Energy drinks as part of non-alcoholic beverage portfolio since 2004.
• Arizona TeacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004Balkan Beverage subsidiary distributes Arizona teas as part of non-alcoholic beverage portfolio since 2004.
• LabattcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1949Saratoga Eagle distributes Labatt beer products. Partnership established in 1949 when Try-It Distributing added Labatt to its portfolio.
• Anheuser-BuschcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1946Saratoga Eagle distributes Anheuser-Busch products including Budweiser and Michelob. Partnership began in 1946 when Try-It Distributing added these brands to its product list.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Breakthru Beverage Group: North American beverage distributor formed through the merger of Southern Wine and Sprits' former operations with Wirtz Beverage. Similar wholesale distribution model with broad wine, spirits, and beer coverage.
• Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits: Largest beverage alcohol distributor in the United States, covering wine, spirits, and beer across all 50 states. Demonstrates the scale ceiling for regional wholesalers and the consolidation pressure Saratoga Eagle faces.
• Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC): National beverage alcohol distributor serving retail and on-premise customers across a broad footprint. Comparable at the level of business model and end customers, with significantly greater geographic and capital scale.
• Ben E. Keith Company: Privately held, family-controlled broadline foodservice and beverage alcohol distributor serving the southern U.S. Comparable family-owned wholesale distributor with beer and NA portfolios.
• Reyes Holdings / Reyes Beverage Group: One of the largest beer distributors in the U.S. and an AB wholesaler in multiple markets. Represents the type of well-capitalized incumbent that may consolidate Saratoga Eagle or compete for its territories.

Direct peers

• L. Knife & Son: Family-owned beverage distributor headquartered in Kingston, New York, distributing Anheuser-Busch and other brands to on- and off-premise accounts across the Hudson Valley and upstate NY. Closely comparable regional beer wholesaler with similar portfolio and customer mix.
• Boening Brothers: Multi-generation family-owned beer and beverage distributor based in Long Island, NY. Similar role as a regional AB-affiliated wholesaler serving retail accounts, with comparable craft and import portfolio breadth.
• Try-It Distributing: Parent company and sister operation of Saratoga Eagle, founded 1928 in Western New York. Distributes Anheuser-Busch and complementary brands from facilities in Lancaster and Olean; identical business model, supplier portfolio, and family ownership.
• Goldring Family Distributors: Family-owned New York regional beverage wholesaler. Comparable size, family governance model, and AB-InBev/craft portfolio orientation within the same state.

Regional players

• Hand Family Companies: Family-owned beverage distributor based in Texas serving Anheuser-Busch and other brands. Highly comparable family governance and regional DSD model, though operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SaratogaEagle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Saratoga Eagle