World Class Beverages is
the Craft and Specialty Division at Manhattan Beer
Distributors
Over the past twenty-eight years, Manhattan Beer
Distributors has strived to become the premier
full-service beverage company in Metro New York. Our
mission is to assist you in best serving your customers.
We promise to provide you with a diverse portfolio of
profitable products, sold by a highly trained sales
staff, and delivered on demand by a dedicated delivery
force.
It is this commitment to customer service that has
enabled us to remain one of the best-established and
most respected distribution companies.
Mission Statement
As a diversified distributor of high quality beverages,
we are focused on providing complete customer
satisfaction, serviced by well-trained company personnel
in an environment that recognizes and rewards teamwork
and commitment towards our shared goals.
We are truly dedicated and committed to the growth and
development of each associate. Our mission is to
profitably grow our business through attainment of
clearly communicated goals.
COMPANY HISTORY AND OVERVIEW
In the late 1970s, Simon Bergson started his
business as the owner-operator of a small beverage
center in lower Manhattan, New York City. He had a goal
of someday becoming a franchised distributor, buying
directly from brewers and representing those brands in
the New York City marketplace.
Following is a brief chronology of the growth and
development of Manhattan Beer Distributors.
1978 - 1980
The Rheingold Brewery
closes, enabling Simon
Bergson to obtain the
local distribution
rights to sell Carling
Black Label and Tuborg.
Thus, Manhattan Beer
Distributors is born.
Operating out of a 4,000
square foot warehouse
with one sales manager,
four salesmen and a
fleet of three used
trucks, the company
achieves sales in excess
of 100,000 cases in its
first year.
1981- 1987
The success of this
young company is
recognized by prominent
national suppliers like
the Joseph Schlitz
Brewing Company, the
Pabst Brewing Company
and the Ernest & Julio
Gallo Winery. As a
result, brands such as
Old Milwaukee, Old
Milwaukee Light, Schlitz
Malt Liquor, Pabst Blue
Ribbon, Old English 800
and Bartles & James wine
coolers were added to
the portfolio.
As Manhattan Beer
Distributors’ reputation
for being one of the
leading and most
aggressive distributors
in the industry
continues to grow,
regional brands like
Genessee and Rolling
Rock are acquired.
1988 - 1997
After four different
warehouse moves – each
time to a larger
facility – Manhattan
Beer Distributors is
appointed the Master
Distributor for the
State of New York for
the Mexican import,
Corona Extra. With the
addition of Corona
Extra, Manhattan Beer
Distributors expands its
direct distribution
efforts to Long Island.
Pete’s Brewing Company,
Boston Beer Company, and
Bacardi Breezers are
added to the portfolio
and Manhattan Beer
Distributors expands to
Westchester, Rockland
and Putnam Counties.
The company flourishes
as its leading brands
grow: Corona Extra has
four consecutive years
of +40% growth; Rolling
Rock is established as a
niche alternative to
Budweiser; Samuel Adams
and Pete’s account for
75% of the region’s
craft beer sales.
1998 – 2007
Manhattan Beer
Distributors acquires
the rights to Coors and
expands to Orange,
Sullivan, Dutchess and
Ulster Counties.
Manhattan Beer
Distributors becomes the
first private company in
the northeast to convert
a portion of its diesel
fleet to compressed
natural gas, with the
goal of reducing
pollution.
Manhattan Beer
Distributors completes
the installation of rail
into four of its five
facilities, thus
creating a better, more
efficient delivery
system, lessening
traffic congestion and
further reducing
pollution.
2008
Joined the World Class
Beverages national
system of craft and
specialty import beer
distributors.
Today, Manhattan Beer Distributors
directly services over 23,000 accounts in
fifteen counties in the metro New York area.
Employing more than 1,400 people, we
operate out of over 1.2 million square feet
of warehousing, which is strategically
located throughout our distribution area. With
our fleet of over 300 delivery vehicles,
we are able to deliver over 28,000,000
cases with the goal of providing the highest
levels of sales and service to our valued
customers.
