Beer Capitol Distributing Co., Inc.
Address: W22 N5700 Miller Way, Sussex
Industry: Beer distributor
Annual Revenue: $172,500,000
Employees: 375
The Waukesha County Business Alliance has named Beer Capitol Distributing Co., Inc., the 2011 Business of the Year.
The award was announced at the awards luncheon held in conjunction with BizTimes Media LLC at the Country Springs Hotel in Pewaukee on June 9.
Founded in 1981, Beer Capitol Distributing has acquired other beer distributors and additional brands over the years to become the largest beer distributor in the state of Wisconsin and the 22nd-largest distributor in the nation.
Beer Capitol Distributing works with 31 suppliers and nearly 400 brands, including MillerCoors, Pabst, Mike’s, Sam Adams, Crown Imports, Lakefront Brewing and Capital Brewing.
Relationships with suppliers and customers are key to Beer Capitol Distributing’s success, according to Aldo Madrigrano, chief executive officer of the Sussex-based company.
Relationships with suppliers are essential to ensure a supplier’s brands are visible in the marketplace, Madrigrano said. Face-to-face relationships also are essential for Beer Capitol to understand customer needs on a deeper level, he said.
Madrigrano believes that honing in-house brands is crucial for development, but so is expanding into niche markets that Beer Capitol is not already a part of.
Growth is always an option, as new brands and styles of beer are added into the marketplace often, he said.
It also is key for the company’s employees to be knowledgeable about the brands and the products on the market, he said. Training is an ongoing process at Beer Capitol, as employees are constantly being made aware of new brews, new sales techniques and new ways to distribute into the market.
Beer Capitol’s suppliers also partake in the education of employees to ensure their products are being sold to the right people. Suppliers work with Beer Capitol to ensure their brand is being marketed effectively.
While the beer market has seen better days, Madrigrano sees his products as an affordable luxury.
“People can always afford a good, cold beer,” Madrigrano said. “It’s a big enjoyment for people, especially when times are bad.”
Despite the downturn, Beer Capitol hopes to see improvement by the end of the year and will continue to distribute a wide breadth of beer to its consumers.
Beer Capitol was chosen as the Business of the Year because of its commitments to its customers, its employees and the community.
Since acquiring Miller Brands-Milwaukee LLC of Wauwatosa in 2008, Beer Capitol has grown to have about 375 employees.
The firm’s employee benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, company-paid life insurance, company-paid short-term disability insurance, voluntary long-term disability coverage, voluntary life insurance coverage and voluntary critical illness coverage.
Beer Capitol plays an active role in a variety of charitable causes throughout southeastern Wisconsin.
Beer Capitol Distributing Co., Inc. Strategic Partners:
Diversified Insurance
Diversified Insurance Services is one of Wisconsin’s largest full service insurance brokerages, providing employee benefits, business insurance and risk management services to businesses throughout the state.
(262) 439-4700 • www.div-ins.com
Winter, Kloman, Moter & Repp, S.C.
A full service CPA firm providing our clients with personalized services including: Audit and Accounting; Tax; Business, Financial and Succession Planning; Business Valuations; Management Advisory; Mergers and Acquisition; and Technology Consulting.
Brookfield • (262) 799-9050
Oconomowoc • (262) 567-6540
Watertown • (920) 261-6767
www.wkmr.com
