Beer & Beverage Distributor · Joliet, Illinois
Family-owned. Brand-focused. Built to launch and grow your brand across Illinois.
Family owned and operated since 1934.
1.4 million consumers: about 1.0 million of legal drinking age, across 9 counties served from Joliet.
Our territory would rank as America’s 8th-largest city.
Supplier partners and fewer than 600 SKUs: every brand gets real focus.
Big Enough to Impact the Market… Small Enough to Have the Desire!
Your Proven Path to Illinois Retail
Blue Ribbon Products Co. is a family-owned DSD (direct store delivery) beer and beverage distributor based in Joliet, Illinois. Since 1934 we have helped beer, spirits, wine and non-alcoholic beverage brands launch and grow in Chicagoland’s suburbs. We are brand-focused and built to put your products on Illinois shelves. When you are ready to go statewide, we help you build the rest of your Illinois distributor network.
Why suppliers choose Blue Ribbon
Many beverage distributors carry thousands of SKUs. Blue Ribbon is built differently. Our smaller portfolio and our trained, incentive-driven sales team make us one of the most brand-focused beer and beverage distributors in Illinois.
- Team focus, no SKU overload. A streamlined book means your brand gets real selling time instead of getting lost among thousands of SKUs.
- Team trained to build brands. Our sales and management team is trained by Tom Fox and certified in the PROFITS Process.
- Brand building compensation. Compensation tied to successful distribution and recurring sales.
- Chain and independent strength. We service all national & regional, and a deep base of independent retail customers.
- Gas and convenience coverage. We service more than 350 gas and convenience customers, including 50 7-Eleven/Speedway, 40 Circle K, 35 Casey’s and 45 Walgreens locations.
- Local digital muscle. We run geo-targeted media, custom video and a monthly newsletter.
Proven Brand Leaders
Garage Beer
Blue Ribbon was Garage Beer’s first expansion market. We drove aggressive distribution through Illinois’ healthy independent channels despite zero brand awareness. These efforts resulted in statewide authorization and distribution in Jewel-Osco and Binny’s within 90 days of launch.
Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails.
In the 12 months before moving to Blue Ribbon, the brand sold 11,106 case equivalents with its prior distributor. In its first year with Blue Ribbon we sold 22,624. Volume more than doubled, and the number of customers carrying the brand rose 126%.
Prior distributor
Blue Ribbon, year 1
Going statewide in Illinois? Build your network, start with us.
One conversation can open a statewide path to market.
Blue Ribbon works alongside several established distributor networks across Illinois, a state home to many excellent, brand-focused distributors. We’ll help you understand how each network works and how it fits your brand, then connect you with like-minded partners to cover all of Illinois.
WAYS WE CAN HELP YOU BUILD COVERAGE
Established statewide networks: connect with distributor groups already working together across Illinois.
Tailored network solutions: build a combination of partners that matches your brand priorities and the way you like to work.
Targeted introductions: meet independent distributors in specific markets where you want added focus.
HOW IT WORKS:
(1) We map your coverage goals and gaps.
(2) We recommend partners and introduce you.
(3) You launch with a proven plan.
Our home market: the heart of Chicagoland’s suburbs
Our service area includes Joliet, Aurora and Naperville, Illinois’ three most populous cities outside Chicago. From our Joliet warehouse we deliver to retailers in Will, Kendall, Grundy and Kankakee counties, southern DuPage, southern Kane and southern DeKalb counties, and northern Iroquois and Ford counties. The area is home to 1.4 million residents.
Residents in our service area.
Consumers of legal drinking age.
Counties served from Joliet.
Would rank as America’s 8th-largest city.
Jewel-Osco:
the largest-volume national chain in our market and in Illinois.
Binny’s Beverage Depot:
Illinois’ key chain liquor retailer, comparable to Total Wine in other states.
Independents:
a healthy base of independent liquor stores with a large share of total adult-beverage sales.
On Premise customers:
a large population of 1,200 vibrant bars, restaurants, festivals and more.
Gas and convenience:
more than 300 Gas & Conv retailers serviced.
Blue Ribbon Products Sales Team PROFITS Process Certified
The Blue Ribbon Products sales and management team underwent an intensive multi-day training with prestigious Fox Sales Coaching, followed by live, in-person testing and certification. Team Blue achieved PROFITS Process certification and was awarded a certificate of outstanding achievement!
