The beverage industry in California is one market that hasn’t taken a dip over the last few years. In fact, it even grew marginally from 2019 to 2020 and has remained pretty consistently valued at around $26 billion ever since with revenue predicted to grow further over the next few years.
This includes both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and California remains the biggest consumer of alcohol in the States and the largest consumer of wine as well. The market continues to evolve, with smaller producers and distributors gaining a share of the sector and premium brands growing twice as fast as non-premium brands in almost every category in the liquor industry.
The overall beverage industry, and specifically the alcoholic beverage industry, present a fantastic opportunity for retailers looking to take advantage of this booming market.
Here are some of the top beverage distributors in California that retailers should be aware of. 
Best beverage distributors in California
Buffalo Market
Yes, we’re cheating by naming ourselves first but can you blame us? Buffalo Market specialize in distributing food and beverage brands with a purpose, offering tons of sustainable options, organic goods, and alternative proteins.
We work with high-performing brands to provide retailers with the highest quality products that are good for the consumer and good for the planet. And our machine learning technology helps manage inventory and powers predictive ordering to avoid running out of stock and reduces waste.
Our direct store delivery model also allows for easier distribution of local produce to local consumers, meeting increased market demand for home-grown food and beverage options.
Jordano's
Jordano’s is one of the leading distributors in California. They were started in 1915 and have sold beverages under their sister company, Pacific Beverages, since 1946.
They’ve been operating for a long time and have built great, long-term relationships with many local retailers. They pride themselves on their high-quality products and work with wineries whose staff have a strong knowledge of wine production and a passion for the product.
They deliver across a large area of California, aim to be transparent in their practices, and are known as reliable and trustworthy stalwarts of the industry.
California Beer and Beverage Distributors
California Beer and Beverage Distributors are the largest non-profit trade association representing brewers, distributors, and retailers of beer in the state of California.
They “deliver more than 13,000 high-paying jobs with benefits, $940.7 million in wages, pay $1.1 billion in federal, state, and local taxes, and generate $6.1 billion in total economic value to California.”
They have a wide distribution range working with large international producers and small craft brewers alike and delivering products to restaurants, bars, chain supermarkets, and local shops across the state.
And if that wasn’t enough, they have also been heavily involved in advocacy work since 1947, working with the National Beer Wholesalers Association on federal industry issues regarding taxation and transportation.
Gate City Beverage
Gate City Beverage serves the counties of Riverside and San Bernardino specifically. They sell over 22.4 million cases of beer annually to more than 4,420 customers and provide a great selection of craft, import, and domestic beer brands to retailers.
They are experts in the local market with decades of experience under their belt. On top of that, each of their sales team is required to undergo Cicerone training, which is the beer equivalent of Sommelier training, meaning that they are certified experts in their products.
They also have a detailed understanding of the regional legal requirements regarding the sale of alcohol and will help retailers navigate this potentially tricky topic.
Classic Beverage of Southern California
Classic Beverage services Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Kern County, Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, and San Luis Obispo County.
They started in the 80s as a partnership between Miller Brands and the Sanchez family who were well known for their successful Hispanic grocery stores, the creation of the Mexican American Grocers’ Association, and their civil rights activism.
From the beginning, they were passionate about supporting their community, providing jobs, and putting their people first as they built a successful company and that shows in their core values and company ethos even today.
They work with big-name brands and smaller craft producers and pride themselves on their teamwork, honesty, and integrity. 
California Family Beer Distributors
California Family Beer Distributors are the newest distributors on this list, having been founded only recently in 2020. They are an independent, family-owned beer distributor which works to promote a fair and equitable system and protect family businesses.
Their main area of focus is on local brewers and manufacturers as they fight against large businesses creating monopolies in the industry.
They aim to protect member companies from forced consolidation, create a fair regulatory environment for producers of all sizes and protect consumers from unfair practices due to a lack of competition.
So far they have 22 member businesses across the state and are growing as they work to provide better access to the market for craft breweries. If you’re looking to stock small-scale local favorites, these are the people for the job.
Looking for reliable beverage distributors in California?
These are some of our top favorite beverage distributors in the state, all of which are reliable, diverse, and able to meet varying retailer needs.
If you’re looking for a modern, tech-driven, sustainably-focused option, look no further than Buffalo Market for your beverage distribution needs. Get in touch today to learn more about our distribution services and how we can support you to meet your consumer’s demands.
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