Greenbush Brewing Co. announced an agreement with Wirtz Beverage Illinois to distribute its beers throughout the state of Illinois. Greenbush, based in Sawyer, Mich., is not new to the Chicago market, though the agreement with Wirtz will be the first opportunity for the brewer to sell and market their brands statewide in Illinois.
“This partnership with Wirtz Beverage represents a really excellent opportunity for Greenbush to build our brand,” said Greenbush co-owner Scott Sullivan. “It allows us to work alongside a partner with a longstanding reputation in the market, building a craft beer program from the ground up. It’s a great opportunity for us to grow together.”
The new agreement will be effective Feb. 1, 2013. In the near term, Greenbush will focus on the Chicagoland on-premise market. Growth plans by the brewery include packaging its Anger, Dunegras, Closure, Distorter, Brother Benjamin and Retribution brands (none of which are under 6 percent ABV). The package rollout will begin this month in Michigan and follow shortly to Illinois. Greenbush also reaches into Northern Indiana
“There is a huge market for craft beer and the investments we’ve made and the success we’ve had thus far really support that,” noted Julian Burzynski, WBI senior vice president. “We have the most knowledgeable people in the market and a statewide reach to build these brands. We know we can help Greenbush with a long-term growth strategy.”
Wirtz Beverage Illinois is an affiliate of Wirtz Beverage Group, one of the nation’s leading alcohol beverage distributors. With nearly $2 billion in annual sales and 3,000 employees, Wirtz Beverage Group has operations in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nevada and Wisconsin.
