2025 Wholesaler of the Year: Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits

With a heritage relationship again to the early 20^th century, the founding entities of what’s immediately Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Dallas and Miami, have seen an evolution throughout the beverage market.

Wayne E. Chaplin, president and CEO at Southern Glazer’s, explains that, though the U.S. beverage alcohol market is perhaps in a interval of transition attributable to financial headwinds and evolving client conduct, the muse that made the corporate what it’s immediately helps the wholesaler evolve throughout this time.

“At Southern Glazer’s, we stay targeted on the basics ― investing in our folks, executing with self-discipline and strengthening the belief we’ve constructed with suppliers and clients over many years,” he says. “Our 50-plus yr historical past has taught us to take a long-term view, keep agile even in unsure circumstances, and proceed to take a position sooner or later.

“What differentiates us isn’t just scale, it’s our skill to remain strategic in how we reply,” Chaplin continues. “We’re leveraging knowledge to anticipate developments, and we’re actively pursuing progress by means of innovation, even in a softening atmosphere. When the market just isn’t rising, we’re targeted on methods that put us in a stronger and advantageous place when the markets return to progress. Whereas others could also be pulling again, we see this as a time to double down on the worth we deliver to our companions.”

With a U.S. footprint that spans 47 markets together with worldwide attain in Canada, the Caribbean, Central America and South America, in addition to the journey retail and cruise sector, Southern Glazer’s is staying on prime of market wants by delivering distinctive service, insights and innovation.

“Our HEART Values ― Honesty, Excellence, Agility, Respect and Teamwork ― drive our groups to suppose like house owners and ship outcomes that set the usual for the {industry}, all whereas avoiding forms and complacency, and staying deeply linked to the wants of our buying and selling companions,” Chaplin says.

These values additionally performed a significant position in Southern Glazer’s being acknowledged by Newsweek in 2025 as one among America’s Best Workplaces for Range and America’s Best Workplaces for Ladies.

Jennifer Chaplin Tolkin, government vp and managing director for Campari and among the many subsequent era of management throughout the family-led firm, elaborates how Southern Glazer’s takes an intentional method to feminine management to assist drive larger illustration throughout the enterprise.

“We’re intentional about constructing a tradition the place each voice is heard and each concept is welcomed,” Chaplin Tolkin says. “We consider that corporations that spend money on girls leaders are extra modern, collaborative and profitable. We view illustration not simply as a purpose, however as a accountability.”

For instance, in 2025, Southern Glazer’s hosted its fourth annual Ladies in Management Panel, themed “Ladies Main with Resilience within the Face of Adversity,” which was its first to be livestreamed to all staff.

“I used to be proud to co-moderate the panel with my father, that includes senior girls leaders from Diageo, Heaven Hill and Darden who spoke on mentorship, bias, authenticity and making a Tradition of Belonging,” Chaplin Tolkin says. “We additionally proceed to spend money on management growth by means of applications like EmpowHER, which I based 5 years in the past. It offers contributors, each ladies and men, the area to replicate, strengthen their government presence, and lead with boldness. Practically 500 contributors have graduated from this system since its inception in 2020.”

For all these causes and extra, Beverage Business has named Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits because the 2025 Wholesaler of the Yr.

Honoring the previous for the longer term

The Southern Glazer’s legacy traces again to the founding of wholesale visionaries within the Dallas and Miami markets. Following the repeal of Prohibition, in 1933, Max, Fritz and Nolan Glazer ― sons of Louis Glazer, who opened Jumbo Bottling Co. in 1909 ― began Glazer’s Wholesale Distributors as a Schlitz Beer distributor serving the Dallas inhabitants. In 1968, Southern Wine & Spirits of America Inc. was established in Miami by founders Walter Jahn, Harvey Chaplin, Jay Weiss and Elliot Dinnerstein. 

These household ties nonetheless run deep at Southern Glazer’s with Chaplin, son of founder Harvey Chaplin, as president and CEO, and Bennett Glazer, grandson of Louis Glazer, serving as government vice chairman.

“Southern Glazer’s was constructed by household, and people values stay on the coronary heart of who we’re,” Chaplin says. “We empower our folks to behave like enterprise house owners and supply them with the most effective instruments and coaching to ship personalised, best-in-class service. As we develop, we stay a people-first, purpose-driven firm.

“That is how we honor the dedication and management of those that got here earlier than us, like my father, Harvey Chaplin, and Bennett Glazer’s father, Nolan Glazer, and grandfather, Louis Glazer, whose entrepreneurial spirit helped lay the muse for our firm’s progress,” he continues. “Being a household enterprise additionally means recognizing the relations whose assist makes all the pieces attainable. I couldn’t have completed all the pieces we’ve constructed with out my spouse of 39 years, Arlene, by my aspect ― an unbelievable companion, mom and daughter whose encouragement has been fixed all through this journey.”

Additionally central to Southern Glazer’s success are the gifted leaders who’ve carried the corporate ahead over time. Amongst them is Mel Dick, a real pioneer whose legendary profession spanning greater than 5 many years has left an indelible mark on Southern Glazer’s and the worldwide wine {industry}, Chaplin shares. The corporate’s long-standing, deeply skilled administration group additionally has been instrumental in offering experience that continues to gasoline the corporate’s progress and enduring success.

Mentorship by the senior management group is taking part in a significant position as the corporate’s subsequent era of leaders — together with Mark Chaplin, David Chaplin, Jennifer Chaplin Tolkin, Sam Glazer, Robert Becker, Monica Chaplin and Ryan Jove ― appears to steer the corporate into its subsequent period of progress.

“Our subsequent era of leaders are carrying ahead the legacy of our founders with goal and fervour,” Chaplin says. “They perceive that our success is rooted in relationships, belief, and values. Collectively, they’re shaping an organization that’s future-ready whereas staying true to the ideas that outline us.”

Chaplin shares that Glazer and he are proud to see their households’ legacies keep on, grounded within the firm’s HEART Values and a shared imaginative and prescient for the longer term.

“Our mission goes past distributing merchandise, it’s about constructing world-class manufacturers for moments that matter,” he says.

Investing sooner or later

To assist retailers, manufacturers and customers wants in immediately’s fast paced client packaged items atmosphere, Southern Glazer’s has invested in not solely increasing its footprint but additionally in a bunch of expertise developments for the fashionable three-tier system.

Essentially the most well-known is the wholesaler’s award-winning Proof platform, which launched in 2019.

“We’re targeted on making it simpler for patrons to do enterprise with Southern Glazer’s by the use of shopping for, reordering and discovering new merchandise that may generate incremental income for our clients,” says David Chaplin, chief progress and technique officer at Southern Glazer’s. “By way of our gross sales groups, it has all the time been about delivering extra worth to our clients and focusing extra on serving to them develop their enterprise slightly than transactional primarily based actions, or in different phrases, eradicating friction from the Southern Glazer’s promoting expertise. Which means constructing experiences that really feel intuitive and are helpful, not simply digital for the sake of it.”

David Chaplin provides that the corporate is evolving the Proof platform to assist an expertise that feels sooner, smarter and extra personalised.

“That features the re-designed Proof app, a better homepage, improved search and cart experiences, and AI-driven suggestions which are tailor-made to driving the client’s enterprise,” he says.

Internally it’s supporting its gross sales groups with simpler instruments to achieve real-time insights into the market, so these members are higher geared up to deal with particular assortment gaps.

“We’re not simply investing in options,” David Chaplin says. “We’re investing in time saved, effort lowered, and simpler, income producing selections made throughout all three tiers of the worth chain. These investments are already paying off with Proof rising 6% since final yr, regardless of the {industry} headwinds.”

David Chaplin explains that the implementation of Proof utterly modified how Southern Glazer’s clients and gross sales group work together.

“What used to take a number of steps, groups, emails or follow-ups can now be achieved shortly, clearly and on their very own time,” he says. “Prospects are constructing orders sooner, and constructing them when it’s handy for them, discovering merchandise extra simply, and discovering new objects they could have missed.”

For Southern Glazer’s gross sales groups, they’ve gained hours again of their week, permitting them to deal with extra methods to assist clients to develop their companies.

“What we’ve realized with Proof is obvious, whenever you design for the stakeholders utilizing it, the worth reveals up in every single place: for patrons, suppliers, and for our personal groups,” David Chaplin says. “Even with headwinds throughout the {industry}, Proof continues to achieve fast market share and we’re on observe to surpass $4 billion in income this yr.”

The corporate additionally has carried out synthetic intelligence (AI) capabilities due to AI-powered forecasting instruments that mix stock, gross sales, developments and promotion plans multi functional chat-based expertise.

“Inside Proof, AI helps personalize the expertise, exhibiting every buyer what’s most related and vital to them,” David Chaplin says. “And we’re simply getting began. Our purpose is to make AI really feel like a pure a part of the way in which we work ― built-in, seamless and targeted on outcomes. When AI is completed proper, it’s invisible, however the worth is simple.”

Nonetheless, David Chaplin emphasizes that broader use of AI throughout the firm just isn’t “about chasing hype.”

“It’s about fixing actual issues and creating actual worth,” he says. “A technique we’re doing that’s by means of multi-agent techniques in customer support, serving to us handle order adjustments throughout high-pressure occasions like shut or cutoff durations. AI has additionally helped our clients and our groups repurpose tens of 1000’s of hours by eliminating monotonous work to allow them to deal with what they do greatest.”

Southern Glazer’s additionally has carried out its digital prowess right into a solution to drive transformation throughout the firm by combining expertise and digital innovation. David Chaplin explains the corporate constructed OneTech to deliver its digital, expertise, knowledge and technique below one roof.

“This ensures that transformation is constant throughout our whole enterprise, not simply in a single focus space,” he says. “We’re not asking what we are able to construct, we’re asking what issues we are able to clear up, and how briskly we are able to study and iterate so as to greatest ship worth to all of our buying and selling companions.”

Mark Chaplin, president of business gross sales at Southern Glazer’s, explains how this technique is permitting the corporate to assist consumer-led innovation and class progress for its companions.

“At Southern Glazer’s, one of many key processes that drives best-in-class, consumer-led innovation is our proprietary Planning and Business Execution (PACE) cycle,” he says. “By this course of, and in collaboration with our buyer and provider companions, we combine our industry-leading insights capabilities and wealthy knowledge assets to develop annual plans to assist our suppliers deliver new-to-world methods to life that actually resonate with our shared goal customers.”

Mark Chaplin highlights Southern Glazer’s continued funding in industrial capabilities, route-to-market and knowledge as property that permit the wholesaler to focus on plans that generate measurable client takeaway in its working markets.

“In assist of this technique, we’ve invested considerably in knowledge packages and in our OneTech and Business Intelligence organizations to make sure we leverage all third-party and inside knowledge sources to raised perceive the place customers are going, how they make buying selections, and which classes are primed for future progress,” he says.

This funding has aided Southern Glazer’s as the corporate has seen the comfort channel have a larger influence on enterprise operations.

“As an organization, we have now invested considerably on this channel the previous few years,” Mark Chaplin says. “We’ve got added over 200 new assets targeted on this channel and the expansion potential it gives, which is at present rising at a double-digit charge for us.

“We’ve got additionally added devoted assets in each our Nationwide Accounts and Regional Accounts universes to make sure we’re driving the proper assortment for wine, spirits and RTDs that the patron is searching for out,” he continues. “With Southern Glazer’s having the proper portfolio of manufacturers throughout the whole beverage alcohol area, we proceed to play a extra vital position in advising this channel on what the proper buyer growth technique is.”

Mark Chaplin provides that Southern Glazer’s has grown its captaincy and validator positions with many of those clients as a result of insights from its knowledge. It additionally has invested in methods to extend supply and merchandising frequency with many of those clients.

These investments have remained very important to assist nationwide on- and off-premise clients, given the corporate huge attain.

“Our focus with nationwide on- and off-premise clients is de facto about offering indispensable assist that listens to what their wants are and helps them speed up progress within the TBA class,” Mark Chaplin says. “We’ve invested closely in our knowledge and insights capabilities. This has enabled us to extend our captaincy and validator positions throughout plenty of the highest Nationwide Accounts clients as we are able to present a balanced and data-driven view of the class.  

“We proceed to listen to from our Nationwide Accounts On-Premise companions who see the advantages of our nationwide footprint by having a one-stop store from programming to execution,” he continues. “These investments on the class degree permit us to deal with persevering with to drive enhanced execution on menus and retail flooring to make sure our investments come to life for our clients to get pleasure from.”

Expanded focus

Southern Glazer’s want for such detailed technological assist comes because the wholesaler has expanded its footprint lately.

In 2023, the corporate acquired Miami-based WEBB Banks, which has since rebranded as Southern Glazer’s Journey Retail Gross sales & Export Division, increasing its providers to the Caribbean, Central and South America markets.

Chaplin explains that when the Southern Glazer’s expanded its attain, it wasn’t simply in regards to the geographic footprint, however “investing in folks, relationships and a confirmed enterprise mannequin rooted in regional experience.”

“A very powerful lesson has been the facility of trusting native management,” Chaplin says. “The WEBB Banks group introduced deep relationships, cultural fluency and unmatched data of their territories. Relatively than change that, we supported it, enhancing their capabilities with our infrastructure and digital instruments.”

One other vital lesson the corporate realized was that scale should match agility.

“Whether or not it’s adapting to tourism fluctuations or regional compliance nuances, we’ve constructed a extra versatile, resilient operation,” Chaplin says. “To higher help our companions, we’ve launched a Overseas Commerce Zone in Miami, slashing provide chain lead occasions and bettering product freshness for our companions.”

The final lesson realized was find out how to combine with out dropping identification.

“The result’s a unified group with extra capabilities, extra provider attain, deeper customer support and a shared imaginative and prescient,” Chaplin explains. “We’re happy with what we’ve constructed, and we’re much more excited for what’s forward, particularly in fast-growing areas like cruise line gross sales and premium spirits.”

But, this was not the final acquisition for Southern Glazer’s. In 2024, it finalized the acquisition of Horizon Beverage Group within the New England space, including its forty sixth and forty seventh markets with Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

“We’re all the time on the lookout for methods to strengthen our footprint and higher serve our suppliers and clients,” Chaplin says. “The acquisition of Horizon Beverage Group allowed us so as to add two strategic markets, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, whereas bringing onboard a gifted group with deep native experience.

“This growth enhances our skill to supply nationwide protection and constant service throughout all 47 U.S. markets,” he continues. “It additionally aligns with our technique of considerate, long-term progress. This transfer was a pure match, culturally, operationally, and strategically, and we’re proud to now function in New England below the Southern Glazer’s Beverage Firm banner to distribute world-class wine, spirits, non-alcoholic and malt drinks.”

And simply final month, Southern Glazer’s introduced it reached an settlement to accumulate Anheuser-Busch’s owned New York Metropolis distribution operation. This transaction will launch Southern Glazer’s Beverage Firm of New York, protecting Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx.

“We couldn’t be extra excited to broaden our enterprise with Anheuser-Busch, the main brewer and malt beverage provider within the {industry} and an rising chief in spirits and power drinks, by buying their owned New York Metropolis distribution operation,” Chaplin stated in an announcement on the time of the announcement. “We stay up for welcoming all present staff at this location to the Southern Glazer’s group and dealing collectively to develop these iconic manufacturers.”

In an announcement, Mark Chaplin added: “Our deep experience, capabilities, and data of the New York Metropolis market will allow us to construct on the robust momentum that the Anheuser-Busch distribution group has created and additional place our corporations for collective progress. By our new devoted New York beverage division led by Devyn Dugger, we stay up for distributing these {industry} main manufacturers and providing best-in-class service on this vital market.”

The transaction is predicted to shut later this yr and contains Anheuser-Busch’s full product portfolio bought within the New York Metropolis space.

Deeper imaginative and prescient

But, Southern Glazer’s management within the wholesale group just isn’t restricted to its investments in expertise and expansive footprint.

“We’ve set a daring 2030 Environmental Sustainability Imaginative and prescient to harness the eagerness of our folks, buying and selling companions and communities to take measurable environmental motion and contribute to a sustainable, hospitable planet for future generations,” Chaplin Tolkin says. “To appreciate this imaginative and prescient, we’re targeted on executing technique to deal with our materials environmental influence throughout 4 strategic pillars: fleet, amenities, water and waste.”

Chaplin Tolkin explains that over the previous 18 months, Southern Glazer’s “established a sturdy company sustainability basis with robust government governance, creation of a devoted group, growth and integrations of KPIs, in addition to progress on knowledge and monitoring.”

“Our executional efforts have particular emphasis on bettering our local weather and power efficiency throughout fleet and facility operations, in addition to collaborating with buying and selling companions to amplify and elevate sustainability,” she says.

Southern Glazer’s is also investing in its folks not simply to profit the corporate, however the general beverage alcohol group.

“[S]everal of Southern Glazer’s girls leaders have participated within the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) Ladies in Management Govt Training Program, developed with Columbia Enterprise College,” Chaplin Tolkin says. “With almost 180 graduates since launch, it’s serving to to arrange the following era of {industry} leaders. Our focus stays on creating lasting alternatives for ladies to develop, lead, and make a significant influence ― at Southern Glazer’s and throughout the beverage alcohol {industry}.”

Mark Chaplin additionally touts the tutorial prowess and variety of Southern Glazer’s group members.

“Our staff have accomplished almost 17,000 wine, sake and spirits education schemes, from introductory to master-level achievements,” he says. “Leveraging this experience ― and the insights of our Cultural Collective Steering Committee, established in 2020 to amplify multicultural enterprise growth and drive industrial success ― our group stays forward of client developments, figuring out the classes, suppliers, and types with the best progress potential. This agility positions us to shortly seize regional improvements and convey them to market earlier than they hit the mainstream.”

Constructing off the investments that Southern Glazer’s has made throughout it community and platforms, the relations categorical pleasure for what’s to come back.

“What excites us most in regards to the yr forward is how we’re persevering with to remodel our enterprise to ship even larger worth for our suppliers and clients,” the relations say. “By Imaginative and prescient 2030, we’re making strategic investments to strengthen each a part of our enterprise ― from advancing our digital and expertise capabilities to empowering our folks with the instruments, assets and knowledge they should succeed. We’re getting into a chapter the place execution meets innovation, making certain that expertise, AI and market insights grow to be strategic enablers of transformational progress for each Southern Glazer’s and our buying and selling companions.

“For the reason that 2016 mixture of Southern Wine & Spirits and Glazer’s, we’ve come a great distance in uniting our strengths, increasing our capabilities, and setting the tempo for the {industry} ― and we’re simply getting began,” they proceed. “We’re constructing on our legacy whereas bringing contemporary views that hold us future-focused and customer-first. On the core of all of it is our tradition, grounded in our HEART Values and our dedication to being a family-led enterprise. That basis continues to information how we lead, collaborate, and present up for the communities we serve, with our best energy — our folks — driving all the pieces we do.”