Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/867389
September 2017 WINES&VINES 35 DISTRIBUTOR MARKET 2017 Martignetti Cos. Headquarters: Taunton, Mass. States served: 22 Offices: 3 U.S. wineries represented: 235 Chairman: Carmine Martignetti The Martignetti Cos. are the leading wine and spirits distributor based in New England and No. 8 among the Top 10 U.S. Wine Distributors. The third-generation family company has 1,200 employees and serves 22 states through various divisions and regional distributing companies. Carmine Martignetti is chairman of Martignetti Cos. and serves on the Wine and Spirits Whole- salers of America executive committee. Based in Taunton, Mass., the company oper- ates in Massachusetts as United Liquors, Caro- lina Wine & Spirits, Classic Wine and Commonwealth Wine & Spirits, and in other New England states as Martignetti Cos. The firm runs Rhode Island Distributing Co. through a joint venture. Vision Wine & Spirits, a subsidiary of Martignetti, sells craft spirits nationwide. After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the Martignetti family received the first retail license for beverage alcohol in Massachusetts. Through the years, they grew their retail business, and in the 1970s they expanded the distribution and wholesale business, focusing on fine wines. Martignetti grew its distribution businesses in New England through organic growth, supplier appointments and acquisitions. The portfolio now encompasses a broad selection of fine wines and spirits from unique artisanal produc- ers to global leading suppliers. In 2016 the company constructed a state- of-the-art, LEED-certified headquarters in Taunton, Mass. Empire Merchants Headquarters: Brooklyn, N.Y. States served: 3 Offices: 6 U.S. wineries represented: 124 President and CEO: John Devin COO: Tony Magliocco Empire Merchants LLC ranks No. 9 in the Top 10 U.S. Wine Distributors, according to Wines Vines Analytics, calling itself the premier wine and spirits distributor in the metropolitan New York area. With roots dating back to the end of Prohibition, the company represents 124 wineries, has state-of-the-art facilities and more than 1,300 employees. Empire Merchants was formed in Febru- a r y 2 0 0 7 t h r o u g h t h e c o m b i n a t i o n o f Charmer Industries and Peerless Importers. The resulting company is a partnership be- tween Bulldog Ventures, a company owned by the Magliocco family, and Charmer Indus- tries, a company owned by the Drucker and Merinoff families. CEO John Devin is a 25-year industry vet- eran, having started his career as a supplier with Brown-Forman before moving to Schief- felin & Somerset in 1994. Devin joined Peer- less Importers in October 2002 and remained through the Peerless and Charmer consolida- tion in 2007. He was appointed CEO of Em- pire Merchants North in April 2015 and CEO of Empire Merchants in September of 2016. Tony Magliocco is Empire Merchants' chief operating officer. He led the effort to consolidate Empire's multiple warehouses with the implementation of a software sys- tem and a process-improvement plan that enables Empire to ship more than 8.5 million cases per year. Winebow Group Headquarters: Glen Allen, Va. States served: 20 Offices: 20 U.S. wineries represented: 81 President and CEO: David Townsend Executive vice president and CFO: Dean Ferrell The Winebow Group reaches nearly half of the U.S. wine-buying market and ranks 10th on the Top 10 U.S. Wine Distributors list compiled by Wines Vines Analytics. It operates in 20 states, including the major markets of Califor- nia, New York, Illinois and Florida, and repre- sents 81 U.S. wineries. Winebow comprises 11 national importer and distribution houses that offer fine wine and craft spirits from around the world. The company represents some of the most estab- lished family-owned properties in prominent growing areas, as well as newer producers. The Vintner Group of Virginia and New York-based Winebow merged in 2014 to form the current company. Coming from The Vint- ner Group, David Townsend is now president and CEO of The Winebow Group. "With our investments in infrastructure and opera- tions—and our long-standing dedication to quality, education and customer service—we are excited to offer top-notch service to the market," he says. Notable among its distribution houses are Martin Scott Wines, which serves New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and the Henry Wine Group in California. In June the com- pany announced expansion of distribution into Rhode Island. 8 9 10 Carmine Martignetti John Devin David Townsend GETTY IMAGES