Burke Distributing Corporation

Burke Distributing has been in business since 1935, when a small-time grocer in Clinton, MA, went from the grocery business into the post-Prohibition era of alcohol wholesale. The company has been in the Burke family for 87 years and is now run by the third-generation Burkes.

Burke Distributing first began as a beer distributor, and much later, they expanded their services to include spirits and wine. They have remained a first-choice distributor of beer and spirits in the broader Boston, Massachusetts, area.

Today, Burke Distributing has established a good network with over 300 employees and has emphasized keeping the company tradition of providing excellent service and having client satisfaction at the highest level.

The History of Burke Beverage Distributing

Walter J. Burke was a small-town grocer in Clinton, MA, and he had a dream of expanding his operation beyond the grocery market. He got his chance when Flanagan-Nay, a New York-based beer brand, moved into the area, and Walter jumped at the chance to become the local distributor. He focused on customer service, and while he faced challenges at first, he soon established a good customer base, and Burke Distributing was in business.

By the 1950s, Burke Distributing rose to prominence and was able to purchase the rights to distribute Miller Brewing products and other beer brands. Americans loved Miller High Life, and Burke Distributing was on top of the market with its excellent service. In the 1970s, Walter J Burke stepped down, letting his sons take over the family business. They sold their 10-million case of Miller Lite near the time they celebrated their 40th anniversary.

However, the company faced issues, and the market demands turned to imported brands. The company underwent restructuring and labor issues and was slowly returning to its spot as a prime distributor by the turn of the new millennia.

Instead of facing family setbacks, William G Burke, a third-generation Burke, took over the company’s running, becoming CEO in 1994, and Austin and Tim Burke took over managing the separate divisions of the company for a genuinely cohesive family-run operation.

As the market trends changed, Burke Distributing went with the changes. They acquired exclusive distribution rights for the Coors Brewing Company products, Guinness, and other brands for the Boston area. They also got the rights to Mike’s Lemonade and Red Bull and later got into spirits and wine, applying the same model of impeccable and dependable customer service.

Today, Burke Distributing has an extensive list of products like craft, domestic, and spirit brands, imports, and wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages. They’ve kept their place as one of the prime beer and spirits distributors in the Boston area and beyond.

The Burke Distributing employees are the key to the company’s success, as many of them have been around for over 30 years. The company employs over 300 people, and they consider all their employees as family, as they are primarily a family business. All the full-time Burke Distributing employees get a complete benefits package, and the Warehouse/Driving Division employees are union members of Local 653, receiving union benefits.

The company is involved in charitable functions and is a firm believer in the spirit of giving. They give back to the community with financial support, product donations, and gift items, but they focus their efforts on the local Eastern Massachusetts community. They have a comprehensive recycling program and a solar-powered snow scraper, and they’ve turned to a paperless payroll system.

Burke Distributing has received many awards for their work and charitable side, and they are involved in the Make A Wish foundation, the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, etc. The company continues to work in delivering excellent service to its clients in line with its core values established over 85 years ago by Walter Burke.

Contact Info

Corporate address:

Burke Distributing Corporation

89 Teed Drive

Randolph, MA 02368

United States

Phone:
(781)-986-6300

E-mail:
sales@burkedist.com

Official company website:
https://burkedist.com/