Wirtz acquires Union Beverage

CHICAGO, March 29 (UPI) -- When Wirtz Beverage Group acquires Union Beverage Co. in July, it will create the largest wine and liquor distribution company in Illinois, the company said.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported Saturday that Glazer's Distributors of Illinois Inc. will cease running its Union Beverage Co. on June 30.

Once the two companies merge, the new company, Judge and Dolph LLC, will be headed by Wirtz Chairman and CEO W. Rockwell "Rocky" Wirtz.

"You have greater penetration at the retail level. And deliveries will be more efficient," Wirtz said.

The company will replace Southern Wine & Spirits of America Inc. as the largest distributor in Illinois.

Wirtz is currently the second-largest wholesaler in Illinois, distributing Brown-Forman Wine brands, including Korbel; Diageo's Jose Cuervo, Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan, and Barton Brands' Effen vodka.

Union is the state's third-largest wholesaler. It distributes Kendall Jackson, E&J Gallo, and Brown-Forman Spirits' Jack Daniels and Southern Comfort, the newspaper said.