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Protecting Consumers
The clear chain of custody created by the state-based system of alcohol regulation and distribution protects American consumers from counterfeit and poisonous alcohol that is prevalent in many other countries. You don’t see alarming headlines like these in the U.S.
• 40,000 Russians die annually of poisonous alcohol
• Nearly 60% of liquor found in Chinese cities is fake
• 125 Die in India after drinking illicit liquor
American consumers enjoy unequaled safety thanks to the state-based alcohol distribution system in which beer distributors are a critical link.
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Delivering the Most Variety in the World!
Beer distributors secure beer from a wide variety of manufacturers small and large, domestic and international. They are the vehicle to market for the largest multinational beer brands to the smallest local craft brews. Distributors provide the infrastructure small brewers need to reach a wide network of retailers. Consumers benefit by having the choice between the largest international brands and the smallest local brews, all on the same store shelf, restaurant list and bar tap. Today, more than 13,000 types and styles of beer are available to American consumers at a great value.
Keeping the Perishable Product Safe and Fresh
 Distributor’s infrastructure includes state-of-the-art warehouses and fleets of temperature-controlled trucks and vehicles, combined with the warehousing, delivery, driver and merchandising personnel. They preserve the perishable products in a temperature controlled warehouse. Distributors then deliver customized inventory based on the requirements of each individual retailer. After delivery, the distributor continues to monitor retailer shelves, taps and keg lines to ensure consumers are receiving the freshest product. 
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Creating a Clear Chain of Custody
Beer distributors provide a clear chain of custody in the sale of beer. They source alcohol only from licensed brewers and importers and sell only to licensed retailers. This system helps to ensure that retailers hold the appropriate license, do not sell to those under the legal drinking age, pay state and local taxes and generally comply with local alcohol beverage laws.
Contributing Significantly to the U.S. Economy
 Beer distributors employ approximately 91,000 hard-working Americans who earn good wages and receive employer-provided benefits. Beer distributors pay $5,620,806,678 annually in wages, and $14,957,098,416 is the annual economic impact of the beer distribution industry. For state and congressional district breakdowns of the economic contributions of beer distributors and the beer industry, visit www.beerservesamerica.org.
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A Product Tracking System that Really Works
The difficulty identifying the source of this year's salmonella outbreak and the inability to track the products causing it are troubling to many people. Consumers are struggling to trust the safety of the food they put on the table every day.
There is, however, at least one consumer product in the United States that provides an accountable and traceable model for distribution and tracking: beverage alcohol.
While counterfeit branded and tainted alcohol products routinely injure and even kill people around the globe, there is a reason why we don't read headlines about these tragedies in this country: the American state-based system of alcohol controls (created by the 21st Amendment) is the gold standard of systems that protect people from unsafe products. This year, when a brewery detected possible defects in certain beer bottles, the suspect cases were tracked down and pulled from the shelves within a matter of days. Licensed beer distributors worked to track every case to the licensed retailer and remove them from the marketplace.
As regulators and industry leaders look to improve safeguards, quality control and traceability in food distribution, they can look to the licensed beverage industry for a self-regulatory system that has worked effectively for 75 years.
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