Capstone Partners advised Horizon Beverage Company—a premier New England alcohol distributor—on its acquisition by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Founded in 1933 and headquartered in Norton, MA, Horizon Beverage is a leading beer, wine, and spirits distributor with operations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Across four generations of leadership, the company has become a leader in the New England market and one of the largest beverage distributors in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In addition to an extensive distribution network, Horizon also offers key services such as sales and marketing consultation, allowing them to offer comprehensive solutions to their client base. To learn more, visit Horizon Beverage Company here.
With this transaction, Horizon joins Southern Glazer Wine & Spirits, the leading alcohol wholesaler in the U.S. The multi-generational, family-owned company has operations in 45 U.S. states and Canada and maintains brokerage operations in the Caribbean and Central/South America. In 2024, Southern Glazer’s was recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity and America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women. Going forward, Horizon’s operations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will operate under the name Southern Glazer’s Beverage Company. For more information, visit Southern Glazer here.
Capstone was an integral part of our disposition of a multi-generational family business. Their combination of robust financial analytics and effective negotiating strategy enabled us to realize far more value in our transaction than we thought possible. They worked tirelessly to maximize shareholder return and brought creative solutions to the table to keep the deal moving forward. John, Jesse, and the entire Capstone team managed the process with high levels of professionalism, responsiveness, and commitment. We would not have enjoyed the same level of success without their work on our behalf.
Jesse Betzner, Senior Director at Capstone, commented, “We are thrilled to have represented Horizon Beverage on this important transaction. Over the company’s 90+ year history, the Epsteins and Rubensteins worked tirelessly to develop a stellar reputation as a leader in the local market with deep community-based ties across New England. Southern Glazer’s is acquiring a first-class organization and a top-tier beverage alcohol distributor.”
The expert investment banking professionals on Capstone Partners’ Consumer Team work with leading middle market companies operating in the Beverage market to advise with their strategic decision-making in order to maximize financial outcomes at every stage of the business lifecycle. Our firm has developed a full suite of corporate finance solutions, including M&A advisory, debt advisory, financial advisory, and equity capital financing to help privately owned businesses and private equity firms address any need, ranging from growth and financial or operational advisement to an ultimate exit transaction. To learn more about this transaction, or about the benefits of starting a relationship with our Consumer Investment Banking Team, contact us here.