Horizon Beverage's
Wholesale Distribution History

Following the 18th Amendment that prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol and the Volstead Act that enforced it, America faced more than a decade of difficulty. Alcohol hit the black market, looking completely different than anyone could have imagined: Prices soared from 15 cents to a dollar, quality deteriorated and organized crime flourished.

Ever the entrepreneur, Morris Sims partnered with various Canadian suppliers of alcohol and began a bootlegging business in Southern Massachusetts.

Morris Sims imported Canadian Whiskey via the Detroit River’s fabled liquor pipeline to New Bedford Harbor and Nantasket Beach in Hull, Massachusetts. Morris Sims then sold the whiskey to underground clubs in Southeastern Massachusetts.

Mere days before the repeal of prohibition, government agents raided a shipment in the harbor in New Bedford. This was the first and only time a Sims’s boat was seized by the government. The account of this story has been passed down from generation to generation in the Epstein and Rubenstein families.

Founder Morris Sims hired six salesmen, including son-in-law Arthur Epstein. This newly-minted beverage alcohol wholesale distribution company worked out of a garage in downtown Brockton. The team distributed Budweiser, Pabst Ale, Canadian Club Whiskey, Bacardi Rum, and Remy Martin Brandy among others throughout Southeastern Massachusetts & Cape Cod.

Morris Sims established a rich legacy of values at Brockton Wholesale Beverage, stressing the importance of supporting the local community and the passion to conduct business with honor and integrity. These values are the foundation of our company.

During World War II, distilleries stopped producing alcohol for general consumption and started producing alcohol for the war (medicinal purposes). At Brockton Wholesale Beverage and elsewhere this resulted in a greater focus on acquisitions as distributors found it difficult to count on a regular supply.

Morris Sims’ son-in-law Harold Rubenstein joined the company after serving in the Navy during World War II and graduating Harvard Business School. The leaders were now in place to take the wholesale distribution company into the future. Morris, Arthur & Harold would meet daily for lunch at Brockton’s YMHA to discuss growth plans and local civic matters.

Brockton Wholesale Beverage expanded its footing in Massachusetts, opening a Worcester operation to better server Central Mass retailers and restaurateurs.

During this time, no statewide distributors existed, allowing for a fractured industry. On the South Shore alone there were over 30 competing distributors. The marketplace couldn’t support this saturation, and distributors started going out of business. Arthur Epstein and Harold Rubenstein recognized that delivery service and sales relationships were of utmost importance, so they moved their operation to a bigger warehouse in Brockton and expanded the sales team anticipating their customers’ needs.

Recognizing the importance of having a presence in the Boston market, Brockton Wholesale Beverage assembled a full-fledged sales force in downtown Boston and expanded territories north of Boston.

The Company expanded again and began servicing Western Massachusetts, achieving full state coverage.

Brockton Wholesale Beverage constructed & moved to a modern new facility in Avon, MA.

The Company purchased Boston Beverage, a Seagram wholesaler in downtown Boston. A number of other acquisitions followed, and the company continued to expand within Massachusetts.

A freestanding warehouse was built in Ludlow.

With the goal of developing a regional footprint, the Company established a brokerage operation named Ultra Beverage Company in the liquor control states of New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.

Horizon’s fourth generation of family leadership officially joined the company in 2004 providing ownership continuity and positioning the company for its next growth surge.  Horizon Beverage Group was delivering top-quality customer service and an expansive portfolio of products in five New England states, but the marketplace was changing.

National accounts were entering the region.  Independent wineries, craft brewers and local distillers were rapidly expanding. Horizon created several new divisions and constructed a state-of-the-art facility to adapt to this changing marketplace.

Recognizing the success of channel dedicated resources, the Company began aggressively expanding the Stealth Division in Massachusetts.  In five years, the division tripled in size and now covers almost half of the state’s restaurant and bar business.

The Company acquired Wayne Beer Company in Rhode Island, fulfilling the Company’s strategic goal of having a dedicated beer division.

Horizon purchased the outstanding shares of Copley Fradin Distributors (purchased in 1998) and began providing a fully-owned regional solution for its supplier partners in Rhode Island.

Origin Beverage was created to provide dedicated sales and marketing support for some of the finest craft beers, spirits and mixers as they entered the New England marketplace.

Horizon completed construction of a state-of–the-art facility in Norton, MA, with over 600,000 square feet of warehouse space and 70,000 square feet of office space. This became the corporate headquarters.

Trellis Fine Wines was created to provide dedicated sales and marketing support to independent wineries from around the world. 

Signature Brands Division was created, transforming the 28-year-old Wine Marketing sales support division into a fully-commissioned selling unit providing enhanced focus to top-tier wine and spirits programs.