Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers Revenue Benchmarks
The average beer and ale merchant wholesalers business in the United States generates $39.3M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 1,420 beer and ale merchant wholesalers businesses in the U.S., employing 112,257 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $68K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers Business Actually Do?
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers: Businesses that buy goods in bulk from manufacturers and resell them to retailers or other businesses.
Who buys: Retailers, manufacturers, institutional buyers.
Sector-level description — a more specific write-up is available for high-traffic industries.
Average Revenue
$39.3M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$497K
per year
Total Businesses
1,420
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$1.6M
small business avg
Labor Cost
12.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$68K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.4
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers Charge?
Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers: Wholesalers earn a spread of 5–20% between what they pay manufacturers and what they charge retailers. The specifics vary within the beer and ale merchant wholesalers category — the ranges below are typical for the sector.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Commodity wholesale (food, chemicals) | 3–8% gross margin |
Specialty wholesale (electronics, medical) | 12–25% gross margin |
Distribution fee (3PL) | 3–7% of goods handled |
Sector-typical ranges — individual services within this industry may fall higher or lower.
Complete beer and ale merchant wholesalers business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a beer and ale merchant wholesalers business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the beer and ale merchant wholesalers industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $66 | $25.7M | Cost of inventory bought from manufacturers for resale to retailers or businesses. |
Wages & benefits | $12 | $4.7M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $3.3M | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $1.3M | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $7 | $2.6M | Warehouse operating costs, freight, insurance, POS/ERP systems. |
Net profit | $4 | $1.6M | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
8%
openings/year
Closure Rate
6.35%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+3.02%
annual
Businesses Closed
240
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
1 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a beer and ale merchant wholesalers business do?
- Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers: Businesses that buy goods in bulk from manufacturers and resell them to retailers or other businesses. Retailers, manufacturers, institutional buyers.
- How much do beer and ale merchant wholesalers charge?
- Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers: Wholesalers earn a spread of 5–20% between what they pay manufacturers and what they charge retailers. The specifics vary within the beer and ale merchant wholesalers category — the ranges below are typical for the sector. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average beer and ale merchant wholesalers make per year?
- The average beer and ale merchant wholesalers business generates $39.3M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $1.6M per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many beer and ale merchant wholesalers businesses are there in the US?
- There are 1,420 beer and ale merchant wholesalers businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 112,257 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a beer and ale merchant wholesalers business?
- Startup costs for a beer and ale merchant wholesalers business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the beer and ale merchant wholesalers industry?
- The average employee in the beer and ale merchant wholesalers industry earns $68K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The beer and ale merchant wholesalers industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 3.0% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (8.0% entry vs 6.4% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 72% of beer and ale merchant wholesalers businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 240 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the beer and ale merchant wholesalers industry earns $67,505/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 3,037 establishments employing 116,462 people, the typical business has about 38 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The beer and ale merchant wholesalers industry has grown 5% since 2000 (from 3,143 to 3,313 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers revenue with other industries: