Employee retention has become a hot topic over the last year as more and more Americans leave their jobs for new opportunities and better work environments. Following 2020, the seemingly never-ending year, many employees fell victim to burnout as workloads increased or work-from-home orders caused blurred lines between work and personal time. This April, nearly a million people quit their jobs and started looking for better jobs. This trend of workers stopping to rethink their career path has led to a record high of job openings in the U.S. of 8.1 million.

While this is accurate for many in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, some beverage alcohol companies have maintained high employee retention by supporting and respecting their employees. Read on to discover four beverage alcohol companies that proudly boast significantly high employee retention rates.

1. Breakthru Beverage

With more than 7,000 employees, this Illinois-based company has an average retention rate of 5.3 years. One of the leading North American distributors of the top luxury and premium wine, spirits, and beer brands, Breakthru Beverage was born from the combination of two family businesses: Wirtz Beverage and the Charmer Sunbelt Group. It has since grown into a multi-million-dollar company.

The culture of Breakthru Beverage is built on respect. In an interview with employees, they asked team members to explain company values and the things they value most. From these responses, Breakthru developed its four tenets. They are inclusive, courageous, passionate, and true. They said: “At Breakthru, we put a premium on building a strong team culture with the goal of having our associates feel supported, engaged, empowered, and valued.” Given the current state of the job market, Breakthru Beverage has given its employees a reason to stay.

2. Southern Glazer‘s Wine & Spirits

As a proudly family-owned business that started in the back of a horse-drawn wagon in 1909, Southern Glazer’s has grown to employ more than 10,000 employees operating in 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. Headquartered in Miami, Fla., the company has an average retention rate of 5.1 years. The company’s current CEO, Wayne Chaplin, has been with the company since 1984, rising through the ranks to the very top.

Southern Glazer’s prides itself on its community response, donating money to support causes such as disaster relief, the bartender’s guild, and racial equality. In the same vein of their care for others, they care for their own by providing wellness programs and empowering their team to be the best they can be. The company says: “Building on our multigenerational heritage, team members think and act like owners while treating each other with respect, camaraderie, and transparency.”

3. Republic National Distributing Company

RNDC is a massive company and one of the nation’s leading wholesale beverage alcohol distributors that specializes in wine and spirits. Built on the strength of three family-owned companies rolled into one, the company is united by the shared values of putting people and relationships first. RNDC thrives today, with roots back in 1898. With over 12,000 associates that stay an average of 9 years with the company, it is clear that RNDC is doing something right. In their list of core values, family comes first. They focus on fostering inclusion and a sense of belonging because their employees make the company work.

It is also worth noting that they donated over $78 million to communities and charities throughout the U.S. in 2020, which speaks to their commitment to their values. Service is second on the list after family.

4. MHW

MHW is a beverage alcohol importer, distributor, and service provider, leading the industry with licenses that date back to 1934. With over 130 employees in New York, California, Florida, and the U.K., they have helped more than 85,000 products get to market in the U.S. When it comes to retention, their directors and executives have an average tenure of 15 years.

MHW is truly a global company, working with suppliers from more than 80 countries, providing operations, logistics, compliance, reporting, sales distribution, marketing, new brand development, and financial services for their clients. This company pioneered the beverage alcohol service model in 1995, and they are actively hiring today.

This post was last updated on January 31, 2022