Mission Statement

It is the mission of Great Bay to provide a level of service by which all others will be judged, and to constantly strive to exceed that level. We must always project a positive attitude and will incorporate integrity, pride, commitment and quality in everything we do. Our foremost responsibility is to assure the continuous growth and prosperity of Great Bay and its Employee family.

Our Values

Pride Commitment Service Quality

Our Story

Founded in 1968 by Claude and Nina Focardi, Great Bay is now a 3rd generation independent family owned sales, marketing and distribution business. Great Bay prides itself on carrying only the best beer, wine, liquor and non-alcoholic products that consumers demand.

From its humble beginning in a small warehouse in St. Petersburg carrying only three brands from a single supplier, Great Bay has grown into one of the largest beverage wholesalers in the Tampa Bay region.

The company’s dedication to providing quality beer, wine, spirits and non-alcoholic products with outstanding customer service has allowed Great Bay Distributors to become an industry and community leader. We now represent more than 800 brands from over 70 suppliers and service more than 3,500 licensed accounts.

We have over 350 Great Bay family members working together to service our retail partners with responsibilities that include sales, warehousing, marketing, administrative and more.
Great Bay is Florida’s largest independently family owned distributor of Anheuser-Busch products. And, we are more than just about distribution. Our teams market, promote, sell, spend money at retailers and sponsor many local events.
We currently operate sales offices and warehouses in St. Petersburg and Holiday, Florida to service Pinellas, west Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. A notable highlight of our state-of-the-art St. Pete location includes a 1.8 MW solar array providing nearly 75% of our power needs.

Beverage Alcohol Regulation:
The Story Behind an Effective Approach

Watch this video to learn about the origins of state-based alcohol regulation and the value it brings today. The video discusses the regulatory, commercial and economic value of today’s system, beginning with a historical review of Prohibition and the 21st Amendment, which not only repealed Prohibition but also gave states the ability to regulate alcohol. Understand the benefits the system delivers today to all market participants (brewers and importers; distributors; and retailers) as well as consumers, in addition to providing effective public policy that works to keep communities safe.