Family owned since 1928.

Try-It Distributing is an American success story. It begins with a young man’s enterprising idea and his willingness to work long hours to create his own opportunities. The late Stephen L. Vukelic started bottling soft drinks in his native Lackawanna, New York in 1928, at age 27, to meet the demand of thirsty Western New Yorkers during prohibition.

In 1933, he began distributing beer, with Phoenix as the major brand. When Try-It added Budweiser and Michelob to its product list in 1946 and Labatt in 1949, Stephen, fondly known as “The Chief,” had charted the course for the company’s successful future.

By 1996, Try-It had grown to 250 employees and 55 trucks. The headquarters relocated to a state-of-the-art 150,000 sq ft. sales and service center in Lancaster, which was planned and constructed with technical precision to ensure that the products are warehoused in an ideal climate and delivered efficiently.

Always looking for growth opportunities, the Balkan Beverage subsidiary was formed in 2004 to distribute non-alcoholic beverages. Balkan Beverage distributes such name brands as Red Bull Energy drinks and Arizona teas. In 2005, the family acquired another Anheuser-Busch distributorship, Saratoga Eagle Sales & Service in Glens Falls, NY. To learn more, please visit saratogaeagle.com.

In October 2013, Try-It Wine & Spirits was formed to distribute wine and liquor to Erie and Niagara Counties. Since their first delivery of Debauchery Wine, Try-It Wine & Spirits has quickly grown its portfolio to include Copa Di Vino, Uncle Jumbo’s Vodka, Arrowhead Spring Vineyards, Merritt Winery, and Recipe 21, among its many outstanding products.

The company and all its subsidiaries remain family owned and operated to this day.