In 2004, John’s daughter Joanie entered the business on a full-time basis to assist in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company. After working in various positions, such as Operations Manager and General Counsel, Joanie became co-owner and Vice President of the company in 2008. That same year, Joanie’s husband, Sean, joined the business as Chief Operating Officer.  

In May 2007, the company acquired the rights to distribute Coors, Pabst, Samuel Adams, Mike’s Hard Lemonade and several other brands throughout Genesee, Lapeer and Shiawassee counties from Oak Distributing. In September 2010, the company acquired the rights to distribute MillerCoors, and Mike's Hard Lemonade brands in Saginaw, Midland and Bay counties from Muehlenbeck Distributing.

The story of John P. O’Sullivan Distributing, Inc. is one of teamwork, perseverance, and a dedication to excellence that spans over 45 years.

Founded in 1976, Sullivan & O’Sullivan Distributing distributed brands such as Stroh’s and Miller through Genesee and Lapeer counties. The initial decades of the company were marked by population growth, brand growth and brand acquisitions. In particular, the introduction of Miller Lite led to rapid growth of the company in those early years. Sales continued to grow so much that by 1980 a new, larger warehouse was built. The company moved from their initial location on Coldwater Road to a new state of the art facility on Market Place near the airport.

In 1995, Michael Sullivan retired, and the company was renamed John P. O’Sullivan Distributing, Inc. with John operating as President of the company, a title which he held for 20 more years. The following decades brought more territory expansions and brand acquisitions, a few of the most notable being the then little-known brand, Corona. The company also added the rights to distribute all of its brands in Shiawassee County.

In October 2010, the company continued its expansion by acquiring the rights to distribute MillerCoors, Mike's Hard Lemonade and assorted craft brands in Gratiot County from Chippewa Beverage and Fabiano Brothers Distributing. Most recently, in 2019 the company acquired the rights to the territory previously serviced by Gerry’s distributing, including Tuscola, Huron, Sanilac and St. Clair counties.

We are well positioned for continued growth in the State of Michigan and continue to seek out opportunities for expansion. Collectively, over 3.5 million cases of our brands are enjoyed by consumers across more than 11 counties throughout the Thumb and mid-Michigan. To this day, under the direction of the O’Sullivan-Butler family, John P. O’Sullivan Distributing continues to win awards and lead the industry with a commitment to Excellence for our brands and our customers.