Grey Eagle Distributors, a St Louis County-based wholesaler of Anheuser-Busch, has purchased another Anheuser-Busch wholesaler in Belleville – Illinois Distributing Company – from Joynt family that owns and operates the company since 1948.

The purchase includes Illinois Distributing’s assets and sales markets such as St Clair County, Monroe County, Collinsville and Granite City, where Grey Eagle will commence selling beer to retailers.

With the acquisition, Grey Eagle will serve more than 3,000 retail outlets and expand its distribution footprint from Monroe County, Illinois to Gasconade County, Missouri.

Illinois Distributing previously sold around 2.6 million cases of beer annually.

With the acquisition, the company will now sell nearly 10 million cases of beer annually making it one of the larger Anheuser-Busch distributors in the country.

Grey Eagle Distributors president and CEO David Stokes said the company was happy to acquire Illinois Distributing since they were great ambassadors for Anheuser-Busch brands.

"We look forward to carrying on the great business they’ve established and continuing their commitment to the local community," he added.

Illinois Distributing joins Missouri Eagle, which was purchased by Grey Eagle in January 2011 and Stella Artois and Beck’s, whose distribution rights were acquired by Grey Eagle in February 2011.