Beyond the Glass:
The Peerless Story
The Peerless Story
Want to know how Peerless got here and how we operate?
Then we invite you to read our story. You’ll get a bit of history, a bit of philosophy, and an understanding of why we still stick to the very same principles we were founded on.
We Go Way Back
In the very early 1930s, we didn’t sell beer. No one did; it was during Prohibition. But two ambitious young entrepreneurs saw an opportunity. Charles Salzman was selling near beer and seltzer, while Jake Beim was bottling Crescent Soda.
When Prohibition ended, Salzman founded Peerless Beverage, and Beim started Schwarz-Crescent, building on their earlier ventures. Eventually, their sons, Rich Salzman and Norm Beim, recognized the potential of merging the companies, forming Peerless Beverage Company.
And that’s how it began.
Cases of beer delivered since our founding in 1933
Our Family Culture
At Peerless, we’re more than just a big beer distributor. We’re a family—a bond beyond the Salzman and Beim generations. It includes every employee, brewery, distillery, winery, and customer.
Our culture is about thoughtfulness, authenticity, and respect—for our employees and their families, clients and customers, and our Northern Jersey community, whether they enjoy beer, wine, or spirits.
We believe in giving back and making a difference. We have green initiatives that help the environment, policies that support our team’s careers and families, and community projects like food drives and charitable donations that strengthen our neighborhoods.
Our dedication runs deep—it’s the heart of who we are.
Executive Team
Richard Salzman
Scott Beim
Chuck Salzman
Jake Beim
Jesse Beim
David Carmichael
Nancy Cronrath
Marc Kramer
Ed Lee
Brian Lucas
Jesse Robbins
Thirsty for Success? Our
Beer-Loving Team Knows
Every Brew in the Book.
Our diverse community of over 275 employees drives our success. With representatives from 23+ cultures, we connect with customers across our entire territory, fostering a sense of belonging. Moreover, all our sales and management team members are Cicerone® Certified Beer Servers. We’ve studied, passed tests, and are familiar with every type of beer there is.