Originally Posted by
fuah
You also forgot to mention that the LCBO and Beer Store are useless when it comes to stocking and selection. Speaking in terms of craft beer.
Don't get me started.
The LCBO isprohibition. As the second biggest buyer of wine and spirits in the world (after Wal-Mart) they simply don't give a flying fart about the little guys, or selling for a reasonable price. I read the in the paper today about the LCBO's sales in spirits going up this year. In VODKA ALONE they sold over $430 million in 12 months. That's a lot of vodka. It breaks down like this (my wife graduated a wine-making program, and I absorbed this)
A small brewery or winery can't really argue with the ONLY retailer in the province. So if a winery approaches the LCBO for a stocking, the LCBO will TELL THE WINERY how much the bottle will cost. There is some negotiation, but how can you haggle with the only gig in town? Oh, and you can't sell your wine for a different price on your winery premises either. Then, if your product doesn't sell, the LCBO marks it down on "sale". The winery pays the difference in price on EACH bottle.
Criminal