'We're finding it challenging': Local brewery concerned about selection options at Liquor Marts
A craft beverage company feels Manitoba's Liquor Marts need to boost the number of local drinks on their shelves. However, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL) said craft labels get significant showing inside Liquor Marts with more than 500 local products on offer.
Farmery Estate has a new drink for sale, 12 packs of hard iced tea that contains Canadian honey.
"We have a warehouse full of this product," said Chris Warwaruk, the co-owner of Farmery.
He said the warehouse is full because less than a quarter of Manitoba Liquor Marts carry the packs.
"It's impacting our ability to recoup our investment into this new beverage form."
He said he has challenges getting other drinks in all government-run stores and believes there are too many brand names on the shelves, favoured over local choices.
"To have 11, 12 iced tea 12 packs from out of province and not have room for one local produced product, I think there is room to improve that."
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries said with very few exceptions, the Crown corporation allows all local products like beer, coolers and spirits to be offered for sale. It is then up to individual stores to decide what hits their shelves.
MBLL said it does prioritize local craft producers with entire sections dedicated to their drinks and more than 500 different options for sale.
"One out of every two beers that we offer is local. There's a significant amount of support there from Enjoy Manitoba, which you will see in-store and online," said Paul Rogers, the manager of programming and experience for MBLL.
However, space can be limited depending on store size, and products will be carried based on popularity.
"Each Liquor Mart will determine their own assortment based on their sales, their size, geographics and demographics."
Parris Filbert from Bookstore Brewing said he's had some beers that were slow sellers at one Liquor Mart, so he moved them to Grant Park.
"If all my beers were at every store, there'd be stores where beers wouldn't move at all," he said.
Still, Warwaruk asked how they can prove something can be a hot seller if it's not on the shelf.
"We're finding it challenging to make sure the consumers have easy access to that product in the stores," said Warwaruk.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7022456.1725276398!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
General strike in Israel over hostages found dead in Gaza reflects political divisions
A rare call for a general strike in Israel to protest the failure to return hostages held in Gaza led to closures and other disruptions around the country on Monday, including at its main international airport. But it was ignored in some areas, reflecting deep political divisions.
Edmunds: The four biggest mistakes people make when buying a new car
Car buyers have more tools than ever to get the right vehicle at the right price. Still, mistakes can happen quite easily.
Save the payphones?: Why one expert says they can't all disappear
These days, it’s gotten increasingly rare to spot a payphone in any community across the country, but one expert says it's important to keep them from disappearing altogether.
Canada's transport minister to meet with Via Rail after passengers stranded 10 hours
Canada's transport minister says he is determined to get to the bottom of a recent train delay that left Via Rail passengers stranded for about 10 hours in Quebec over the long weekend.
Cow cuddling: Why a Newfoundland farm is offering quality time with these 'gentle creatures'
Jim Lester’s farm hopped on the cow-cuddling trend in early August, and his time slots have been pretty well sold out ever since.
I'm 36 — when do I have to give up crop tops?
Having recently turned 36, CNN Style producer Jacqui Palumbo asks readers if she is too old to still be wearing a crop top.
Ed O'Neill found out 'Married… with Children' was cancelled in a very awkward way
Married... with Children may have been a show about love and marriage, but Ed O'Neill got no love from the network when it came to finding out how the show was taken off the air.
opinion In sprint to White House, duelling strategies of addition and subtraction are at play
It's now officially a sprint to the White House as opposing campaigns vie for electoral supremacy, and CTV News political analyst Eric Ham breaks down the duelling strategies of addition and subtraction being used by Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
NASA record holder can relate to astronauts stuck in space. He was, too
NASA's record-holding astronaut is urging his two stuck-in-space colleagues to stay positive and 'keep up the good work.'