Manitoba Increases Sales in All Categories
Revenues up 4-6% in fiscal 2016In its fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries added 607 products to their portfolio. At that date, MLL had 4,610 total active listings with the breakdown as follows:
988 Spirits
2,398 Wines
119 Refreshment Beverages
1,105 Beers
Financial Contribution
Liquor operations generated revenues of $755.4 million in the 2015/16 year, an increase of $33.3 million or 4.6% from the revenues of $722.1 million of the previous year.
In the 2015/16 year, liquor sales (both in dollars and in volume) and gross profit increased across all product categories. The increase in dollar sales outpaced volume sales growth in beer, spirits and wine while refreshment beverages experienced consistent dollar and volume sales growth. Customers continue to display a preference for premium products, most notably in spirits, and the Manitoba beer landscape is changing with the availability and growth of craft-styled single serve beers. MLL continues to strengthen its relationship with local craft brewers by supporting the Manitoba craft brewing industry.
Volume Sales (in millions of litres)
| Year | Beer |
Refreshment |
Spirits | Wine |
| 2016 | 77.5 | 5.1 | 7.1 | 11.5 |
| 2015 | 76.8 | 4.3 | 7.0 | 11.1 |
| 2014 | 77.1 | 3.8 | 6.9 | 10.6 |
| 2013 | 80.9 | 3.4 | 7.1 | 10.4 |
| 2012 | 83.3 | 2.9 | 7.0 | 10.0 |
Distribution Channels
2016 (in thousands of dollars)
| Beer | Refreshment Beverages |
Spirits | Wine | Total | |
| Stores | $69,619 | $19,073 | $178,359 | $124,841 | $391,892 |
| Liquor Vendors | $10,317 | $ 4,611 | $ 36,054 | $ 11,567 | $ 62,549 |
| Licensees | $246,338 | $10,151 | $ 20,541 | $ 4,749 | $281,779 |
| Specialty Wine Stores | $0 | $ 40 | $ 40 | $ 16,582 | $ 16,662 |
| Total Sales | $326,274 | $33,875 | $234,994 | $157,739 | $752,882 |
| Cost of Sales | $186,201 | $16,175 | $ 89,216 | $ 73,641 | $365,233 |
| Gross Profit | $140,073 | $17,700 | $145,778 | $ 84,098 | $387,649 |
Source: Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries 2015/2016 Annual Report
Photo courtesy of Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries