Our features section takes an in-depth look at some our industry’s most important issues. You’ll find information on operations, marketing, merchandising, selling, staffing or many other issues.
Main photo courtesy of Tool Shed BrewingThanks to lobbying efforts by the Alberta Small Brewers Association, local breweries and distilleries now have the option of selling their products in farmers' markets, something that wine…
Wildfire. Drought. Searing heat. Sudden cold. Relentless rain. Fierce hail and winds. Swarms of insects destroying crops. Sounds like something out of a bible story, right? Unfortunately, it's reality for the world's wine growing community.…
In the pub of the future, a robot will take your drink order, a machine will prepare your burger, and you will pay with an app on your phone, never connecting with another human throughout the entire transaction. Or maybe not. Maybe you’ll just be hanging out in Instagrammable concept bars and making your own cocktails in a test tube.
The legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada marks the end of cannabis-prohibition, and a new landscape for commercial hosts. Patrons have ready access to alcohol and cannabis. Commercial hosts therefore find themselves with potentially more “high” and “drunk” patrons.
Matthew Boswell, Interim Commissioner of Competition at the Competition Bureau wrote an open letter to Attorney General David Eby encouraging him to review wholesale pricing in the assessment of BC’s liquor policy.
Most liquor retailers are committed to running their businesses in the most efficient way possible to ensure the best outcomes for both the customer and the business. One area that gets reviewed on a continual basis is in-store equipment and products.
If you think occupational health and safety legislation only applies to those employers in construction, oil and gas, or other high-risk industrial sectors, you need to think again. Occupational health and safety legislation applies to all employers in all industries including retail. Employers in the retail sector need to be aware of what their roles and responsibilities are when it comes to addressing worker safety.
New Year’s resolutions are underway, and although the diet fads always begin with a bang, we all know the inadequate endurance of a quick fix, or worse yet, the hazards associated with cutting out too much, too fast. The rules of business (liquor store or not) are no different. Trimming the bottom line on business expenses is like implementing a new health regime, and there is no quick-fix to magically improve your standing, at least if you are looking to play
Benchmarks provide an important input to business planning and a baseline for you to compare your liquor store against the industry as a whole. In summer 2018, ABLE BC collected data from their membership to start creating an economic snapshot of BC’s private liquor industry. They surveyed private liquor store members and non-members to help develop KPIs or benchmarks for your business, based on store size, customer demographics, and region. Surveys were sent electronically and by mail to private liquor stores across the province.
Leveraging new technology within your pub or liquor store allows your business to stay competitive in an evolving industry that is seeing rapid change. A straightforward approach is to look at HOW your business currently…
Amongst the updates to Alberta's liquor laws, ferment-on-premises is now allowed, so Albertans are able to make their own beer or wine at licensed facilities and then take it home. Many retailers are concerned that…
In August, multinational brewing giant Molson Coors announced that it was partnering with one of Quebec's premier cannabis companies, Hexo, a sister brand of medical cannabis company Hydropothecary, to develop cannabis-infused beverages, even though such…
