THE QUARTERLY Pour

Fall 2021 » EMAIL MARKETING » RETAINING STAFF » LEGAL RISKS OF COVID » INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION PM40026059

FEATURES 10 Compensation & Retention Strategies Employers need to work even harder than before to retain their high-performing employees. up front 12 Fox & Hounds This Aldergrove pub boasts many Leveraging long-term employees and patio space larger than its interior space.

Email Marketing 14 Legal Risks and Realities Email is a powerful of COVID-19 What is the risk of being sued for opportunity for gross negligence? Can you require 6 small businesses. staff to be vaccinated? See how to create 22 Brand Consolidation: and execute a great Better Together? campaign. What are the pros and cons of global brand consolidation? DEPARTMENTS 4 ABLE BC Industry Update 5 BC Liquor Industry Trends 9 Beer Notes: Expanding your Tap List 18 LDB Update: The Cooler Category is Growing Rapidly 21 Day in the Life of a Publican: Marilyn Sanders 24 What’s Coming? 25 BC Hospitality Foundation 26 Wine Report: What Makes Wine Orange? 27 Spirit Spotlight: Bourbon: The Spirit of America 28 LCRB Report 29 Names in the News 29 Product Showcase 30 ABLE BC Membership Report EXTRAS 20 Challenges Facing Import Agents » ABLE BC Industry Update

by Jeff Guignard

ED Report and supporting members who want to make By the time you read this, BC’s longest-ever their temporary patios permanent. State of Emergency will have ended. After We are also working hard to advance the months of sacrifice, hard work, pain, and interests of our liquor retailer members, who Quarterly Publication for the inestimable financial hardship, we will have finally have been waiting years to see the moratorium Alliance of Beverage Licensees turned a corner in the fight against COVID-19 and on new LRS licenses extended a further 10 2nd floor 948 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1N9 begun the long road to recovery. years. As you may recall, the Attorney General T 604-688-5560 F 604-688-8560 As one pub owner in downtown Vancouver committed to extending the moratorium at our Toll free 1-800-663-4883 [email protected] www.ablebc.ca @ABLEBC told me, “It feels like we can finally breathe again.” 2020 BC Liquor Conference. Since then, many We all know that BC’s hospitality, accom- of you have joined me in engaging directly 2020-2021 Board of Directors & ABLE BC Staff modation, and tourism industries were hit first with Minister Farnworth to request his help President Al McCreary and hit hardest by this 18-month pandemic. in getting this over the line. We are making Past President Poma Dhaliwal We will also be among the last to fully recover. steady progress, and I hope to be able to offer Vice President Al Deacon Treasurer Trevor Kaatz To give you an idea what we’re up against, here a positive update later in the fall. Directors Brady Beruschi, Michael Brown, are some sobering statistics from June 2021: We are also working to support both LP Yvan Charette, Stephen Roughley, • 15% of our hospitality industry has already and LRS members with the introduction of Angie Eccleston Director-At-Large Lorne Folick closed permanently licensee-to-licensee sales. Since I started this Executive Director Jeff Guignard • 80% report losing money or barely breaking job over seven years ago, it has never made Director of even for over a year sense to me that a pub or restaurant should Membership & Communications Danielle Leroux • 50% are unsure their business will survive be prohibited from buying liquor from a private the summer liquor store; instead, they are forced to buy The Quarterly Pour Editorial Committee: In the midst of our darkest hours, we worked from a government liquor store (or direct from Megan Carson, Trevor Kaatz, Paul Rickett with our provincial government partners to domestic BC manufacturers). It is a blatantly Designed, Produced & Published by: secure nearly $200 million of direct financial unfair and illogical policy that needlessly EMC Publications support for our industry—via Circuit Breaker restricts an LRS from selling even convenience- 19073 63 Avenue, Surrey BC V3S 8G7 Ph: 604-574-4577 1-800-667-0955 Grants, Small Business Grants, and a long- based, one-off bottles of speciality products [email protected] overdue wholesale price for hospitality licensees. not available at a GLS. While there are some www.emcmarketing.com On top of tens of millions you received from the minor issues to resolve—for example, our agent Publisher Joyce Hayne federal wage and rent subsidies, I know these and BC manufacturing partners have raised Designer Kyla Getty Sales Marina Lecian funds were integral to helping many of you legitimate concerns based on their experience Beatriz Friz survive. Although these funds were a drop in in other jurisdictions—I remain optimistic that ABLE BC Editor Danielle Leroux the bucket when measured against the scale of we’re very close to a workable solution that

Copyright EMC Publications your losses, not a single dollar would have flowed will enhance private sector opportunities without the hard work of our BC government across BC’s liquor industry. As an important PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40026059 partners, who deserve our thanks. I wish to first step in this direction, in July we successfully RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT EMC PUBLICATIONS express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to secured approval for private liquor stores to 19073 63 AVENUE Solicitor General Mike Farnworth, Attorney sell to holders of Special Event Permits. SURREY BC V3S 8G7 General David Eby, Minister of Jobs Ravi email: [email protected] Kahlon, their talented staff, and the relentlessly Stay Informed: Monthly Virtual dedicated teams at the LCRB and LDB. Their Meetings support has been a crucial lifeline for many in I know how hard it can be to keep on top of our industry who are still struggling to recover, all the latest—and often rapidly changing— The opinions & points of view expressed in and I cannot thank them enough. information. If you have questions you want to published articles are not necessarily those of ABLE BC. I’d love to say that our work is now complete, ask, I hope you’ll join me the last Thursday of Advertisers are not necessarily endorsed by ABLE BC. but we all know we have a long road ahead. every month at 10 a.m. for a virtual “State of With the need for pandemic closures and the Industry” update. I’ll take your questions stringent public health protocols behind us, directly, go over key information from the we will be refocusing our efforts on industry’s past month, and get you up to speed on key other challenges, such as the growing labour discussions with government. To register, shortage, the crisis of skyrocketing insurance please RSVP to [email protected] premiums, logical policy reforms like licensee- Of course, you can also always reach me at to-licensee sales, faster and more transparent any time at [email protected] licensing application processes and timelines, Stay safe and sane out there.

4 The Quarterly Pour BC LIQUOR INDUSTRY

trends Source: BC Liquor Distribution Branch Wholesale Sales: January - March 2021

Litres increase/decrease increase/decrease over previous quarter over previous year Beer – BC Commercial 28,691,235 - 3.6% - 6.1% Beer – BC Micro Brew 6,460,561 - 2.6% - 0.6% Beer – BC Regional 9,571,494 - 13.4% - 12.5% Beer – Import 4,902,232 - 20.6% - 35.9% Cider – Domestic & Import 3,375,934 - 6.4% - 11.1% Coolers 13,025,259 + 12.4% + 30.6% Gin 369,723 - 24.8% + 10.9% Rum 742,184 - 42.3% - 7.6% Tequila 236,001 - 5.9% + 2.2% Vodka 2,002,688 - 19.2% - 9.2% Whiskey 1,615,184 - 32.4% - 5.8% Wine – BC 8,795,634 - 22.4% - 4.8% Wine – Canadian 214,930 - 40.0% - 6.3% Wine – USA 1,640,549 - 29.2% + 0.3% Wine Total 16,912,487 - 23.5% - 3.9%

Hospitality Sales: January - March 2021

Litres increase/decrease increase/decrease over previous quarter over previous year Beer – BC Commercial 2,901,990 + 1.5% - 36.2% Beer – BC Micro Brew 1,575,553 + 10.6% - 38.7% Beer – BC Regional 1,528,978 + 5.7% - 41.9% Beer – Import 573,519 - 11.0% - 57.6% Cider – Domestic & Import 261,587 + 12.2% - 47.1% Coolers 168,826 + 16.2% - 39.0% Gin 38,700 + 14.6% - 48.3% Rum 43,873 + 7.0% - 38.4% Tequila 52,626 + 20.1% - 39.6% Vodka 137,101 + 12.2% - 42.2% Whiskey 69,359 + 3.1% - 41.7% Wine – BC 692,266 + 0.6% - 33.7% Wine – Canadian 10,883 + 14.8% - 28.8% Wine – USA 97,450 - 1.7% - 34.7% Wine Total 1,251,218 + 0.9% - 32.1%

Coolers continue their strong growth with a 30.6% increase over the first quarter of last year. See the LDB Update on page 18 for further trends on refreshment beverages. After strong wholesale rum sales from October to December, this category fell dramatically from January to March. Imported beer saw significant declines in both wholesale and hospitality sales. Although BC micro brews saw a 10.6% increase in hospitality, those trends were not seen in wholesale, so there’s an opportunity to stock and promote more micro brews in retail, since there’s obviously demand for those beers.

The Quarterly Pour 5

Leveraging Email Marketing by Conner Galway

No one reads the newspaper anymore. maligned email message has become so pivotal to our professional lives, There’s a now-familiar source of anguish in the marketing industry— but whatever the case, our inboxes are consistently one of the most whenever we get comfortable with a medium, people’s behaviours shift used apps on our phones, and the most personal way to communicate and we are forced to tear down and rebuild what we communicate at scale. with our audience. That behaviour shift has only been accelerated by the global pandemic, A Powerful Opportunity which forced us all indoors and onto our devices. Happy hours turned It’s that last factor that makes email such a powerful opportunity for into Zoom calls, wine tastings small businesses. There may not tuned into live streams and be a single other opportunity that even the ubiquitous Facebook allows us to create a connection newsfeed seemed to lose our inboxes are consistently with as many individuals as we people’s attention in favour of like, to craft messages they’re more engaging platforms like one of the most used apps going to find valuable, and then YouTube and TikTok. distribute those messages Media consumption shifted without technical skills, with very for every platform, except one on our phones little cost, and directly to people’s despite a billion+ reasons that personal devices. it should have. Regardless of how compelling the case for email may sound, the Email is pretty much the same as it was back in 2010. Features fact remains that very few small businesses are making an effective have been added here and there, and we consume a lot more of them use of the channel, which raises the question: Why? If email is such a on our phones, but even though companies like Slack, WhatsApp powerful, direct, and (presumably) profitable marketing tactic, why isn’t and Basecamp have raised many billions of dollars in an explicit and everyone taking advantage? collective effort to revolutionize email, it remains the one communication The answer starts with misconception and ends with execution. channel that has stubbornly persisted. Ask a group of 100 people how they feel about email marketing, Maybe it’s the simplicity of the technology, or the fact that the much- and you’re likely to get at least 90 rants about unwanted spam and phishing scams. 6 The Quarterly Pour Ask those same people about their favourite media companies, or digital services, and they’re likely to tell you about the great content that they serve up and the ways that they make their lives easier. The fact is, that much of the content that we receive, and many of the services that we use are largely powered by email. No one minds when ESPN sends updates about our favourite team, or Uber lets us know that they’ve introduced a new service in our area. Email doesn’t need new technology, what it needs is a PR campaign because a few bad apples over the years have tarnished this massively useful tool that we all use every day. Unfortunately, the idea that email marketing has little or no value has become so widely accepted that it’s embedded itself all way into the very marketing departments that are responsible for developing messaging, thereby creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of content that no one wants to see.

Rethinking Email When we look around and see nothing but spam and scams, then it can be difficult for us to imagine a better way. Fortunately, there are a few brands out there that have taken a minute to re-think the email opportunity and are delivering the type of content that is valuable, not only for their subscribers’ faces, but for the business’ bottom line as well. One prominent example of high-value email marketing comes from an app company that is likely on most of our phones: Vivino. The wine-identifying app has become a market leader by scanning, rating, and recommending wine for its users, but most often when we’ve got the app open, we’re in the process of pouring, not buying wine. While some commerce happens in the app, Vivino has become incredibly effective at gathering user preferences, then matching them with special releases, seasonal recommendations, and curated discounts. Vivino closes the loop on their customer relationship by knowing what people want, when and where they want it, and then using their various channels to match those. A little closer to home, there is a small winery in BC doing some really creative things with their wine program. The company is appropriately named Niche Wine Co. and the winemakers send out regular messages that tell stories about their wine, shout out local small businesses, offer seasonal recipes, and even give behind the scenes looks at the winemaking process. What makes the email so compelling is that it’s not a standalone marketing tactic—it’s a reflection of everything that they’re up to. If you subscribe to their wine club, you’ll find products from those same small businesses as thoughtful little surprises tucked next to your bottles, and if you follow them on Instagram, you’ll get to dig just a little deeper into the stories that they’re telling. When the content is valuable, people don’t just tolerate email marketing, they look forward to opening it. And the impact for our businesses is that, when it’s time to tell a story to our community, we never have to worry about the latest algorithm update, or who’s paying attention to what media channel. We’ve built our own media, and we never have to ask anyone’s permission to communicate with our audience, as long as we can keep their trust and attention.

Keeping Trust and Attention The only question that remains to be answered is: How? It sounds wonderful to own a media channel, but the fact is that, like everything in marketing, we must first break through the noise to capture people’s attention. Following are a few techniques that email marketers use consistently to build, grow, and receive value from their email marketing strategies:

The Quarterly Pour 7 1. Give Them a Reason to Sign Up. No one gets excited about a box a short text message to a friend about the email that they’re about to at the bottom of a website that says “Sign up for our e-newsletter”. In a send—that may allow you to relax and write the way that is going to media landscape that’s screaming for our attention, and in a world where connect with people. the majority of people think that they don’t like email marketing, we’re going to need to do better than that. A common technique is called a 6. All Roads Lead Through Email. Email list growth is not about lead magnet, which involves developing a high value piece of content, tricking people into signing up—it’s about authentically using your then driving traffic to a page where people can get access to it for free, various customer touchpoints to let people know about this high- but only after they give you their email address. Lead magnets often quality content that you’re putting out into the world. When you’re consist of online recipe books, a how-to video, virtual wine tastings, producing emails that you’re really proud of, promoting it gets a lot or restaurant guides. The right fit for you, and for your email marketing easier, and you start to find opportunities in-store, on your website, program is going to be unique to you and your audience. and in your social media content to let people know why they should sign up. 2. If You’re Going to Be Your Own Media, Act Like It. Create emails that are newsworthy. That doesn’t mean that you have to become a 7. Know the Laws. In recent years, many jurisdictions have passed journalist, but it does mean asking: Why will my audience care about laws that regulate or restrict the ways that we’re allowed to use this message? Will they learn something? Will it make them laugh? electronic communication for advertising and promotion. The impact A good test that you can apply to your emails before hitting send is by asking yourself: Why would my best customers forward this email to of those laws has been a big boost to high-value marketers because their friends? they’re the ones who are happy to attract legitimate subscribers, to email people respectfully, and to manage their lists responsibly. 3. Deliver Consistently. Sporadic emails get unsubscribed from. In Canada, our government has created a simple website that Once people learn that they value your content, they like to be able to lays out the guidelines for us. It’s a highly recommended read for rely on you. You don’t need to send it every week, or even every other anyone who’s planning to hit send on any form of business email: week. However, if you take a month off, a number of your subscribers www.fightspam.gc.ca. will have forgotten who you are and they’ll unsubscribe. There are many more tips, tricks, and techniques that email 4. Have No More Than One Call to Action Per Email. Since you’re in marketers use, and if you’re going to take your program seriously, the media business now, you don’t want to overwhelm your readership you’d be well advised to learn as much as you can about them with ads, but at the same time, you do want to make it easy for them to (recommended source: www.reallygoodemails.com), but as with every get what they want. If you’re hosting an event, that’s a great opportunity form of marketing, the brands that have the greatest success are the to invite your email list. Did you just publish a great new video on your ones that understand what their audiences want, that deliver great Facebook Page? Let them know about it and ask them to comment content consistently, and respect the reader in the process. The best on the post. The more that you are clear and intentional with your calls part is, so few brands are fully taking advantage of this opportunity, to action, the more impactful that they’ll be, and that means limiting that it’s ripe for your brand to create something that’s going to surprise yourself to just one objective per email. your community.

5. It’s All About the Subject Line. Before we can do anything with Conner Galway is the President of Junction Consulting. He publishes our email marketing, we need to get people to click open. Write subject a weekly email about digital marketing and business called The Brief lines that clearly communicate value and have fun with them. One that’s read by business leaders at many of your favourite brands. To get the latest updates, opinions, and stories in your inbox every Monday, technique that email marketers use is to imagine that they’re sending go to www.brief.wearejunction.com.

8 The Quarterly Pour NOTES by Dave Smith

BEERwith reps from BC’s independent breweries Expanding your Tap List Beer is the lifeblood of the public house, but to select and procure a range of ales each it’s not what it used to be. Over the past decade, month. an explosion of craft brew options has fractured Thinking back to when the program rolled the long-time status quo behind the bar in many out, Andrews recalls, “In the beginning, it was Canadian pubs. Take for instance Coquitlam’s a bit difficult for our old-school regulars who venerable John B Pub, where the tap list has don’t like change. They would rather have the grown exponentially, to the point that it now Buds and the Canadians and whatnot. But boasts 86 beer and cider lines. Some specialty then we had this other clientele who were craft houses have even more selection. looking for IPA.” Which is exactly the reason Operators like these see the range of choices to add those new taps—but that doesn’t Sheila Andrews at the One20 Public House. as a natural response to a generational market mean you have to subtract everything. Photo: Dave Smith shift, and an opportunity to separate themselves Consider a house beer. As The Publican from the pack. However, many other publicans reported in its Fall 2018 look at house beers, We were getting tropical hazies, sours, and fear the havoc such a bewildering array would these can be a great option to help deflect so many different ones.” However, she warns, wreak amongst their staff and clientele, so they customers’ concerns about change, and “Make sure you don’t have too many of the choose to stick with basic beers. One20 Pub has adopted this approach. same type of beers.” Those concerns are legitimate since the craft Interestingly, for a bar that has connections Sheila advises to change taps with the beer crowd still represents a minority of beer to dozens of small breweries, they have season: “We try to keep something fruity for consumers. However, in terms of provincial partnered with Molson for their One20 Lager summertime. Wintertime, we will do things sales figures, that minority passed 30% a few and three other house brews. These lines are like Stout and Dark Lager.” years ago—and the age group driving the trend branded “House Craft” on the menu and sold Buy carefully. You need those rotating isn’t going away. At some point, even the most at preferred pricing. taps to keep things interesting for the beer reluctant operators will need to consider spiffing This might be encouraging news to those fans. But you don’t want “loser” kegs sitting up their beer lists. who are interested in adding craft beer tap in the cold room for weeks. “There are a lot For a balanced discussion on the merits of tap appeal but feel nervous jumping in bed with of beer reps who are super awesome about expansion, we reached out to an operation that a fledgling microbrewery for their primary replacing product, but then you get the few has been offering substantial consumer choice house brew. It demonstrates that it’s possible who are not so easy,” says Andrews. That’s within a sustainable framework for several years: to leverage your existing relationships. Keep why she suggests to start small: “Maybe get Delta’s One20 Public House. Following are in mind, however, that it’s still necessary to a 20L keg. Don’t go for 50L right away.” some of the steps such an operator might have bring in some actual craft beer with street With a little common sense like that, you in their rollout plan: cred to make the whole thing work. For this, can expand or refresh your existing tap Choose a point person. After deciding to Sheila deals directly with the microbrewery selection, and provide a transfusion to your pursue expansion, one of the first steps is to reps. beer list—the lifeblood of your pub. nominate a team member who will champion the Get the right mix. Andrews shares, “We Dave Smith is Editor of What’s Brewing, project and act as an ongoing point of contact. did more of the simple ones to begin with. The the Journal of BC’s Craft Beer Movement At the One20, sixteen-year crew veteran Sheila IPAs were first, then the Stouts slowly came (www.whatsbrewing.ca). Andrews manages the beer program, working through, and it just progressed from there.

The Quarterly Pour 9

Compensation & Retention Strategies by Ginger Brunner, CPHR

It goes without saying, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted Through thoughtful, strategic compensation planning, employers can BC’s tourism and hospitality industry. Businesses have had to make set themselves apart from their competitors and encourage their top tough decisions, including reducing or adjusting hours of operation, performing employees to remain with the organization. service offerings, and staffing levels in order to remain viable. As a Here are a few considerations when it comes to the impact of result, many industry workers have been displaced from their jobs. compensation on employee retention: While some workers have found alternate positions within the industry, Compensation Planning. Compensation strategies will vary between others have left the industry all together in search of more stable employers. Some will aim to pay at or above minimum wage ($15.20 hours, higher pay, or a different work environment. This has industry per hour), others will strive to pay the BC Living Wage (amount varies employers concerned as many are struggling once again to recruit or depending on the community), while others will focus on paying wages recall workers. that exceed those of their competitors. There is no one single strategy Additionally, the perception of the tourism and hospitality industry’s or structure that will work for all businesses. Employers need to find work environment has been damaged during the pandemic. Job the right compensation strategy that will help them achieve the goal of seekers may be hesitant about working in the industry due to concerns attracting and retaining employees, while ensuring that it is sustainable about job security, health and safety, career advancement, and within the financial model of the business as well as fair and equitable competitive wages. Employers are concerned about the lack of skills for all. With the recent June 1, 2021 increase in the BC minimum wage and qualifications of job applicants, as well as the lack of immigration and elimination of the Liquor Server minimum wage, some employers into Canada during the pandemic—as immigrants make up a large may be reviewing, reevaluating, and/or adjusting their overall wage percentage of the tourism and hospitality workforce. structures to reflect the increase and ensure that other wages within As businesses both within the tourism and hospitality industry their organization remain competitive. and other industries start to ramp up operations, the competition for talent intensifies and the lack of skilled workers remains. Employers Total Compensation. Total compensation is a term that refers to will need to work even harder than before the pandemic to retain their wages or salary, and any other benefits, programs, or opportunities high-performing employees. available to employees through their employment. Total compensation Compensation plays a critical role in employee retention, but works to help employers retain employees, particularly when they offer employee expectations are changing. While paying well enables benefits or opportunities that their employees value (e.g. extended employers to attract more qualified talent, wages are only one part of health benefits, mental health supports, learning and development, the compensation puzzle. Employees who are paid well and feel valued career advancement, employee discounts, flexible schedules, paid on an ongoing basis are more likely to stay longer with the organization. time off, bonus/incentives).

10 The Quarterly Pour When planning or reviewing your compensation strategy, be sure to less impactful, or even delaying changes to allow time for teams to get consider total compensation. What perks, benefits, or opportunities back into their rhythms and business volumes to settle, post pandemic. does your business offer employees, in addition to wages? Why should Reward and Recognize Employees. Rewards and recognition form an employee choose to remain employed with your business? What’s part of the overall total compensation package, and now more than in it for them? Some recent studies suggest that post COVID-19, ever, employees will choose to stay with organizations where they feel employees are reevaluating their work/life balance, resulting in an valued and appreciated. Rewards don’t have to be big or expensive. increased desire for more flexible working conditions. If you are not Focus on smaller, more frequent ways to recognize and reward sure what your employees value most, ask them. employees. It may sound trite, however, a simple thank you does go Gratuities and Retention. While a long way. As we move past the tip-out/gratuity structures vary pandemic, find ways to recognize throughout the industry, one thing and reward loyal employees who is certain—servers are attracted What perks, benefits, or have helped the business through to positions that offer the greatest these challenging times. Surprise potential to earn gratuities. With opportunities does your them with an extra paid day off, the recent elimination of the Liquor premium shift choices, or (as Server minimum wage, liquor servers COVID-19 restrictions permit) plan now earn the regular minimum wage business offer employees? in-person lunches, coffee chats, or ($15.20 per hour). This change may other celebrations. Send gift cards have some employers considering with handwritten thank you notes reevaluating their tip-out structure to reflect the increased hourly and give shout-outs at staff meetings, on internal emails, or social earnings of servers. If so, employers need to carefully consider media channels. the potential impact of making such a change within the currently As COVID-19 restrictions lift and BC continues to move forward competitive job market. Gratuity discussions and changes can be a from the pandemic, all businesses will need to adapt and change to difficult and thorny topic for employers due to the potential impact on fit the new normal. Compensation planning, consideration of total employee earnings and retention. Consider including employees in compensation and gratuities, and rewarding employees are just a the decision-making process to help determine the most appropriate few ways in which employers can create competitive compensation structure for your team and generate buy-in. And as there never packages that will help to encourage employee retention. Visit the seems to be an “ideal” time to make changes to gratuity structures, go2HR website for more information about Understanding Tips and consider making smaller incremental changes over time that will be Gratuities, compensation, and retention. Ginger Brunner, CPHR is Senior HR Specialist at go2HR.

The Quarterly Pour 11 The Fox & Hounds PUB

by Jacquie Maynard

When Debbie and Jeff Paul met at 16 years old, it was the start of After a $250,000 renovation, the Fox & Hounds ended up as a a loving, life-long relationship with not only each other but with the traditional English-style pub seating 90 people with a pool table and hospitality and pub industry, too. Debbie’s parents owned hotels, so dartboard—now, it’s a casual fine dining restaurant and pub that seats growing up, she was fully entrenched in hospitality. When Jeff joined the 150, with a brand-new patio that’s bigger than the inside, and a fountain. family, he quickly realized that the best way to spend time with Debbie The most recent renovation project was undertaken in 2011 when the was to work at the hotel. After working their way through high school, Fox & Hounds hired internationally renowned artist Dan Sawatzky to the pair were hooked on each other and the industry. recreate its interior. With curving brick walls, carved cement and wood “We didn’t want to work for Mom and Dad anymore and decided we details, and massive trees that hold up the entrance to the building wanted to sell our house and buy a pub,” says Debbie. “So, we did, and and surround the fireplace, Sawatzky certainly created a one-of-a-kind lived in the office upstairs for the first year!” atmosphere. In 1993, the pair were offered a suitable price for their pub and they “Dan created an indoors that is very unique,” Debbie says. “There are bought the Fox & Hounds pub in Aldergrove. a lot of artistic elements, and people love it. It’s really cool to sit there The rest is history—and what an interesting history it has been! and pick out all of the little details. You see something new every time.”

Building the Dream ‘One Hell of an Orchestra’ Even though the pub’s interior was less than 15 years old, it needed a If you ask Debbie, she’ll say that the success of the Fox & Hounds is all lot of work. thanks to the staff because building it was a team effort. Astonishingly, “It was kind of a dingy little pub when we bought it. It was definitely many of them have been there for over 10 years, and one staff member well-worn,” Debbie laughs. “We stepped into a bit of a mess, but it’s even came with the pub when they bought it. got good bones, so we got it freshened up.”

12 The Quarterly Pour Chef Donna Meneghetti – At the pub since it started 28 years ago in 1993

Angie Vecchies, Assistant Jeff, Debbie and Billy Paul Manager – A long-time with Angie & Donna employee of 24 years Photos Courtesy of The Fox & Hounds Pub

Assistant Manager Angie Vecchies has been working at the “You can be the greatest conductor, but if you don’t have a good restaurant since she was 14 years old! Debbie says the deal was: keep orchestra, you’re hooped,” she says. “And we have one Hell of an your grades up, or your fired. Luckily, Angie graduated with honours and orchestra.” has been a part of the team for 24 years now. She was even their son Billy’s first babysitter. Billy Paul is now the second generation involved, Community Gathering Place working under his dad’s wing to take over one day. To the Pauls, cultivating a welcoming atmosphere is the most important Donna Meneghetti was working part-time at the pub when the thing. Pauls bought it in 1993 and was quickly offered the position of Kitchen While Aldergrove may be a passing-through point, Debbie says that Manager, even at the young age of 19. Debbie says it wasn’t about her 65% of customers are local. The majority come in for happy hour and age, it was about her ability, and she hasn’t regretted the decision for on the weekend, but she says that around 60% of their business is a moment. Donna has been mentoring the Pauls’ youngest, Ken, in the now related to food, showing that all members of the community enjoy kitchen since he was 12 and he aspires to take part in the business frequenting the pub. as well. “It’s our community gathering place,” she says. “We are really grateful. “I get all choked up because we wouldn’t have what we have without We’ve worked hard at it and had lots of headaches and heartaches, but the people we work with,” she says, her voice cracking with emotion. it’s been worth it. The people along the way have made it worth it.” “We can’t do it—not without all of them.” Altogether, the Fox & Hounds and Fox Liquor Store employ 36 people, and to the Pauls, every one of them is family. The Quarterly Pour 13

Legal Risks and Realities of COVID-19 by Lorne Folick

As commercial hosts gradually return to full service in accordance So what is “gross negligence”? At law, “basic” negligence is established with Provincial Health Orders (PHOs), it is important to remain aware of where a person’s conduct falls below the standard of care expected the legal risks hosts still face concerning COVID-19. Venues that breach of a reasonably prudent person in similar circumstances, and such PHOs may of course face fines and enforcement actions. But any conduct causes reasonably foreseeable harm. The threshold for gross establishment that opens its doors to customers during the pandemic negligence requires a marked, significant breach of the standard of care. also opens its doors to a small but real risk of being sued for negligence, Gross negligence is more than a mere mistake or a momentary lapse of if someone connected caution. It is somewhere with the premises falls ill between negligence and with COVID-19. The threshold of gross conscious wrongdoing. The good news is that By using the gross commercial hosts have negligence standard, the been granted at least negligence might have very MO protects essential partial protection against service providers from civil liability connected significant insurance implications. lesser mistakes, but with COVID-19. British allows plaintiffs to hold Columbia’s Ministerial them responsible for more Order No. M094 (MO) designates as essential services “restaurants and serious misconduct. This suggests that the province wants to strike a other facilities that prepare and serve food, if operating under rules for balance between ensuring socially beneficial venues can remain operable physical distancing or other recommendations from the PHO.” It goes despite the pandemic, while still holding them to a reasonable standard on to add that essential service providers are immune from tort liability of conduct—and allowing anyone injured by serious misconduct to obtain unless they cause loss through “gross negligence”. compensation through civil lawsuits.

14 The Quarterly Pour Determining whether an act or omission is grossly negligent is not easy, and it varies by context. Allegations of gross negligence are most common in cases where the defendant has some degree of authority or power, and the plaintiff is particularly vulnerable—think of police officers, teachers, search and rescue volunteers, etc. But it can apply to other situations, too, including commercial hosts. The threshold for gross negligence in those cases will depend on factors such as the nature of the relationship between the parties, the circumstances of their interaction, and the kind and possible severity of the loss or injury that might result. In the context of a bar or pub operating during COVID-19, a single infection due to the failure to enforce social distancing might not constitute gross negligence, but if that failure was habitual and ongoing, or the outbreak led to death, or the host deliberately delayed disclosing the outbreak to health authorities, resulting in further infections, such misconduct might be gross negligence. The threshold of gross negligence might have very significant insurance implications. Commercial general liability insurance policies, commonly held by commercial hosts and other businesses, typically cover liability for bodily injury, but some policies may specifically exclude liability for injuries resulting from gross negligence. Many CGL policies also exclude liability for pollution, and some speculate that the presence on the insured’s premises of the virus linked to COVID-19 might be “pollution”. The MO’s gross negligence standard allows responsible businesses to resume operations with some protection against liability for potential outbreaks. Of course, resuming business necessarily increases the risk of infection for an insured’s employees, resulting from ongoing exposure to customers and other staff. An insured might be sued by employees who fall ill for not taking reasonable steps to protect them from infection. How far can businesses go in mitigating that risk, and can they require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19? Currently, no legislation or regulations specifically allow employers to require their staff to be vaccinated, but they likely have the discretion to make vaccination a prerequisite to employment. Implementing such policies can carry its own legal risks. Imposing a vaccine requirement might constitute a breach of an employee’s existing terms of employment, perhaps exposing the employer to a claim for breach of contract, or even constructive dismissal—especially if no similar requirement existed previously, or if the vaccination is not sufficiently connected to the actual risks the employee faces at work. Employers might also face human rights or privacy complaints from employees who object to being vaccinated because of health, religious, or other personal reasons. In many cases, employers might get better results— and keep happier, healthier employees—by encouraging voluntary vaccination rather than forcing the issue.

Lorne P.S. Folick is Partner and CFO at Dolden Wallace Folick LLP. He is an insurance defence lawyer who specializes in defending restaurant, bars, pubs and hotels. Lorne has argued many of the leading cases in this area and routinely provides risk management presentations and materials for the industry. Recently, Lorne authored the definitive textbook in liquor liability exposures in Canada.

The Quarterly Pour 15 Hester Creek's New Tiers of Terroir

The sunny hillside south of Oliver where Hester Creek Estate Winery is located is a special place for those who love British Columbia wines. It is steeped in history, yet looking to the future of winemaking, with a soil and climate ideal for growing both big reds and elegant whites. Now that unique sense of place is being celebrated both in and on the bottle, with a fresh approach from winemaker Mark Hopley. Since stepping into the role in 2020, Hopley has introduced new wines, including a patio-perfect bubble, and a new three-tier system with updated packaging that pays homage to the winery’s unique site. “The goal with that was to be recognizable, but to have a fresh new take,” Hopley says. “The more we can identify that sense of place, the more you get buy-in from the consumer.” Here are three wines, one in each tier, that capture the essence of Hester Creek’s enlightened wine growing.

Foundation Wines: 2020 Pinot Blanc, $15.99 plus tax it is fragrant with peach, nectarine, and apricot notes as well as hints of The “Foundation” tier comprises wines that are widely available, such as honey, minerality, and sagebrush. the crowd-pleasing Character red and white blends and the prosecco- “The grapes for this are from a really old block on our vineyards, style Ti Amo sparkler that was introduced last year, and promptly sold Block 4, which was planted in 1968. They’re these gnarly old vines, and out. (Production this year has increased from 300 to 1,000 cases.) with age, you get less fruit hanging and more intensity in the finished One of the most interesting wines in the lineup is the Pinot Blanc, which product,” Hopley says. at $16 a bottle is a terrific value given its impressive pedigree. A gold The vines are some of the oldest vitis vinifera in the valley, planted medal winner at the 2020 San Francisco International Wine Competition, by a previous owner of the property, an Italian immigrant named Joe

16 The Quarterly Pour ADVERTISING FEATURE Busnardo. Back when most people believed only hybrids could grow here, he planted a number of traditional varieties to see what would happen. “The cool thing is he planted this really diverse vineyard. He was very much ahead of his time,” Hopley says. The other thing that makes these grapes so exciting is that they retain such freshness despite the hot South Okanagan sun. “Being on the Golden Mile Bench, BC’s first sub- Geographical Indication, the sun sets behind us, so we lose the sun in the afternoon and hang onto the acids,” Hopley explains.

Origin Wines: 2018 The Judge, $43.99 The Origin tier comprises Hester Creek’s two flagship Bordeaux-style blends, which are as rich and voluptuous as they are complex and sophisticated. The more Cabernet-driven of the two is Garland, named for winery owner Curt Garland; the juicier, more Merlot-forward one is The Judge, which the winery first introduced in 2007, and like the Garland is crafted entirely with estate, handpicked fruit from some of their oldest vines. The Judge is made from 37% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Franc, and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. After spending two years in French oak, it has loads of cocoa, leather, and vanilla notes as well as lush black cherry flavours and a touch of savoury sage. The 2018 vintage is especially exciting as a cool and early fall slowed down ripening, so it remains bright, lively, and elegant. Moreover, Hopley says, “It has our best blocks from our estate property. The Judge gets the best blocks, the best fruit, and the best barrels.” It is, in short, the best way to taste a remarkable place. Discover more about this historic property at hestercreek.com.

Source Collection: 2019 Syrah, $29.99 plus tax The Source Collection is all about sourcing the best grapes possible, mostly—but not only—from the estate itself. This tier includes single varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Trebbiano, a rare white grape Busnardo brought back from Italy. Indeed, that Italian heritage is still celebrated throughout the winery. “The whole estate has a Tuscan feel,” Hopley says. “We have the Tuscan-inspired Villa accommodations and Tuscan-inspired restaurant with Terrafina.” One of the Source Collection wines he is most excited with is the Syrah, which blends grapes from the estate with some from Black Sage Bench. It’s also a co-ferment, made the way Syrah is traditionally done in its Rhône Valley home, with the addition of a small amount of Viognier. “What that does, is lift the aromatics,” Hopley describes. The Viognier adds delicate floral notes and a lush mouth feel to an earthy wine rich with black cherry, plum, and pepper notes, with hints of bacon and toasted coffee. Full-bodied yet elegant, this wine sells Contact Hester Creek Estate Winery at out year after year, and Hopley believes the slightly cooler 2019 [email protected] or (250) 498-4435. vintage is among the best. www.HesterCreek.com

The Quarterly Pour 17 » LDB UPDATE by BC Liquor Distribution Branch The Cooler Category is Growing Rapidly Cumulative YOY Change in Market Share Percentage Points

Ready-to-drink cocktails and refreshment beverages (also known as coolers) have become the go to beverages for summer, and their popularity shows no signs of cooling off anytime soon. The category has rapidly grown to include hundreds of types of refreshment beverages and ready-to-drink cocktails, multiplying several times over its share of the market today. The popularity of one specific product type had not been seen since the wine cooler craze in the 1980s until hard seltzers were introduced to the market a few years ago. Over the past 18 months the pandemic has also played a part in driving the market growth for refreshment beverages. Customers who may have normally enjoyed a draught beer Distribution Cases Shipped Per Financial Year at a pub, sporting event or concert may have turned to portable, ready-to-drink beverages that could be consumed at home. Consumers also appreciate the fact that hard seltzers are gluten free, come with a lower ABV around 4-5%, and have a comparatively low-calorie count in comparison to other drink categories. This past summer, producers have continued to satisfy customer preferences by bringing to market a variety of new fruit flavours and teas.

18 The Quarterly Pour On a larger scale, the volume of cases shipped by BC Liquor Distribution In-Stock Levels Branch (LDB) distribution centres continues to grow (23 million cases in the last fiscal year) but the refreshment beverage category can’t take all the credit. Wine, beer, and spirits continue to maintain considerable market share compared to refreshment beverages, which held 11% market share last fiscal year, and it continues to grow incrementally each season. A few years ago, when the refreshment beverage product category in BC was starting its rebirth or renaissance, it experienced its own pain points and challenges when new and popular products couldn’t keep up with customer demand for a multitude of reasons. Many lessons were learned in the summer of warehouse allocation and retail shelf space 2018 when a combination of manufacturer (and sometimes refrigeration), particularly in FY 2021 $ Market Share issues, logistical warehouse constraints, the spring and summer. By Category stretches of hot weather, and high customer Licensee Retail Stores (LRS) and demand created the perfect storm and hospitality operators also have visibility to disrupted product supply and heavily tested real-time inventory levels through both the the supply chain. LDB Webstore and Hospitality Product Since then, the LDB distribution centres Catalogue, and the LDB Wholesale Supply Chain posts and updates a supplier stock 34% 27% have taken a number of steps to mitigate any potential future risks to product categories out list weekly in the product information and have successfully kept in-stock levels for resource section of the Wholesale website at www.wholesale.bcldb.com. This allows LDB 2% all products around 95%. LDB Wholesale works collaboratively with Wholesale customers to plan their orders 11% both suppliers and wholesale customers to accordingly. 26% ensure that popular products flow through Customers can also learn more about the supply chain in a timely manner. This the latest products to enter the market and collaboration is key, especially for products look up the top-selling products across with dramatic growth in volume and seasonality all categories the previous quarter by spirits beer demand, which require careful planning by downloading the new product and top wine packaged beer vendors, distribution centres, and wholesale seller lists available on the LDB Wholesale refreshment beverage customers to ensure there is adequate website.

The Quarterly Pour 19 Challenges Facing Import Agents by IVSA – Import Vintners Association

BC import agents (Agents) play an essential role in increases, the one generating more profit will building hospitality and retail alcohol businesses continue to be the Government, through its hefty by finding ways to educate their staff, increase mark-up on imports, GST, and Social Services their margins, and improve product stability (Provincial Liquor) tax. and customer loyalty. At the same time, Agents are facing a worldwide shipping crisis, delivery Moving Forward Given all of these issues, Agents are looking at delays, increased costs, and red tape—all items ways to work with our hospitality/retail partners that we are navigating to provide better service and help them build their business. For instance, to our partners. we work with our industry partners to stock store Delays are currently at an all-time high. Shipping buying clubs with unique and semi-exclusive delays, pricing delays, activation delays, and products. Unique products like this consume NSWP-SPEC (Non-Stocked Wholesale Product) more time for sourcing, shipping and domestic delivery delays combine for unprecedented cost distribution. However, these products generate increases. Exasperating the problem for BC higher profits and thus help support private Agents is a provincial mark-up system and a lack retail/hospitality. Currently, these products are of product parity for deliveries to hospitality and not treated as equals to products listed in the retail partners, which favours BCL-listed products. Government Liquor Stores. The Shipping Crisis Over the last 18 months, the world has seen Product Parity Product parity, where retail and hospitality unprecedented supply chain disruptions. accounts would receive Agents’ higher profit Demand for containers dropped to its lowest products (NSWP - SPEC) simultaneously as BCL- point in Spring 2020, only to rise to its highest listed products is crucial to building our partners’ point at the end of 2020. As a result, Spring businesses. In addition, costs of product samples 2020 saw lower capacity, leading to an increase have gone up nearly 15% over the last year, in prices. At the end of 2020, record levels of hindering Agents’ ability to train and educate demand drove prices up once again, this time hospitality and retail staff on product features and due to lack of capacity. At the end of last year, conduct permitted in-store tastings that create freight forwarders tried to catch up on shipments brand awareness with the end consumer. that had been dropped in the summer. Their World carriers have taken steps to relieve efforts were unsuccessful due to the ineffective the shipping crisis’ pressure by sailing empty positioning of containers in the US to meet containers to points of demand and manufacturing demand in Asia and Europe and the dramatic more containers to put into use. But these efforts decrease in port workforce capacity due to will take some time to return supply chains to COVID-19. In short, traditional 30-day shipping normalcy. Back in BC, to effectively support our times can now reach up to six months. hospitality and retail partners and deliver value to How Will This Affect Products in BC? the end consumer, we must continue the reform Agents have had to accept longer lead times of our legacy mark-up system on imports and and higher inventory carrying costs back in BC, seek to level the playing field for all products making it harder to maintain inventory and leading available in the province. BC Liquor Store to dramatic increases in cash flow demands. It listed products should not have a distribution is anticipated that retailers will be carrying more advantage. inventory this holiday season, with noticeable Together with the BCLDB, the IVSA and price increases from freight-forwarders passed the BTAP (Business Technical Advisory Panel) along to retail and hospitality accounts. recommendations, we hope to see many of these The BCLDB wholesale mark-up intensifies changes in the coming years. We are working the slightest cost increases by three to four closely with all of our industry partners to make times, resulting in dramatic wholesale changes. distribution improvements in BC. Our goal for a Retailers and hospitality operators will then win/win scenario would include providing product mark up the increased wholesale price before stability, assisting in educating staff and hence the product reaches the consumer. Margins in assuring customer loyalty. the entire industry vertical will be erased, and The Import Vintners & Spirits Association the consumer will end up paying more. Despite (IVSA) is the voice of import agencies in British Agents and partners absorbing the brunt of Columbia and Alberta and can be reached at higher inventory carrying costs and other cost [email protected]. 20 The Quarterly Pour Challenges Facing A Day in the Life Import Agents OF A PUBLICAN:

Creating a welcoming atmosphere is all in a day’s work for Marilyn, extending this ethos to staff and customers alike. “We have happy staff and zero turnover, which is amazing,” she says. “And we have great Marilyn Sanders customers—I’ve always fashioned any pub I’ve owned over the old TV show Cheers—everyone knows your name. You can buy a burger and The Sundowner beer anywhere, but you can’t have someone say ‘Hi Joe’ and bring your

by Amy Watkins beer or beverage of your choice before you ask for it.” Marilyn’s experience in the hospitality industry began back in 1996 when Early mornings are essential she bought her first pub, the Kennedy’s Pub in North Delta, before selling when you’re working 10-hour that and buying the Jolly Coachman in Pitt Meadows with her business days, seven days a week. partner Dave Crown. After 10 successful years (2003-2013) they sold Pub owner Marilyn Sanders the Jolly Coachman and Marilyn retired to enjoy being a grandmother. begins her day at 7am by Marilyn’s retirement was short-lived though as she was lured back two reading the local papers and years later, when her friend Russ told her that his sister was selling their doing a total recap of the pub, The Sundowner, and Marilyn had to buy it. previous day’s sales at her Running a successful pub is not without its challenges and after a pub, The Sundowner in Delta. busy day Marilyn catches up with the 6pm Global news before relaxing “I check every item, every sale, for the evening. She can sleep easy knowing that she’s worked hard to every side of fries, every bottle make things run as smoothly as possible. “Trust me, in hospitality there is of beer,” says Marilyn. “I dissect a hiccup every minute,” she says. “So if there is only a hiccup every hour it all and I do the banking. It’s then that was a good day.” seven days a week, no days off!” On a ‘normal’ day, Marilyn makes the 45-minute commute from her home in Coquitlam, travelling off-hours to avoid traffic. “The first thing I do is walk the floor and then check the merchandising bulletins and the BC Lottery information to make sure nothing is outdated,” says Marilyn. “I then check the sign out front and make sure it’s updated. I don’t want to go in on Monday and see something from last Tuesday, I’m kind of a fanatic.” Detail-oriented Marilyn talks to all the kitchen staff, front-of-house employees, and customers when she’s at the pub. Customer service and communication are key for Marilyn, and her social personality helps keep people motivated. In her early career, between 1964-1995, Marilyn worked for Safeway as a cashier and buyer, and for 25 years she was President of the Safeway Employees’ Association. Community involvement is a big part of Marilyn’s life in and outside of work. Pre-COVID, the weekly meat draw raised funds for Dreams Take Flight to send deserving kids to Disneyland—her manager Bruce MacGregor even chaperoned twice. “It’s heartwarming,” says Marilyn. “Customers love to know that the net profit goes to charity.” Pub fundraising has also helped the local school with playground equipment. “It’s a feel-good thing that makes us a big part of the community,” says Marilyn. “The pub had closed down in March 2015 and we had so many hugs and kisses when we reopened it in June 2015 after a huge renovation. People said, ‘Thanks for giving us back our neighbourhood pub.’” Sports fan and Canucks season ticket holder, Marilyn also added more TVs to the pub (24 from four) so there’s “not a bad seat in the house.”

The Quarterly Pour 21 Brand Consolidation: Better Together? by Joanne Sasvari

A guest sitting at the bar trying to decide what to drink might be dazzled Donnelly Group’s bar and beverage director. by the dozens and dozens of brands to choose from. But the truth is, that “What I have noticed is that as larger companies take on more and more choice is a lot smaller than it seems, and getting smaller all the time, thanks brands to represent, the portfolios definitely get diluted and the impact to global brand consolidation. of brand knowledge is less and less. The focus of the sales team is just Around 2014 to 2016, the world’s liquor brands went on a shopping spree. too vast—there’s too much to cover,” he says. “I have found, however, By the time Suntory had bought Jim Beam, Southern Wine & Spirits that the savvy companies are hiring ex-bartenders in portfolio roles so merged with Glazers, and Diageo had scooped up just about everything there’s at least a breadth of product knowledge that is making up for the else, only a handful of major players were left in the market, including Pernod long list of products to sell.” Ricard, Bacardi, and Brown Forman. “It’s ongoing, it’s continuous,” says Chris Funnell, who is currently the BC Cons of Consolidation wine sales manager for the distribution company Southern Glazers Wine Another issue is that smaller businesses might not have the same access & Spirits of Canada, but formerly repped its spirit brands. Just in the past to marketing dollars as the bigger players do. For instance, a small pub year or so, Diageo bought trendy upstart Aviation gin and Labatt snapped might not receive branded materials like bar mats, branded glassware, up Delta-based Goodridge & Williams, which makes industry juggernaut and cocktail shakers, and that can affect the bottom line. “There is a cost Nütrl vodka soda. That said, Funnell adds, “There hasn’t really been a big associated with that, as a bar owner, [so] you can take [it] out of your move in the last couple of years. But we’ll see how things open back up.” operating revenue,” Funnell says. Question is, has all this consolidation made things better or worse for From a private retailer’s standpoint, there is also frustration that big BC’s pubs and private retailers? A little of both. portfolios offer BC Liquor Stores “exclusives,” special products at special prices, that they can’t access. That gives the government, which already Pros of Consolidation controls distribution, an even greater advantage in a marketplace where it In many ways, consolidation has made things easier. Certainly, it’s been has 198 outlets compared to 699 private stores yet controls 45% of sales. a boon to small and mid-size brands that can struggle to get distribution “I don’t see it as a bad thing from an operations perspective,” says in a crowded market. And it’s a lot more convenient for a buyer to deal Megan Carson, general manager of The Strath Ale, Wine, Spirit with just one agent who reps multiple brands. Merchants. “Where I would have ordered from four people, now I order But now that lone agent needs to be an expert in more and more from one. And from a pub perspective, I don’t think it affects them at all. products, and that’s where challenges start to arise. As long as you’ve got five choices, that’s what matters.” “Regarding the consolidation of liquor brands to fewer and fewer But consolidation might not be such a good thing from a consumer distributors and portfolios, I don’t really see any downsides in terms perspective, even though the consumer is rarely aware of who actually of product quality, production or availability,” says Trevor Kallies, the owns their favourite brands. 22 The Quarterly Pour “They make the consumer think they’re getting a choice, but they’re really not. It’s deceiving in some ways,” Carson says. Who owns what? It’s not just a lack of choice: consolidation might also lead to higher prices. For instance, if a big brand buys two similar value-priced products, where they would have once competed against each other on price, now there is The Big Four: no incentive to do so. “You might suffer from pricing because there’s less competition on the back side,” she explains. “If efficiency can be gained by consolidation, that’s fine. Diageo – the largest of the conglomerates, with a portfolio that But competition is being eliminated, and that might lead to higher prices.” includes more than 30 whisky distilleries and 34% ownership of Moët It’s all about scale. It’s easier, and more lucrative, for one big player to deal Hennessy. It owns Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Bailey’s Irish Cream, with another, and to use that to its advantage. As Funnell says, “They have Aviation gin, Casamigos tequila, Tanqueray gin, Captain Morgan rum, deep pockets, and they use that money to leverage all these partnerships. Don Julio tequila, Ketel One vodka, Guinness beer, Bulleit bourbon Smaller scale guys less so.” For instance, a big portfolio brand might approach and Canadian brands Crown Royal and Seagram’s and more. a restaurant chain or sports arena and work out a deal where the licensee Pernod Ricard - the world’s second largest distiller (based on promises to carry the portfolio’s hard seltzer so they can get the beer they overall production) owns Absolut vodka, Chivas Regal, Jameson Irish want and, as a result, competitors’ brands are discouraged. whiskey, Beefeater gin and Havana Club. It’s a majority shareholder in Corby Spirit and Wine, the Canadian company that started in Enhanced Flexibility 1826 and includes the Hiram Walker plant in Windsor and iconic On the other hand, smaller businesses can have fewer restrictions and brands like J.P. Wiser’s whisky. more flexibility, when it comes to purchasing wine, beer and spirits. Beam Suntory – the world’s third largest distiller with a portfolio Talk to a small pub owner like Phil Tapping at North Vancouver’s that includes Courvoisier cognac, Gilbey’s gin, Cruzan rum, Sauza The Gull, and he just shrugs. “I’m not affected too much because I’ve and Hornitos tequilas, and whiskies such as Maker’s Mark, Canadian worked out a deal with Corby’s and have a well program going with them. Club, Alberta Premium, Laphroaig, and Bowmore. The ordering is more simple because they have all the skus I need, and I just go to one rep. It’s a bit of a positive in that sense,” he says. Bacardi Limited – portfolio includes more than 200 labels in At the same time, Tapping can order any specialty brands he likes, if he just about every category from Bombay gin to Cazadores tequila, wants to. “It’s not like it’s set in stone that I have to order from them. I haven’t Grey Goose vodka, Martini vermouth, St-Germain and Bénédictine signed a contract or anything,” he says. liqueurs and several whiskies, including Dewar’s and Angel’s Envy bourbon.

Boutique Brands Other Notables: include Brown-Forman, The Edrington Group, It’s the really unique boutique brands that struggle to fit into the consolidation Moët Hennessy, Gruppo Campari, and Rémy Cointreau. scenario because they don’t produce enough volume or consistent supply. “You’re talking big business, big categories, your big wineries. They’re not dealing with smaller players like natural or low-intervention wines,” Funnell explains. Instead, you’re more likely to see the big mainstream brands, as well as a growing selection of interesting smaller (but not too small) products like Casamigos tequila, which was started by George Clooney and friends, but now is part of Diageo. All that said, the impact of consolidation isn’t being felt as much in Canada as it is in the US, thanks to our complex and fragmented liquor sales system. In the US, after Southern and Glazers merged in 2016, they became the country’s biggest distribution company by far, representing more than 60% of wine, spirits, and beer. Now a new channel is proving even more disruptive: e-commerce platforms like Drizly and Amazon, which offer both convenience and cost savings. Uber, the ride-share and food-delivery platform that made over US$11 billion last year, recently purchased Drizly, with the plan to expand alcohol e-commerce beyond America’s borders. But that will likely be difficult here in BC, where it’s hard to discount liquor, rules are complicated and restrictive, and the distributor is the government, which also has its own retail channel. That has made e-commerce of liquor a challenge here, although some retailers, like the Neighbourhood Liquor Store in Maple Ridge, have had impressive results. In other words, consolidation isn’t the biggest worry for BC’s pubs and private retailers. “Being able to purchase at a wholesale cost, that was a bigger hurdle in BC,” Funnell notes. “Having these relationships with a large- scale liquor supplier is important, but not as important as it was in the past.” Now the pressing issue is supply: The cost of everything is rising, shipping woes are only increasing and, as we’ve learned through a year and half of COVID, the only thing that’s certain is uncertainty. Maybe, when it comes to consolidation, we’ve just accepted it as inevitable. As Funnell says, “There is a bit of fatigue there to see all of this amalgamation happening.” The Quarterly Pour 23 acidity from Macedonia, northern Greece. Pale yellow with green reflections, the nose Spirits is marked by aromas of citrus fruits, white Batida De Côco, the original Brazilian what's flowers, and bergamot orange. Release alcoholic coconut liquor, Mangaroca Batida September 2021, 750ml $18.98 whsl de Côco, has a light, naturally sweet taste +423652 and can be enjoyed neat on the rocks, as a Mirabeau Forever Summer is a lighter ABV long drink, or as a base for exotic cocktails. coming? vegan rosé, fresh and vibrant with a nose of Release August 2021, 12x750ml $16.69 by Deb Froehlick peach marmalade, apricot, pink grapefruit, +093582 and acacia honey. It has a crisp, citrus acidity Turkey Tom is an American bourbon made in Wine with fresh and mild notes on the palate and a toasted barrel. Caramel, oak, and cherries Hester Creek Estate Winery Ti Amo a finish of hints of lime and apricot. Release dominate the palate. Release August 2021, 2020 is from Hester Creek’s Foundation August 2021, 750ml $17.86 whsl +009322 750ml $89.99 whsl +476452 Series. It is a versatile prosecco-style wine Bedin Prosecco DOC Rosé Treviso 2020 Darkness 8-Year-Old is a single malt Scotch made in the classic Charmat-Martinotti is a sparkling pink from the Bedin family’s whisky, matured in ex-bourbon barrels and method comprised primarily of Pinot Gris, estate certified sustainable vineyards. Made custom-made Oloroso sherry octave casks, Gewürztraminer and Sémillon from the from the indigenous Glera grape and Pinot resulting in intense sherried notes. Release winery’s estate and local Oliver vineyards. Noir, it has a floral rose petal freshness with August 2021, 6x700ml $79.99 +108250 Radiant and creamy, this frizzante shows strawberry and white peach. The Charmat Poli Distillerie Marconi 42 Gin is an Italian delicate floral scents of rose petal followed by method produces fine bubbles with a gin infusion of juniper berries, rosemary, a lively palate of passion fruit, lychee, and a creamy texture. Release August 2021, 750ml mint, basil, thyme, coriander, and cardamom touch of citrus. Release August 2021, 750ml $15.99 whsl +111928 from the Italian Mediterranean bush. Release $17.50 whsl +101422 August 2021, 700ml $9.99 +445979 Hester Creek Estate Winery Garland RTD 2017 is from Hester Creek’s Origin Series. Dillons Negroni, a classic Italian style Other It is crafted with handpicked grapes from its bitter, is crafted with their Dry Gin 7, sweet Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Ginger Ale historic 1968 Golden Mile Bench estate. This vermouth and bitter aperitivo in equal is a unique blend of three of the world’s finest premium Bordeaux-style wine is a blend of measure. The traditional dry-style gin has naturally-sourced gingers, subtle botanical Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot, Malbec, a base of 100% Ontario rye grain, made by flavours, fruit sugars, and spring water. An with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and vapour distilling through juniper and other authentic, refreshing taste and aroma, it is Merlot. Aged 24 months in primarily French botanicals. The vermouth has a base of perfectly balanced to enhance the flavour oak barrels, the premier red blend shows Niagara wine, is fortified with grape spirit, notes of the world’s finest whiskies and heady fruit aromas of blackberry, Italian and finished with wormwood, vanilla, rums. Release August 2021, 6x4x200ml plum, and blueberry, with wafts of antelope chinchona, gentian, sarsaparilla, and +8-12136-03104-5 brush and cedar. The palate is fruit forward citrus. The aperitivo is crafted with citrus, Barnet Technologies Corporation with light herbs, framed in a full tannin rhubarb, wormwood, violets, and a touch of is pleased to announce their new cloud- structure. Release August 2021, 750ml cinnamon. Release August 2021, 6x4x125ml based point-of-sale system, specifically $48.02 +145362 $18.99 +381390 designed for pubs. Complete with an Sweet Bliss Strawberry is bursting with Dillons Manhattan is a traditional Manhattan e-commerce online store—powerful and all-natural fruit flavours. 6.3% ABV. Release cocktail, made from Dillon’s five-year-old affordable technology with Internet access August 2021, 750ml $6.29 +521986. Also grain to glass rye whisky, Niagara-grown from any device, at anytime, in real time. available: Sweet Bliss Mango +521768 sweet vermouth, and aromatic bitters, https://barnetpos.com/ Plano Malagousia Wine Art Estate 2019 aged in ex-aromatic bitters barrels. Release is a full-bodied white wine with refreshing August 2021, 6x4x125ml $18.99 +381387

24 The Quarterly Pour » BC Hospitality Foundation

BC’s Hospitality Charity Awards 2021 Scholarships We know it’s still not “business as usual” in the tourism and hospitality sector, and there continue to be many distractions. We want to remind everyone of our charity’s central mission, as it may not have been at the top of your mind lately. The BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) provides assistance for tourism and hospitality workers facing financial crisis due to a serious health condition experienced by themselves or a family member. For example, in the past we’ve helped people who underwent knee surgery and kidney transplants as well as people with cancer diagnoses and mental health issues. Please get in touch with us if you, or someone you know, needs our help. Information about eligibility and applications may be found on www.bchospitalityfoundation.com. The BCHF also administers a scholarship program, and we recently finalized this year’s awards. There were 39 scholarship recipients, in categories that ranged from Sommelier to Hospitality to Culinary studies. The total amount of funds awarded exceeded $45,000. Recipients are enrolled in post- secondary institutions and culinary academies across the province, from Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver to Selkirk College in the Kootenays and the University of Victoria. We know the scholarships can have a significant positive impact on the lives of future leaders of the industry here in BC. Brianna McKeage, who was awarded one of the new BC WISE scholarships for individuals wishing to further their career in the wine industry in BC, noted, “We’ve all been through some tough times this past 18 months, so it’s great that we can come together as an industry to support each other, as well as continue to improve ourselves.” Hospitality scholarship recipient Natasha Menancio commented that the scholarship she received would “motivate me even more to excel in school. This industry brings so many people from different backgrounds together, and I’m so appreciative to have met many classmates and instructors who are dedicated and passionate about this industry!” Showing that we value and support our own community also helps keep homegrown talent here in BC. BC WISE recipient Vince Heck states that when he began working in the wine industry he was “incredibly motivated by the quality and diversity of wine that we could achieve in BC, and I couldn’t wait to hone my knowledge and skills to become a winemaker here. Being awarded this scholarship has fueled my passion and loyalty to further contribute to developing our incredible wine industry in BC.” The BCHF thanks all the generous scholarship sponsors, our valued donors, and everyone who applied. We were very impressed by the calibre of the submissions we received, and we encourage unsuccessful applicants to try again next year.

The Quarterly Pour 25 Winereport by Tim Ellison What Makes Wine Orange? Orange wine is all the rage now. But can’t all wine be orange? At least at some point in its life? What exactly is orange to begin with? On the colour wheel, orange is the tone of orange WSET Level 3 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® exactly halfway between red and yellow and APPEARANCE along that wheel are other colours commonly used to describe wine. Amber and brown for Clarity clear – hazy (faulty?) whites, orange for rosé, and garnet, tawny, and brown for reds. Intensity pale – medium – deep

Colour white lemon-green – lemon – gold – amber – brown rosé pink – salmon – orange red purple – ruby – garnet – tawny – brown

Source: WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Systematic Approach to Tasting. Used with permission from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (London, UK)

First, let’s look at the easiest and most hue, the term tawny is more appropriate. obvious cause, skin contact. Colour pigment All these hues include the colour orange at some lives in the skin of the grape. Wine that has had level. These wines typically would have to age skin contact at some point during fermentation for long periods of time in a vessel that is not will extract colour. In the case of white wine impermeable to oxygen. The most obvious examples of orange are varietals, it is possible to achieve an orange There are other ways to achieve an orange shown in whites left to ferment on their skins. hue provided the right grape material is used. hue in wine. Wines can be ‘cooked’ by storing These wines can gain an orange colour from Non-skin contact whites are not exempt from barrels in hot cellars or utilizing ovens or radiant grape varietals such as Gewürztraminer and displaying orange colours at some point in their hot water systems like the Portuguese ‘Estufa’ Pinot Gris. Often made by non-interventionist life. Whites with just a hint or orange or brown to gain an orange/brown hue. Think the amber, winemakers, these wines tend to be part of the may be described as ‘gold’ as per the WSET tawny, and brown colours of Rutherglen ‘natural’ wine movement. Level 3 SAT. If wines are exposed to sufficient Muscats or Madeira. But is this orange hue the exclusive domain of oxygen during fermentation, handling, and/or The result is that at some level orange these natural, non-interventionist white wines? A the ageing process then colourization of the hues can exist in white, rosé, or red wines. quick perusal of the Wine and Spirit Education wine can occur. The orange colours may be achieved via a Trust Systematic Approach to Tasting will see The ageing effect on colour is true for red variety of methods including skin contact, that orange is indeed an explicit option under wine as well. For rosé and red you can basically extended ageing programs, and exposure to colour. It is alluded to via its natural inclusion use any red-skinned grape, and techniques oxygen or heat. These hues may be more subtle in other colours like amber, garnet, tawny, and like cold soaking or extended maceration times in some wines than others, but they exist none- brown and explicitly as an option for rosés. can be used to improve extract and deepen the the-less, and retailers and servers should be So, how do wines get to be orange? Is it always colour. The orange tone may be a part of a more aware of that, so they can provide an accurate a sign of quality, good or bad? dominant colour like garnet and increase its description to consumers. There are a couple of ways for wines to appearance by developing over time. Reds that become orange. Skin contact and oxidation are display noticeable orange or brown tones can be Tim Ellison is a Certified Sommelier and Chef common examples. described as garnet, provided the wine remains de Cuisine working currently as Director of Sales at the prestigious Vancouver Club. more red than brown. If brown is the dominant

26 The Quarterly Pour in late 1933, bourbon began its steady comeback and in 1964 was recognized by Congress as a “distinctive product of the United States.” SPIRIT Today bourbon is a multi-billion-dollar business. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, in 2018, distillers earned US $3.6 billion in revenue from sales of bourbon (including Tennessee SPOTLIGHT whiskey, a close cousin). In 2019, Kentucky distillers filled an estimated 1.7 million barrels with bourbon, bringing the number of casks of sleeping spirit to 7.5 million. Across the board, bourbon comprises two-thirds of Bourbon: The America’s spirit exports. Although there may appear to be dozens of bourbon brands, and new Spirit of America craft distilleries are popping up across the country, most are owned by a handful of national and international conglomerates. For instance, the The easy-going whiskey is legendary cult whisky Pappy Van Winkle, which will set you back a few hundred bucks if you can get your hands on it, is produced by the Buffalo ideal in cocktails or simply Trace Distillery, which is itself owned by the New Orleans-based Sazerac Company, which produces 17 different bourbon brands. Four Roses is enjoyed on its own owned by Japan’s Kirin Brewing Company, Bulleit by Diageo, and by Joanne Sasvari the hand-crafted, small-batch Maker’s Mark is owned by the liquor giant Beam Suntory. Then again, what really matters is what is in the glass, and what is in the glass is a sweet, spicy, smooth elixir, with flavours of caramel, vanilla or Bourbon, quite simply, is America’s whiskey. (And yes, it’s spelled with an honey, figs, pears, cherries or flowers, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, E, unlike scotch or Canadian whisky.) It was the liquor the cowboys drank clove or tobacco leaf. in the Wild West, the spirit attendees at the Kentucky Derby enjoy in their Bourbon can be enjoyed straight, on ice, or in a cocktail. Classic drinks Mint Juleps, the sipper about which Mark Twain reportedly said, “If I like the Old Fashioned, Mint Julep and Whisky Sour were all designed with cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go.” bourbon in mind. But it’s also delicious in creative modern concoctions, Bourbon has seen an enormous spike in popularity in recent years, or simply lengthened with soda in a highball. thanks to the rise of cocktail culture and the corresponding increase in And that is why, more than two centuries later, bourbon is still the quality expressions. But it also has a long and storied past. spirit of America. Bourbon is a barrel-aged spirit distilled primarily from corn (by law, at least 51% of the mash bill must be corn; the rest is usually barley, rye or wheat) then aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least two years. Only then may it be labelled “Straight Bourbon Whiskey.” It can only be made in the United States, and although 95% of it is produced in Kentucky, it can legally be distilled in any state. Very little is known about how bourbon was invented or who distilled the first batch, but its history dates back to the 1700s, to all those Scots, Irish, and other European settlers who populated the southeastern American states. They blended Old World distilling knowledge with New World ingredients, primarily corn, an abundant crop rich in sugars that could easily be transformed into alcohol, and created the spirit of a new nation. Known at first only as whiskey or moonshine, by the 1870s it was officially called bourbon. The origins of the name are as much a mystery as who created it in the first place. Yes, it references France’s royal Bourbon family, but it’s doubtful those revolutionaries and republicans would name a spirit after a bunch of aristocrats. It more likely honoured Kentucky’s Bourbon County or Bourbon Street in New Orleans, a major shipping port. Its early popularity grew when the Revolutionary War of 1775-1783 made rum from British protectorates both expensive and unpatriotic. Only a few years after “no taxation without representation” became a rallying cry, bourbon was at the centre of a major tax revolt, the Whiskey Rebellion (1791-1794). It continued to grow in popularity throughout the 19th century, first as cocktails became fashionable and later as phylloxera destroyed vines across Europe and sent prices of Cognac soaring. Then, in 1919, America went dry with the proclamation of the 18th amendment. Prohibition closed almost all the distilleries, many of them permanently. If anyone was drinking whisky, it was likely to be bootlegged Canadian rye smuggled across the border. With the repeal of Prohibition

The Quarterly Pour 27 » LCRB Report by Mary Sue Maloughney, General Manager, LCRB 2021 Fall Updates Over the past year, the Liquor and Cannabis Businesses that are interested in making could charge restaurants at 15% to support Regulation Branch (LCRB) has launched their current TESA authorization permanent will struggling businesses that were being charged various measures to support our licensees and have to apply for a permanent structural change exorbitant fees by food delivery companies. the sectors we regulate through the COVID-19 through the Liquor and Cannabis Licensing While much of our work has been dedicated crisis. Now, as we move forward with BC’s Portal. And, while the LCRB has amended to helping businesses through the pandemic, restart plan, the LCRB continues to support our policies and processes to help improve the LCRB remained committed to improving licensee recovery from the economic effects of application timelines, we encourage licensees the services we provide. As I mentioned in my the pandemic. to submit their permanent structural change last update, March marked the launch of the Most recently, the Province amended the applications as soon as possible to help avoid third phase of the LCRB’s Liquor Modernization Liquor Control and Licensing Regulation to disruptions in business. project, which brought liquor licensees online to further extend existing Temporary Expanded Our support for industry has also extended improve our business operations and service Service Area (TESA) authorizations from through the efforts of the LCRB’s compliance and delivery. With that in mind, the LCRB has October 31, 2021 to June 1, 2022, to support enforcement team. Over the past months, LCRB expanded the scope of the project to include the hospitality industry’s economic recovery inspectors worked with government partners, Special Event Permits (SEP). You can expect to and the delivery of the Minister of Public Safety such as health officers and WorkSafeBC staff hear more about this project in the future as we and Solicitor General’s mandate commitment to ensure consistent and clear oversight and work to modernize the SEP system. to make temporarily expanded service areas enforcement of the Provincial Health Officer’s The LCRB is looking forward to BC’s safe permanent. (PHO) orders. Through an approach that reopening and the ongoing recovery of the This extra time will ensure existing and prioritized voluntary compliance and education, liquor and hospitality industries. We appreciate prospective TESAs can operate without LCRB inspectors helped hundreds of licensees the patience and resilience of all our licensees interruption as they transition toward becoming comply with PHO orders without enforcement as we navigated the difficulties posed by a permanent part of BC’s hospitality landscape. measures and issued only 18 violation tickets COVID-19 together, and as we undertake the In addition, this change will provide local between January and March 2021. work necessary for recovery and beyond. governments and Indigenous Nations more time In response to licensee feedback and to review eligible applications for permanent concerns raised by the general public, the LCRB Mary Sue Maloughney is Assistant Deputy structural changes before TESA authorizations also led the compliance and enforcement efforts Minister and General Manager, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch. expire and to consider the implications of related to the Emergency Program Act order, permanent approval for their communities. which capped the fees delivery service providers

28 The Quarterly Pour » NAMES IN THE NEWS by Deb Froehlick New Members PRODUCT ABLE BC welcomes the following new members: Direct Tap Order For Me SHOWCASE Kelowna Curling Club Royal Canadian Legion BC/Yukon Command Awards 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition The 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition was held April 1-20 at One Market Restaurant in San Francisco, with more than 3,500 entries from all over the world.

Collective Arts Distilling of Hamilton, Ontario won Best Flavored Gin with its Lavender and Juniper Gin!

Canadian Club of Windsor, Ontario took home Best Canadian Whisky honours for their Chronicles 43-Year-Old-Whisky. Highlights from Best in Show winners include: Best White Spirit: Mezcal Amarás Cupreata, Mexico Best Whiskey: Glen Scotia 25-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch, Scotland Best Liqueur: Choya Umeshu Craft Fruit, Japan Best Brandy: Tacama Demonio de Los Andes Acholado Pisco, Peru For a complete list of winners go to www.sfspiritscomp.com/results/ GIGGLEWATER REBEL VODKA British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) has once ROSE PROSECCO Vodka/Spirit MILISIEME 2020 Canada again earned a place on BC’s Top Employers 2021 list! Announced Sparkling Wine in February, the winners of the 16th annual competition, organized In the beginning, there Italy by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, were recognized for was the apple, plucked leadership in their industries for offering exceptional places to work. Blend of Glera & from the branch by Pinot Noir grapes roguish hands. There

were Adam and Eve and The color is peach pink Advertisers the serpent conspiring with delicate deep red ABLE BC 28 Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits 23 in the Garden of Eden glimmers. It has a BC Hospitality Foundation 30 MJB Lawyers 9 to eat from the Tree of delicate perlage and BC Liquor Conference IBC Pick-See 15 Knowledge, to taste the foam is rich and BWI Business World 7 RBC 29 the most delicious and Cobees Enterprise Ltd. IFC Royal LePage Sterling Realty 24 persistent. The aroma forbidden of all fruits. David Herman & Son 29 Tesla Import Export 11, 20, 21 is reminiscent of pink Forbidden Spirits Distilling Co. 29 Thrive Liquor & Cannabis Advisors 30 grapefruit, raspberry Rebel Vodka is G Consulting Liquor Consulting Services 15 Time Access Systems Inc 27 and blackcurrant with handcrafted from only Hester Creek Estate Winery 16-17 Vita Pro 21 BC a hint of wild roses. the finest B.C. apples INEO Solutions Inc. 25 Western Financial Group 19 Insurance Solutions Its taste is intense with and distilled 25 times adequate acidity, well- in our artisan copper balanced and fresh with still, one batch at a notes of raspberry. time. Defying tradition, resisting everything but 750ml +70780 temptation. Dangerously Speculative smooth. $15.40 Wholesale 750ml +147292 604-737-0018 dhs-wine.com 250-764-6011 forbiddenspirits.ca

The Quarterly Pour 29 » ABLE BC Membership Report by Danielle Leroux

It goes without saying that the last 18 months have been incredibly permanently allowed to sell alcohol with takeaway and delivery meals, and challenging for many of your businesses. ABLE BC has been working permanent extension of hours of sale for liquor retailers. hard every day to ensure the survival of our industry and now, support • $375 million in provincial grants: the Small and Medium Sized our members as they recover from this crisis. Business Recovery Grant ($300 million fund) and Circuit Breaker Business Here are some of the things we’ve done to help since the start of the Relief Grant ($75 million fund) were a direct result of advocacy work by COVID-19 pandemic: ABLE BC and our industry partners. • COVID-19 email updates: over 200 daily and weekly email updates • Supported you in reopening your businesses: we have worked sent since March 2020 giving you the information you need to know—in closely with the Provincial Health Officer and WorkSafeBC to establish a clear and concise format. sensible reopening guidelines and amend public orders throughout the • Monthly Q&A: opportunity to join our Executive Director on Zoom, pandemic. get updated on the state of BC’s liquor industry and our advocacy work, And more. For more information on how we’ve supported industry and have your questions answered about public orders and regulations. throughout the COVID-19 crisis, please download our COVID-19 Advocacy • Regular surveys: to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on Report at ABLEBC.ca. your business. Survey results were used directly in our discussions with government. 2021-22 Membership Renewals • Access to industry experts and free resources: provided free In August, we will be sending out our 2021-22 membership renewals resources, like guidance on vaccination workplace policies, and webinars by email and mail. We understand some renewals may be impacted by with industry experts, on topics like crisis communications and insurance, COVID-19, but we need your support more than ever to continue the work throughout the pandemic. we’re doing to help industry recover. • Been your voice to government: throughout the crisis, ABLE We appreciate you renewing your membership as soon as you receive BC has been an active participant on multiple committees focused your renewal package. Here’s how to renew your membership: on managing the crisis and reopening the province, including the BC • Login to your account at ABLEBC.ca and pay online COVID-19 Cabinet, Coalition of BC Businesses, Vancouver’s Hospitality • Mail a cheque made payable to Alliance of Beverage Licensees Sector Roundtable, and Business Technical Advisory Panel. We also to 200-948 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1N9 speak with senior officials at all levels of government on a daily basis to • Send your credit card information to Danielle by phone advocate for your interests, gain clarity on public orders and regulations, (604-688-5560), fax (604-688-8560), or email ([email protected]) and share your concerns. • Secured wholesale pricing for hospitality customers: If you have any questions or concerns about your membership, please hospitality customers can now purchase products at wholesale prices. don’t hesitate to contact me. This is the most important and significant liquor policy change in a generation and this pricing change helped thousands of neighbourhood Help Ensure Our Advocacy Work Continues pubs and restaurants walk back from the brink of bankruptcy. During this crisis, your businesses have been dramatically impacted—the • Liquor policy changes to help your businesses survive: association has been too. Our success is tied to your success. If you’re not a number of policy changes made during the COVID-19 crisis are in already a member and can support the work we’re doing to help industry direct response to the advocacy work for ABLE BC, the Business recover, we would appreciate your membership now more than ever. Technical Advisory Panel, and our industry partners. These include Sign up for membership online at ABLEBC.ca or contact me for more temporary extension of patio and service areas, liquor and food primaries information: [email protected].

30 The Quarterly Pour