the The Alliance of Beverage Licensees Publican Spring 2015 Featuring The Mission Taphouse & Grill Pub Trends in the UK 40026059 # • Appealing to Millennials T • Liquor Sales in Grocery Stores AGREEMEN • Marketing Using Mobile Apps Featured Publican Stephen Stinson The Mission Tap House & Grill Quarterly Publication for the Alliance of Beverage Licensees 2nd floor 948 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1N9 T 604-688-5560 F 604-688-8560 Toll free 1-800-663-4883 [email protected] www.ablebc.ca @ABLEBC 2015-2016 Board of Directors & ABLE BC Staff Cover photo courtesy of BrewDog President Poma Dhaliwal Vice President Mariana Fiddler Treasurer Steve Smith 16 Directors Brady Beruschi, Rick Browning, Al Deacon, Patrick Greenfield, Roger Gibson, Al McCreary, Danny Rickaby Executive Director Jeff Guignard Membership & Communications Danielle Leroux The Publican Editorial Committee Joey Gibbons, Damian Kettlewell, Gary McPhail, Brian Riedlinger, 6 12 20 24 Jeff Tennant Designed, Produced & Published by: EMC Publications the 19073 63 Avenue, Surrey BC V3S 8G7 Ph: 604-574-4577 1-800-667-0955 Fax: 604-574-2196 [email protected] www.emcmarketing.com PublicanSpring 2015 Publisher Joyce Hayne Designer Krysta Furioso Copy Editor Debbie Minke ABLE BC Editor Jeff Guignard Features Departments Copyright EMC Publications 6 Pub Trends in the UK 4 President’s Message PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40026059 12 Liquor Sales in Grocery Stores 5 Executive Director's Report RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES 11 Product Showcase TO CIRCULATION DEPT EMC PUBLICATIONS 16 Profile - The Mission Taphouse & Grill 19073 63 AVENUE 15 Spotlight on BC Craft Distilleries SURREY BC V3S 8G7 18 Tips for Updating Your Patio 18 LCLB Report email: [email protected] 20 Marketing Using Mobile Apps 19 Liquor Sales & Trends 24 Appealing to Millennials 23 What's New? 28 BCHF Update 29 ABLE Benefits 29 Names in the News The statements, opinions & points of view expressed in 30 Wine Report published articles are not necessarily those of ABLE BC. Advertisers are not necessarily endorsed by ABLE BC. President's Message by Poma Dhaliwal As many of you are no doubt aware, BC’s private These new wholesale ordering processes and As April 1 approaches, we at ABLE BC are working liquor industry is on the verge of significant pricing mark-up schedules have left many of our hard to ensure the voices of pubs and private changes. In just a few short weeks, the BC Liquor members wondering exactly how much they will liquor store members are at the forefront of Distribution Branch will be separating its internal pay for products starting April 1. Unfortunately, the discussion. On behalf of the industry, we operations into wholesale and retail divisions. the LDB won’t be releasing that information are meeting regularly with Ministers, MLAs, As of April 1, all liquor retailers in the province until March 6. We also won’t know until March 20 and government officials at all levels to help - including private liquor stores, wine stores, what the new retail prices at government liquor the government understand the business rural agency stores, and government liquor stores will be. implications of their policy decisions. I have also raised our concerns directly with Premier Christy stores - will be purchasing liquor from the LDB’s Frankly, we think that the government is moving Clark, who assured me the government was new Wholesale Customer Centre at a common too fast with implementing these changes and committed to working with us in the days ahead. wholesale price. This is a substantial shift in how is not giving industry sufficient time to adjust. private liquor stores do business. ABLE BC has We’ve told them that these tight timelines make As we continue to advocate with our government been front and centre throughout the process to it extremely difficult for liquor licensees to make partners, ABLE BC is also building alliances and fight for our members’ interests and keep them informed business decisions about inventory and finding common ground with all those who would informed of the changes. pricing strategies. We’ve asked the government to seek to foster a thriving and prosperous liquor These changes will have many consequences for slow down and consult with industry so we can all industry. It is clear to me that now, more than our industry - one being that private liquor stores work together and avoid any unintended negative ever, it is vital we all stand together to advocate will no longer be able to purchase product from consequences of this new system. for the future of our businesses. We have a lot of work ahead of us, and we will only succeed if we BC Liquor Stores at a discounted or wholesale Here are the other changes happening April 1: price. The wholesale price will only be available all work together. • Grocery stores will be allowed to sell liquor from the Wholesale Customer Centre, so if you To learn more about the changes happening through the store-within-a-store model purchase products from a BC Liquor Store, you April 1, or what ABLE BC is doing to protect the • BC government liquor stores will be allowed will be charged full retail price. investments of BC’s liquor licensees, please visit to offer refrigeration and to stay open longer our website, www.ablebc.ca and consider joining As well, private liquor stores will be required hours, including on Sundays ABLE BC if you’re not already a member. to purchase privately distributed beer directly • The 5 km rule will be lifted from the brewery or distributor. You can find • The 1 km rule will be expanded to government If there is anything else we can do to help, or if you a list of privately distributed breweries, third stores have questions about upcoming changes, I hope party distributors, and beer products available you won’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact Each of these issues has important implications on the LDB’s website at www.ldbwholesale.com. us at any time at [email protected] or 604-688-5560. (Privately distributed domestic wine will not be for the liquor industry as a whole. You can find full affected.) details on our website, www.ablebc.ca. 4 The Publican Executive Director's Report by Jeff Guignard As you can well imagine, a large amount of time few months, I have continued to travel around the our bi-weekly Industry Update e-newsletters, in the ABLE BC head office has been consumed by province to meet members and liquor industry or on our website (www.ablebc.ca), Twitter dealing with the ongoing changes to BC’s liquor associates through our popular monthly member (www.twitter.com/ablebc), or Facebook (www. policies - things like a shift to wholesale pricing meetings. Most recently, we held meetings in facebook.com/ablebc). for liquor retailers, private liquor stores being Abbotsford, Victoria, and Vancouver. I want to able to move into grocery stores, wine on grocery thank those who attended these meetings as shelves, and the numerous policy consultations well as all those who came out to our Vancouver Our CONNECT Tradeshow arising from the 73 recommendations in the Networking Reception at the Molson Brewery on I am very pleased to report that our second government’s Liquor Policy Review. As details Jan. 26. It was great to see so many passionate annual CONNECT industry tradeshow was a unfold, we are working tirelessly behind the licensees coming together to discuss how we can resounding success. A partnership between ABLE scenes to advocate for the interests of BC’s pubs work together to build a thriving and prosperous BC, the BC Hotel Association, and Restaurants and private liquor stores. liquor industry. Canada, CONNECT offers our industry a unique We also strive to keep our members informed so Whether you own a pub, liquor store, hotel, or opportunity to celebrate successes and share they can better adapt to these changes.To that end, simply have a professional interest in the liquor ideas for how we can grow our respective we have introduced significant improvements industry, I view these meetings as a critical businesses. Feedback from the several thousand to our Industry Update e-newsletter, and have opportunity to answer your concerns directly attendees at this year’s show was overwhelmingly created several downloadable industry fact and to hear face-to-face about the issues that positive, and we’ve already begun planning to sheets (available at www.ablebc.ca) on a wide matter most to you and your business. It is also an make 2015 our best year yet. range of specific liquor policy issues. I hope you important chance for members to ask questions Be sure to mark your calendar for the 3rd annual find these tools timely and informative to help about current and upcoming changes to liquor CONNECT Food + Drink + Lodging tradeshow you understand these issues and assist you in policies, and to learn about the many preferred coming to Vancouver October 18-19, 2015. discussions with your MLAs and elected officials, pricing plans and benefit programs available Many of ABLE BC’s associate members exhibit at customers, and the public-at-large. exclusively to ABLE BC members. CONNECT and it’s a great opportunity to meet Throughout 2015, ABLE BC will be expanding on one-on-one with your industry suppliers. Visit www.connectshow.com for more details. Have Your Say at Member Meetings our member meetings by also hosting a series of networking events, business seminars, and I look forward to connecting with you soon. Until As I have mentioned before, I believe a vital liquor policy workshops to help you grow your then, if you have any questions, comments, or aspect of my job is to connect directly with ABLE business and to manage some of the changes suggestions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch BC members whenever possible.