Emilie Lapointe, Centretown News
Despite new laws regulating the sale of alcohol, smaller local stores such as The Red Apron are left out based on strict regulations such as their store size.This holiday season there is a new reason to say cheers. Consumers will soon be able to pick up a six-pack of beer along with their milk, eggs and bread at select Ontario grocery stores.
Farm Boy made the initial list, as well as mega-chains Sobeys, Loblaws, and Wal-mart. According to the Government of Ontario’s website, up to 450 grocery stores will be authorized to sell beer, with the goal of ensuring fair competition and distribution, including small and large grocers from across the province.
However, the strict regulations on who can and cannot sell beer in their stores left some local businesses drier than prohibition. In order to be eligible to sell alcohol under the new regulations, stores must sell a full line of food products, not be primarily considered a pharmacy and have a minimum of 10,000 square feet dedicated to food products.
There’s one requirement that prohibits stores such as the Red Apron from being able to sell beer to their customers – its size. The Red Apron is a specialty food store, which focuses on providing customers with meals made from local, seasonal, and organic products. Co-owner Jennifer Heagle thought they were a perfect fit for the program when it was first announced.
“We thought this was an opportunity to expand our services, but also to provide an outlet for these smaller (brewing companies) to get their product to the consumer market,” says Heagle.
Once they saw the list of requirements they knew it would be impossible for them, and many other small businesses, to sell beer in their stores. Many small businesses don’t have enough square feet to be eligible under the new regulations.
“The guidelines are written to make sure that underage people don’t drink, and I don’t feel that a gourmet food shop is where underage drinkers are going to come to buy their beer,” says Heagle.
The Red Apron co-operates with several local craft brewing companies and incorporates their products into their dishes. Heagle says their clientele are people who would want to support local businesses as well as pair good food with good beer, not underage people looking to get drunk on a Friday night.
Dominion City Brewing Company is a relatively new craft brewery in Ottawa. The only way to get their products is either at a bar on tap or in bottles directly from their brewery.
Josh McJannett, a co-owner of Dominion City, says that despite some feeling that these changes are smaller than they could be, any change is positive.
“The government is listening to consumers who are more and more interested in craft beer and locally produced beer, and they are trying to bring change about and provide people with more options to get their hands on it,” he says.
The sale of alcohol has been tightly regulated. These new buying options reflect a more modern stance on alcohol consumption. Under the new rules, 20 per cent of shelf space at The Beer Store will be dedicated to craft brews.
McJannett says that this is a good first step but that there’s still more work to be done in order to allow stores such as The Red Apron to sell alcohol.
Heagle says that if they were ever able to sell beer or wine at The Red Apron, it would only be from local or Ontario brewers such as Dominion City.
She says that it’s important to support smaller businesses when guidelines such as these tend to favour large corporations.
“You are making a political statement every time you open up your wallet and spend a dollar,” she says.
Beer will reach 60 grocery stores’ shelves as soon as the stores complete an application to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
The store locations that are eligible to sell beer will be released later this month.