Province to expand grocery beer sales

By Noah Richardson

As many as 80 more food outlets across the province could be stocking suds on their shelves by the summer, but there’s no official word yet whether any Centretown retailers will be among them.

Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government announced earlier this month that the new stores would be in addition to the 130 already selling beer and cider.

Currently, a Sobey’s Urban Fresh is the only store in Centretown with a licence to sell beer and cider. The store on Metcalfe Street has been stocking beer and cider since December 2015, when it was announced as one of eight Ottawa-area stores eligible to sell the single-serve cans or six-packs under new provincial legislation.

Doug Hatoum, the store’s manager, said his customers have been pleased with the convenience factor that comes with having beer and cider readily available inside their local grocery store.

“It’s done what we’ve hoped. What we try to give our customers is a one-stop shop, a place where they can come and we can sort of meet all their needs. It’s worked for us so far,” Hatoum said.

According to Hatoum, brewed-in-Ontario beer has been a popular offering for customers.

“I think people now are really liking that local feel. They want to know that their money or their investment is going back into the community,” he said.

Hatoum said having beer available in grocery stores doesn’t just benefit customers, but also gives local brewers a chance to showcase their products to a wider audience.

Patrick Fiori, manager at Clocktower Brew Pub, said the grocery aisle is the perfect place to extend the brand’s reach and draw more consumers at a time when craft beer is surging in popularity.

“It’s another source of revenue, it’s a spot where we can get the beer out there and in people’s hands,” said Fiori.

Fiori said that grocery store sales can help smaller breweries create a recognizable brand. The Sobey’s on Metcalfe is one of only two grocery stores in the city currently stocking Clocktower products.

Fiori added that organizing an agreement with grocery stores has been a relatively smooth process for the brewery.

“Getting the product in the grocery store is easier than getting it through the LCBO. It cuts down on the number of the steps. Plus, if you’re listed in grocery, it does make it easier to get listed in the LCBO at a later time,” he said.

According to a news release from the Ontario government, the province has already begun accepting bids from grocers looking to start selling beer and cider. Centretown residents will have to wait and see to find out if other stores in their neighbourhood will soon be selling beer. Loblaw, which operates two downtown grocery stores, did not respond to a request for comment.

However, smaller retailers may be getting squeezed out of the process. One Centretown food retailer said he cannot submit a bid due the small size of his business and selling beer would help increase foot traffic at his store.

“There’s enough local breweries and other local businesses that we have in here that would certainly pair up,” said Ross May, co-owner of Seed to Sausage General Store on Gladstone Avenue.

“One of my plans is actually to at least make some noise about it and call (Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi) and find out why we can’t,” he said.