Tag: Canada

Town of Cardston, Alberta lifts prohibition law after 121 years

Cardston in Alberta, one of Canada’s few remaining dry towns, has recently voted to remove laws forbidding the sale of alcohol.

It was announced that last week the town council voted in favour of allowing “limited liquor sales.” The historic decision resulted in voting 5-2 in favour of a bylaw allowing restaurants and recreation facilities to apply for a liquor license.

The Mormon-founded town has maintained its Prohibition laws long after the rest of the province axed them in 1923, with previous attempts to have the ban lifted, in 1957 and 2014.

“Do I have fears? I do. But I trust the people,” said Cardston mayor Maggie Kronen. “Changes can be good, changes can be bad — we shall see.”

According to the 2021 census, 62% of Cardston’s residents are Mormons, belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which forbids the consumption of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine.

It will still be some months before the first alcoholic drink is served at a Cardston restaurant as applications for liquor licenses will take some time to process.

SNDL Expands “Wine and Beyond” into Saskatchewan

SNDL Inc. [Nasdaq: SNDL] announced last week that it has successfully obtained two liquor retail licenses in Regina and Saskatoon, through the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (“SLGA”) auction. The Company will leverage these licenses to expand its premium liquor banner, Wine and Beyond, into the final stage of the liquor retail transition to the private sector in Saskatchewan.

“We are excited to bring our Wine and Beyond banner into Saskatchewan, specifically in the key markets of Regina and Saskatoon,” said Tank Vander, President of Liquor Retail at SNDL. “Due to Saskatchewan’s low distribution of liquor licenses and high liquor sales per capita, SNDL expects stable and accretive growth in the two new stores. We are eager to introduce consumers to the Wine and Beyond brand, as we believe there is demand in the market for a premium liquor retail model.”

The Company’s 12 operating Wine and Beyond locations generated $135 million in revenue on an annualized basis for the three months ended September 30, 2022. This demonstrates the banner’s continued popularity and robust store performance, which SNDL anticipates will extend to the Saskatchewan market. Wine and Beyond’s initial launch in the two largest Saskatchewan cities will help SNDL to evaluate future expansion opportunities in the province.

 

Demand for sparkling wine in Canada has grown 50% in the last 5 years

The demand for sparkling wine in Canada has jumped more than half in the last five years and is expected to expand by another third in the next five. Prosecco has been riding this wave and is outperforming the market, having gone from accounting for nearly one in five sparkling wine bottles consumed in 2016, to around one in three last year, according to IWSR data.

Findings from Wine Intelligence show that much of this demand has been driven by a 21% rise in the number of sparkling wine drinkers over the past three years, as well as the growing popularity of the category among Millennials. Almost a million new drinkers have entered the sparkling wine segment since 2019 and those in the Millennial 25-39 age band now account for 42% of sparkling wine drinkers, up from 37% in the same period.

As in other markets, the perception of sparkling wine in Canada is shifting from a drink enjoyed in formal settings, to one that is increasingly suited to more relaxed environments. The number of occasions appropriate to its consumption has increased significantly and so has the frequency of its intake among Canadians. Wine Intelligence data shows that the number of Canadian sparkling wine drinkers enjoying sparkling wine once a week has risen from 16% in 2019 to 25% in 2022.

These conditions have proved to be very fertile ground for Prosecco brands, because Wine Intelligence findings show that Prosecco, along with sparkling rosé, has the highest consumption incidences, and is associated with informal social situations as well as still being seen as suitable for celebrations. 46% of sparkling wine drinkers view Prosecco as a ‘good drink for celebrations and a similar number considered it ‘perfect for a party’.

Competitive pricing has played an important role in democratizing sparkling wine in Canada, and although Prosecco was outscored by domestically produced, US and ‘sparkling wines from other countries, more than a third of sparkling wine drinkers believe that Prosecco represents good value to drinkers.

In the two most important cues cited for influencing purchasing behavior in the off-trade – brand awareness and recommendations from friends or family – Prosecco also grades highly. ‘A brand I am aware of’ is the number one factor behind the purchase of a Prosecco product and ‘recommendations’ is the number two.

The Millennial drinkers helping to push up sales of sparkling wine are also likely to be fashion-conscious and Prosecco is very much in vogue among Canadian drinkers. No other sparkling wine type is perceived to be more ‘fashionable’ than Prosecco.

As an increasing number of consumers choose to drink sparkling wine more regularly, the prospects of the category look bright. The main threat to the category comes not from other alternative alcoholic drinks but from the current economic outlook. Rising inflation and a global financial downturn is likely to have repercussions for consumer spending on sparkling wine.

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I’m so honoured to be nominated for the 2021 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards!

I’m so honoured to be nominated for the 2021 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards!  

I am grateful to have such an amazing board of women @lesdamesintario and @upsocialwineandspirits team – I could do any of this without you🙏

#grateful #RBCcanadianwomen #staysafe #woiglobal #awards #nomination #woiglobal #womensupportingwomen #womenentrepreneurs #womeninbusiness #inspiration #womeninwine #womeninhospitality #womeninwinebusiness  #womeninmarketing #martec #womeninmartech#CDNwomenOwned #Supportwomeninbusiness #RBCCWEA

“THE GRAPES FOR HUMANITY – SAVE HOSPITALITY FINE WINE CHARITY AUCTION

 

 Over 300 lots of exceptional wines, winery tours, autographed bottles

guitars donated by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush

 

Monday September 28th – Wednesday October 7th, 2020
Online through Waddington’s Auctioneers & Appraisers

Grapes for Humanity invites you to Save the Date for our “Save Hospitality Fundraiser” virtual fine wine auction September 28th – October 7th, 2020, presented by Waddington’s Auctioneers and Appraisers.  This special auction features not only some of the world’s finest and rarest wines, but also many lots of exceptional ready-to-drink wines from the finest wine regions.

“After years of enjoying their service, it’s our turn to serve them,” said Geddy Lee. “The Chefs, Sommeliers, Waitstaff, Delivery personnel, Farmers, Fisherman, Bakers and more whose livelihood has evaporated virtually overnight. Right now we must throw a lifeline to those who need us. I reached out to some fellow wine lovers and asked them to raid their wine cellars to help us raise funds to support staff and independent restaurant owners to weather this storm.”

At the top we have multiple vintages of first-growth Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundy, four vintages of the world’s rarest port, Quinto do Noval Nacional, 18 vintages of Australia’s most famous wine Penfold’s Grange, Pinot Noirs from the only two great growths of New Zealand Ata Rangi and Felton Road and 25 lots of the inaugural Cuvee of the Heart Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blended by Thomas Bachelder Canada’s leading winemaker from contributions of 30+ Ontario winemakers! The Ferragamo lot features a 3 litre of their best wine Il Borro plus a tour, tasting, a dinner and a three night stay at their Relais et Chateau resort in the heart of Tuscany. We have rare verticals from historic Ontario wineries such as Cave Springs and Henry of Pelham.

For buyers seeking immediate enjoyment, we have Malbec from the historic Patagonian producer Humberto Canale, Sancerre from the 500 hundred year old Joseph Mellot winery in the Loire, powerful rich wines from Bodega Numanthia in Toro Spain, some of British Columbia’s finest plus award winning wines from Pond View Estates here in Ontario and mixed lots from exceptional wineries.

Whether you are looking for something to savour with tonight’s dinner or some wine to treasure and hold for future enjoyment…this auction has it all and more. However, don’t take our word for it, peruse the Auction Catalogue.

Proceeds will directly benefit Ontario Hospitality front-line workers through the Toronto Restaurant Workers Relief Fund; the Bartender’s Benevolent Fund; and independent Ontario restaurants through savehospitality.ca.  To find out more about Grapes for Humanity, visit grapesforhumanity.com.

Vintage wines, collectible rarities, memorabilia, and once-in-a-lifetime wine experiences for the emerging collector as well as the aficionado, this rare opportunity offers exceptional wine from multiple producers, varying vintages, and unique experiences.

Bid once, bid often and prepare to delight in your purchase for a good cause.

To donate funds or for more information, contact: 2dry@rogers.com