NB Liquor looks to sell remaining $3.4 million worth of U.S. booze

NB Liquor is looking to sell their remaining stockpile of U.S. booze.

New Brunswick Liquor executives told a legislative committee Wednesday they’re trying to find ways to sell the remaining stock of United States liquor.

The Crown corporation stopped buying U.S. alcohol products in February, and in March, the products were removed from store shelves in response to the trade war between Canada and the U.S.

Some U.S. products have remained available to buy through some agency locations and licensees, like restaurants and bars.

But president and CEO Lori Stickles told MLAs New Brunswickers are still not as interested in buying U.S. alcohol, and they’re still storing $3.4 million worth of U.S. booze.

“We have continued to sell that product through our agencies and through our licensees, although, again, customers are making the choice not to buy that product,” she said.

They initially had $4 million in storage, but they have sold $600,000 worth since May.

As of a week and a half ago, those products can be found at the NB Liquor depot in Salisbury.

“Because we really want to maximize the value for New Brunswick,” Stickles told the committee. “We own these products, let’s sell them, let’s get our money out of these products.

“We’re actively working to recover that investment for the people of New Brunswick, and reduce waste, we don’t want to be storing these products or in the event some of them get too old, then you have to destroy the products.”

She said New Brunswickers have been buying local products more than ever.

About 14 per cent of NB Liquor shelf space is dedicated to local products, and it accounts for eight per cent of the Crown corporation’s sales.

“Recently, the sentiment toward local is greater than ever. We saw that sentiment during COVID, and we’ve certainly seen a surge of that sentiment again with things that are happening geopolitically,” Stickles said.

Stickles was also asked if the changes to interprovincial trade and shopping could hurt NB Liquor’s bottom line.

She said they don’t believe there’s going to be much of an impact, because shipping alcohol is expensive, and because interprovincial shopping was already happening – it’s just legal now.

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