Image

BC Liquor Industry Trends – April – June 2022

By: Source: BC Liquor Distribution Branch

Wholesale Liquor Sales April – June 2022

In litres with % change over previous quarter and % change over previous year

Beer – BC Commercial 34,214,712  +22.4%  -7.2%
Beer – BC Micro Brew 8,566,303  +32.1%  +4.4%
Beer – BC Regional 13,798,902  +30.6%  +1.6%
Beer – Import 6,229,222  +27.4%  -1.1%
Cider – Domestic & Import 4,627,726  +41.6%  -11.2%
Coolers 20,690,932  +65.5%  -12.5%
Gin 553,694  +46.7%  +0.1%
Rum 913,358  +22.1%  +3.0%
Tequila 482,361  +60.0%  +19.5%
Vodka 2,473,229  +23.2%  +1.0%
Whiskey 1,969,576  +20.9%  +9.3%
Wine – BC 10,257,290  +22.2%  -0.6%
Wine – Canadian 242,602  +1.3%  -17.5%
Wine – USA 1,773,325  +17.3%  +1.6%
Wine Total 19,140,409  +19.0%  -0.4%

Hospitality Liquor Sales April – June 2022

In litres with % change over previous quarter and % change over previous year

Beer – BC Commercial 4,947,219  +30.1%  +29.5%
Beer – BC Micro Brew 2,996,553  +36.3%  +19.4%
Beer – BC Regional 3,081,740  +36.4%  +19.0%
Beer – Import 1,048,421  +34.7%  +48.5%
Cider – Domestic & Import 623,331  +50.8%  +12.1%
Coolers 620,129  +115.6%  -28.7%
Gin 104,871  +56.7%  +45.6%
Rum 109,956  +60.1%  +25.7%
Tequila 180,920  +67.3%  +37.2%
Vodka 309,354  +47.6%  +36.2%
Whiskey 153,046  +36.7%  +78.7%
Wine – BC 1,364,499  +51.3%  +15.0%
Wine – Canadian 29,430  +100.3%  -32.2%
Wine – USA 182,296  +44.8%  +28.7%
Wine Total 2,451,693  +49.0%  +19.3%

While ciders grew in the hospitality sector compared to last year’s sales, it’s interesting to note that the same trend did not reflect in wholesale sales, which saw a significant decline. Coolers declined year-over-year (YOY) in both sectors.
Gin is another anomaly where hospitality sales jumped 45.6% YOY yet only grew 0.1% in wholesale.
Tequila has continued to show strong growth in both sectors YOY and over last quarter, so it doesn’t seem to be impacted by seasonality as much as other spirits. Its smokier cousin mezcal has also done well, especially among hipsters and cocktail aficionados.
Although BC wine was 15% higher in hospitality sales than last year, that trend did not appear in wholesale sales which declined slightly.