LCBO sales have grown over the last few years, and with the recent changes to beer and wine sales forthcoming, those sales are posed to grow even more.
A recent Metro News article, “Craft cider and spirits lead the way as LCBO tops $5B in sales,” highlights just how high those sales have climbed, and which products are leading the way.
According to the article, “Ontarians bought more booze in the previous fiscal year than ever before, with sales at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario topping $5 billion for the first time. The growth was fuelled in part by local products, with sales of craft cider nearly doubling to $4 million, sales of craft spirits rising more than 50 per cent to $6.7 million and sales of craft beer rising by about 35 per cent to $68.3 million.”
Check out the full Metro News article here: http://metronews.ca/news/ottawa/1388518/craft-cider-and-spirits-lead-the-way-as-lcbo-tops-5b-in-sales/.
However, cider producers are claiming a disadvantage, one that is caused by strict regulations governing sales. This is because members of the Ontario Craft Cider Association are licensed like wineries, but are denied the VQA designation given to top wineries, and really they are competing not with wines, but with craft beers in the eyes of consumers. Additionally, cider producers are forced to pay a 40% LCBO mark up on beverages sold to restaurants and pubs, a fee which isn’t required of craft breweries.
Read more on this issue from CTV News here: http://barrie.ctvnews.ca/craft-cider-producers-in-ontario-say-regulations-put-them-at-competitive-disadvantage-1.2403113.
So how can cider producers compete, whether at the LCBO, or, if their desires are met, on supermarket shelves? In the end, a number of different things are going to grab a consumer’s attention, one of the most important being product packaging design. A unique, innovative, fresh packaging design can help you stand out amidst the many offerings that pepper those shelves, and can really give you the ability to capture a great market share.
For more about how to develop a product packaging design that speaks volumes, contact Packaging Technologies Inc. today. We’ve got the experience and expertise to carry off a design that really hits the target: 1-800-303-5883.
