Finance Minister Charles Sousa seemed lukewarm, like an English ale, on The Beer Store’s new same-day delivery service, but defended the quasi-monopoly as good for small brewers.

“We’ll see how consumers take to it, if in fact they want to proceed – I’m sure some will,” Sousa said of Beer Xpress, unveiled on Tuesday by the chain. “Here in Ontario, we’re unique in providing much greater support for our craft brew. … It’s proven to be very positive for our craft breweries.”

As part of the Liberal government's shakeup of alcohol retail in Ontario, The Beer Store conceded 20-per-cent shelf space in 2015 to craft brewery products in its retail warehouses.

“We’re also looking at The Beer Store as being the recycler of all of the products. There’s an advantage of having that efficiency in the system,” Sousa added, noting its extensive recycling system for bottles and cans.

Health Minister Eric Hoskins, meanwhile, stressed moderation.

“There are risks associated with alcohol consumption as there are with other actions or activities that one might choose to take in life. So it’s important that people make informed decisions with that regard,” he told QP Briefing. “You know, everything in moderation.”

Hoskins compared the freshly brewed delivery service to the LCBO’s same-day delivery, rolled out last summer: “I’m not aware of any problems being identified with that.”

With Beer Xpress, a two-four is now just a click away. The Beer Store popped the cap on the same-day service on Tuesday with a pair of pilot projects in Scarborough and Ottawa – just in time for Canada Day.

The chain aims to deliver to your doorstep within two hours of any online order via the Beer Xpress website, an e-commerce service that drags the 90-year-old private consortium into the 21st century.

“Beer Xpress is part of The Beer Store’s commitment to the province of Ontario to modernize and improve the customer experience within its retail network,” the company stated in a release on Tuesday.

Sousa avoided a direct response to questions about the possibility of breaking up The Beer Store’s monopoly on selling 12- and 24-packs of beer. The chain, while touting its ownership “by 30 Ontario-based brewers,” is largely owned by three international brewing megaliths: Anheuser-Busch InBev, Molson Coors and Sapporo Breweries.

The LCBO said in March it was evaluating a pilot project that was test-driving the sale of 12-packs in the provincially owned liquor stores.

To contact the reporter on this story:
creynolds@qpbriefing.com
416-212-5789
Twitter: @ChrisAReynolds

Sousa toasts Beer Store sending suds to your door

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