Breathe Easy, You Can Still Buy N.B. Craft Beer For Now
FREDERICTON- New Brunswick’s craft breweries are taking a hit as the province and the country is undertaking more drastic measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The craft breweries across the province that have taprooms have closed them. But some are still remaining open for canned, bottled, and growler product purchases, as they are considered to be NB Liquor agency stores and can stay open during the province’s state of emergency.
“We’re still retailing beer across our counter for growler and packaged beer customers,” says Sean Dunbar, owner of Picaroons Traditional Ales and president of the New Brunswick Craft Alcohol Producers Association.
“You can come in, just don’t sit down.”
With bars and lounges being ordered to close down by the province, Dunbar says Picaroons had to lay off around 30 staff. Most of those remaining are production and delivery crew. Picaroons does direct delivery to NB Liquor stores for both their business and for 42 other craft alcohol clients.
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“Those are really crappy days and from here will continue to wind down as we continue to run out of things to do. It depends on the length of time the health part of the crisis continues,” he said. “The economic crisis is going to continue for months afterward, but right now we’re just trying to find the best way to deal with the immediate crisis.”
Aside from the sales at their own locations, most New Brunswick craft breweries sell the most beer through NB Liquor. Premier Blaine Higgs announced yesterday that though hours may change, they didn’t plan to close NB Liquor stores or agency stores at this time. But the fear of that happening eventually isn’t unfounded. This week, Prince Edward Island announced it would be closing its liquor and cannabis stores.
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If New Brunswick reaches that point, Dunbar says the extent of the impact on craft breweries would depend on a few factors, including whether or not agency stores, which include places brewery storefronts and designated convenience stores that are authorized to sell beer, would still be open too.
“What’s not clear yet is how the supply chain works. Those stores are serviced through the NB Liquor warehousing system,” says Dunbar. “Is the warehouse going to be able to maintain that service while retailers close? Will we be allowed to deliver direct? The big brewers are allowed to deliver direct to agency stores, so will we be able to do that?”
Then there are grocery stores, where a limited variety of craft alcohol products are also carried.
“Grocery is another channel for beer, wine and cider at the moment and we want to make sure that supply chain works,” he said. “Again, that all goes through the NB Liquor Warehouse system and on through the [grocery store] distribution centres.”
Though NB Liquor stores are not shutting down yet, Dunbar says craft breweries have been trying to prepare for such a scenario.
“A lot of producers in New Brunswick also have on-site agency stores and we’re all allowed to share each other’s products within an independent sales channel. We purchase from each other and that sort of thing and there is no participation by NB Liquor in that particular channel. That’s something we’re certainly considering here,” says Dunbar.
“Is beer important enough to enough people that we set up a very safe, controlled purchasing system for New Brunswick craft beer and cider here within our building? We’re trying to figure that out. We’re also looking at the home delivery aspect of things.”
When the public health measures and state of emergency are lifted, Dunbar says the craft beer sector will be able to bounce back fairly quickly.
“It will depend on how everyone situation was going in and how many people can literally keep the lights on and the doors open until the button gets pressed again. But once it gets pressed, we’re ready to go,” he said.
“There’s a lot of pent up energy in these entrepreneurs. These are doers. This ‘not doing’ thing is the most frustrating part for everyone, which is why a lot of people are concentrating on what we’re going to do when we’re allowed to do something.”
Dunbar says he’s pleased with the governments’ and financial institutions’ responses to the pandemic when it comes to helping small businesses. He would like to see that kind of help continue in other sectors too.
“My ask, I guess, would be don’t be a hard ass about anything to do with money for the next while until this all shakes out and we know the new normal looks like,” he said. “And so far, that’s been the attitude of institutional lenders and governments on the money side, so I would think that needs to be pervasive through all departments of governments.”
In the meantime, he says the best way to help support local craft breweries at this time is simple. Buy their beer.
“That is the very easiest way to do that. Buy New Brunswick beer, wine, spirits, whatever you can find, it’s out there,” he says. “It’s in every liquor store, there’s some in just about every agency store and most brewers are maintaining their retail operations as best they can.”