TORONTO – Some of Ontario’s small brewers worry the government’s new deal with the Beer Store that promises to nearly triple their shelf space in the company’s 447 retail outlets won’t achieve that goal.
Under the province’s revised agreement with the foreign-owned Beer Store, the amount of shelf space for products from small and craft brewers is supposed to grow from seven to 20 per cent.
READ MORE: Beer Store opens ownership to all Ontario-based brewers
However, Matt Johnston of Collective Arts Brewing says the increased shelf space will apply only to 100 self-serve stores, not the majority of regular Beer Stores where the product is kept out of sight, behind the counter.
Asked if small brewers will get 20 per cent of the warehouse or cooler space behind the Beer Store’s cash registers, the Ministry of Finance said “logistics are still under consideration.”
Johnston wants the government to mandate that the Beer Store “tear down the wall” and convert all its stores to open-concept.
The Beer Store promised to spend $100 million over four years to modernize its retail outlets, and agreed all new stores will be open-concept and self-serve.
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