New Brunswick residents can now purchase American liquor and wine at a warehouse location in Salisbury, as New Brunswick Liquor has started selling its back-stock of American products. The CEO, Lori Stickles, emphasized the goal of maximizing value for New Brunswick by selling off these products to recoup investments and reduce waste. The decision to offload $3.4 million worth of American booze comes after the removal of U.S. alcohol from Alcool N.B. Liquor stores in response to trade tensions earlier this year.
Stickles informed the public accounts committee that about $3.4 million worth of American inventory is still available, which has been accessible to agency stores and licensed establishments, albeit with weak demand. Customers have been opting not to purchase these products, leading to a surplus of American stock. The move to sell off the remaining American inventory follows earlier calls from opposition parties to start selling the U.S. liquor.
The decision to sell American products is seen as a way to recover the money spent by N.B. Liquor and make use of the depot store in Salisbury. Minister Luke Randall highlighted the increased shelf space for Canadian producers amid this shift while acknowledging that some U.S. products are still being sold at agency stores. PC MLA Tammy Scott-Wallace, representing the Salisbury depot store riding, expressed support for the move to sell off the American products, noting the store’s role in liquidating surplus stock.
