Wine is Coming to Grocery Stores in Mississauga
Published September 3, 2016 at 2:30 am
Good news, everyone (or good news for wine drinkers, at the very least).
Ontario has selected the first grocers that could sell both domestic and imported wine in up to 70 grocery stores across the province and several of those grocers operate stores in Mississauga (meaning wine could be coming to some local shelves starting on Oct. 28).
The winning grocers, selected via a bidding process held by the LCBO, include:
Canex Canadian Forces Exchange System
Coppa’s Fresh Market
Farm Boy 2012 Inc.
Videos
Fresh Market Foods
Highland Farms Inc.
Loblaws Inc.
Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc.
Metro Ontario Inc.
Sobeys Capital Inc.
Starsky’s Fine Foods Hamilton Inc.
Uxbridge Foods Inc.
Wal-mart Canada Corp.
Yummy Market Inc.
“The changes to wine retailing in Ontario will help wine producers access a new retail channel, enable local grocers to expand their business and allow consumers greater convenience and choice. Being able to pick up wine alongside food offers more convenience for shoppers. It also provides consumers with greater selection of local Ontario wines as well as wines from across the country and around the world,” says Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance.
While the news is certainly good, the expected caveats still apply. Grocers must abide by regulations overseen by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), meaning they must set aside a designated sale area and implement specific hours of sale (so no wine for you at 2 a.m. on a Thursday morning). There will also be limitations on package sizes and alcohol content.
The plan to allow grocers to sell alcohol will continue to roll out gradually. In time, up to 450 grocery stores will be authorized to sell beer and cider. Up to 300 grocers may be able to sell wine. Also, up to 70 existing winery retail stores that operate just outside a grocery store’s checkout will be allowed to operate inside the store and use the same checkout.
Stay tuned for more news on which locations in the city are getting some vino just in time for Halloween!
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