"Convenience is choice. Bring home the wine." State Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Patrick Hooker brought that message to Price Chopper in South Utica Monday trying to garner support for wine sales in grocery and convenience stores.
Hooker said such a move has the potential to expand New York's Wine industry by 20%, or 150-million dollars in new wine sales, plus increased tax revenue for a state that desperately needs it.
Hooker adds, consumers want it, highlighting two recent polls which show public support. "This recent Sienna poll had a 19% point-gap (in favor of expanding wine sales outside of liquor stores), and Kiley and Company said 6 out of 10 favor the proposal, and specifically changing New York's outdated liquor laws."
-Important Revenue
Allowing the sale of wine in grocery stores will provide the state with more than $300 million in revenue over the next two years. These funds will be dedicated to preventing deeper cuts to health care programs, at a time when New York must close an over $9 billion budget deficit, according to a press release provided by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. Plus, 35 states currently allow wine sales in supermarkets and convenience stores.
Local Liquor Store Reps Disagree
Hooker received a less than warn welcome during his Monday appearance at Price Chopper. More than two dozen area liqour store owners and sales reps had their say on the issue after the formal news conference ended.
-Compromise?
"These other 35 states that do have wine in grocery stores, they have liquor stores that sell beer. Why isn't beer included in (New York's) proposal?", asked Kevin Hughes of City Liquors in Utica.
The group also aruged, the state's contention that this would be a boost to New York's Wine industry is a bogus claim. What you'll find, Hughes said, are "International wines that are sold for pennies on the dollar in countries like Australia and Chile, not our New York State wine."
The state would allow liqour stores to sell food items to help make up for that lost revenue. However, the liquor store owners laughed at the idea of potato chips and cheese making up for lost wine sales.
Other liquor store owners also said such a hit to their sales would would lead to fewer liquor stores, which are small businesses who have employees, and pay sales and property taxes.
Liquor store officials present at the news conference: Southern Wine and Spirits, City Liquors, Bremer's Wine and Liquor, Liquor Loft, Empire Merchants North, Opici Wine Company of Upstate New York and Litchman's Wine and Liquors.
Ben Simons, President of the Oneida County Farm Bureau, spoke in favor of expanding wine sales to grocery and convenience stores. However, he did conceded that initially consumers would likely see a lot of out-of-state brands in the aisle. Simons told WIBX it's up to the customer 'buy local' to support New York made wine. "There's no doubt that major wineries throughout the US will probably flood store shelves at the onset. But, the person that sets the marketability is the consumer."