First group of grocers chosen to sell beer across Ontario

A group of 13 grocers to be eligible to sell beer in Ontario grocery stores were announced Nov. 18, as the province makes the next step towards more convenience and choice for Ontario consumers.

In the biggest changes to beverage alcohol retailing in almost 90 years, Ontario is continuing progress toward the sale of beer in up to 450 grocery store locations provincewide.

"We are moving quickly to ensure that beer will be sold in grocery stores in a socially responsible manner,” said Finance Minister Charles Sousa in a news release.

“Using the existing low-cost distribution system keeps Ontario’s beer prices below the Canadian average while offering greater ability to fund key government services and programs that people rely on."

The winning bidders, coming from locations across Ontario, were selected via a competitive bidding process.

To move forward with selling beer, these companies will apply to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to seek authorization for individual store locations.

Upon completion of that review, up to 60 grocery store locations could be authorized to sell beer by December 2015.

Reflecting the mix of independent and large grocers and geographic representation as set in regulation to ensure fairness, the successful bidders are:

• Coppa's Fresh Market 
• Farm Boy 2012 Inc. 
• Galleria Supermarket 
• Hanahreuem Mart Inc. 
• J & B La Mantia Ltd. (La Mantia's Country Market) 
• Loblaws Inc. 
• Longo Brothers Fruit Market Inc. 
• Metro Ontario Inc. 
• Michael-Angelos Market Place Inc. 
• Pino's Get Fresh 
• Sobeys Capital Incorporated 
• Starsky Fine Foods Hamilton Inc. 
• Wal-Mart Canada Corp. 

To ensure fairness, grocers cannot discuss any aspect of the process until it concludes in December.

While initial winning bids have been selected, the bid process for grocery stores remains active until the AGCO's authorization processes and agreements are complete with the LCBO.

If any of the successful bidders fail to become authorized, additional bidders could move forward according to the same initial bidding process.

While offering consumers more convenience and choice, Ontario maintains a commitment to social responsibility.

By law, these grocers will have to abide by the requirements for the safe retail of alcohol, including designated sales areas and restricted hours of sale, limitations to package sizes and alcohol by volume, and rigorous staffing and social responsibility training requirements.

The AGCO will have oversight for these and other requirements.