NB Liquor sales up a bit, but beer sales down

While overall sales are up slightly at NB Liquor, New Brunswickers seem to be drinking less beer, according to quarterly numbers released by the Crown corporation.

NB Liquor reported reported total sales of $122.9 million for the second quarter of the 2017-18 fiscal year that began at the end of March. This was anincrease of0.4 per cent from the same quarter last year.

Spirits, wine, coolers, cider and non-liquor items all increased from the same quarter last year, but beer was down 4.5 per cent, or $2.9 million.

In total, beer accounted for almost $61 million in sales.

• Beer gets cheaper permanently: 24-packs for some domestic brands drop to $35.99
• NB Liquor's cheap beer promotion cut into its profit margin
• NB Liquor beer sales down $600K in first quarter

Mark Barbour, spokesperson for NB Liquor, said the beer numbers are comparable to other regions across Canada.

"Beer is also trending that way across the country as well," he said.

"It's anywhere from the 2.5 to four per cent range."

Craft beer up

It wasn't all bad news on the beer front, however. Sales of craft beer are up from the same period last year.

Total sales of Maritime craft beer, which would include any craft beer made in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, were $3.4 million, an increase of39.1 per cent or more than $968,000.

Non-Maritime craft beer sales were a little more than $1 million, representing an increase of about 32 per cent, or about $263,000.

While the craft beer numbers are up, they pale in comparison to even the falling total beer sales.

"When you put that versus our all-beer category, you also notice that mainstream beer [is] still one of the most popular choices for customers in New Brunswick," Barboursaid.

Craft beer "makes up a very small percentage of the total beer sales."

Effect of cheap beer unclear

Since the summer of 2016, NB Liquor has toyed with different promotions lowering the cost of some beer.

They've included include $21.99 12-packs, four 15-packs for $74.99 and what the corporation calls it's "best beer buy everyday" price, a 24-pack of cans for $35.99,

Barbour said it's too early to judge what impact the cheap beer has had on overall sales. Last year's quarter included the four 15-packs promotion, which was more costly and is no longer being offered.

"We're just coming out of last year's numbers of overlapping," said Barbour.

"As we get to January, we're now going to be able to see a different trend in that beer format, specifically the two-four."