A consultant with the Food with Wine Coalition tells us they’re a non-profit organization representing a number of large retailers including Houchens. Thursday, one representative of the group spoke to WBKO about their goal.
Article originally posted by the WBKO-TV Web site directed to: http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/30718344.html
| Group Works to Get Wine on Grocery Store Shelves
A consultant with the Food with Wine Coalition tells us they’re a non-profit organization representing a number of large retailers including Houchens. Thursday, one representative of the group spoke to WBKO about their goal. Posted: 9:00 PM Oct 9, 2008 |
A consultant with the Food with Wine Coalition tells us they’re a non-profit organizationrepresenting a number of large retailers including Houchens. Thursday, one representative of the group spoke to WBKO about their goal.
Bowling Green resident Wanda Baize has traveled to Sumner Crest Winery in Portland for an afternoon wine tasting.
Thursday, the discussion at the bar is whether an existing law should be changed to allow wine on food store shelves in Wanda’s home state.
“Well, I think that’s okay in case someone just wants to get a bottle, knowing what they want,” Wanda says. “But then they miss the specialness of a winery.”
Like Wanda, the Food with Wine Coalition wants the option available to Kentucky residents.
“We project over the first five years, after the law has been changed, the state will see $55-million dollars in new incremental revenue just through the sale of wine,” Food with Wine Coalition Consultant Luke Schmidt explains. “That’s without increasing existing taxrates.”
According to Schmidt, the main opposition to changing the existing law are liquor stores.
“The liquor stores and distributors are the middle man concerned about pricingand money,” says Jimmie Jacobs, wine consultant for Sumner Crest Winery. “We want to offer the product that’s grown locally to people at a reasonable price where we all benefit.”
“I don’t have a problem with how many people do it, but it’s not competitive,” says Airport Liquors Owner Eric Wheeler. “The Kroger’s, the Sam’s, the Wal-Marts, they have the pockets. They have the deep pockets, which means they can sell cheaper. They can give big discounts for buying big volume. Therefore, they can sell it cheaper, and that stamps out the middle man, the small guy.”
Still, Schmidt says he expects liquor store business will continue with wine sales increasing all-around.
“We know for a fact, as everyone does, the state is looking for every new dollar they can find,” Schmidt concludes. “This is a great way to find $55-million dollars.”
Schmidt also tells WBKO, in the event the law is changed, it will only impact wet or moist counties. Dry counties would stay the same.