Kentucky has a litany of laws regulating how alcohol is sold and consumed, as it should. It’s right for the state to bar people from carrying loaded firearms in establishments where liquor is sold by the drink.
Article originally posted by the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer directed to: http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=12AEA31E40C85140&p_docnum=2&s_orderid=NB0110120219082911945&s_dlid=DL0110120219084912006&s_ecproduct=SBK-W3&s_ecprodtype=&s_trackval=&s_siteloc=&s_referrer=&s_subterm=Subscription%20until%3A%2012%2F09%2F2010%202%3A08%20PM&s_docsbal=Docs%20remaining%3A%202&s_subexpires=12%2F09%2F2010%202%3A08%20PM&s_docstart=3&s_docsleft=2&s_docsread=1&s_username=lbschmidt@lbschmidt.com&s_accountid=AC0110052614253132185&s_upgradeable=no
Wine sales expansion benefits Kentucky
Published: September 23, 2009
Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer
Kentucky has a litany of laws regulating how alcohol is sold and consumed, as it should. It’s right for the state to bar people from carrying loaded firearms in establishments where liquor is sold by the drink. And a 1942 law that prohibits retailers from selling booze to someone known to the courts as not providing for his family is obscure, but logical.
But other provisions of Kentucky’s alcohol laws make less sense, including restrictions that have essentially blocked grocery storesfrom selling wine for decades. Kentucky is missing out on a potential source of new revenue, and wine consumers are unnecessarily inconvenienced and restricted in their choices.
For a third year, an advocacy group created by Kentucky’s grocery store industry is pushing for those restrictions to be dropped when the legislature reconvenes in January. The Food With Wine Coalition, which is supported by the state’s wine industry, is hoping Kentucky will become the 35th state to allow wine sales at grocery stores.
It’s a change that’s overdue for Kentucky. Wine is now lumped in with hard liquor in terms of sales restrictions despite the fact it is closer in potency to malt beverages, which grocery stores are allowed to sell. Wine sales are restricted to liquor stores or to portions of a store that are accessible only by those 21 or older.
The state is placing an unnecessary inconvenience on consumers looking to purchase a bottle of wine. Since wine is a beverage that is often paired with food, it’s naturally a product food retailers should be able to offer. The state already places requirements upon grocery clerks to help ensure beer isn’t sold to minors that would extend to wine sales and ease concerns about illegal sales.
The main opposition to this move is from liquor retailers, who have enjoyed a veritable monopoly on wine sales under state law. But allowing grocery store wine sales will have a net increase on the amount of wine sold in Kentucky instead of merely dividingwine sales between the two types of retailers.
Removing that monopoly will impact wine sales at liquor stores, but isn’t likely to drive these stores out of business. Other states that allow wine sales at grocery stores also have liquor stores in abundance. Liquor stores will need to become more competitive, but won’t be trampled by grocery stores entering the market.
The Kroger grocery chain has told the coalition that wine is the most requested item that they don’t stock in their stores, which further indicates an untapped market. Making it more readily available will drive up sales and allow additional opportunities forKentucky’s growing wine industry.
Changes in Kentucky’s alcohol tax this year will mean additional revenues for the state as wine sales expand. The Food With WineCoalition estimates that wine sales will increase by 50 percent by 2012 and generate an additional $84 million in tax revenue for the state.
It’s time for the state to step out of the way and give wine consumers and grocery retailers more options.
Unlike a fine wine, these restrictions don’t grow better with age.
When lawmakers gather in Frankfort for the January long session, promoters of selling wine in grocery stores will be waiting for them, hoping to win approval on their third try.
Article originally posted by The (Bowling Green) Daily News directed to: http://www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2009/09/20/news/news4.txt
Coalition is again eyeing wine sales in grocery stores
By JIM GAINES, The Daily News, jgaines@bgdailynews.com/783-3242
Sunday, September 20, 2009 12:02 AM CDT
When lawmakers gather in Frankfort for the January long session, promoters of selling wine in grocery stores will be waiting for them, hoping to win approval on their third try.
“This issue is going to be coming back before the legislature,” said Luke Schmidt, lobbyist for the Food With Wine Coalition, formed by grocery stores in 2007 to promote the idea.
Rep. Larry Clark, D-Louisville, submitted a bill in early 2008 to allow wine sales in grocery stores, but it never got out of committee. A similar bill proposed for the spring 2009 session wasn’t even formally filed. At the time, the Food With Wine Coalition announced that it planned to try again in 2010.
Schmidt said those two failures weren’t the fault of any serious opposition, but rather stemmed from bigger issues that preoccupied the General Assembly. The 2008 session was tied up in a leadership struggle, and the past session was too busy dealing with the state budget shortfall to bother with many other issues, he said.
In the January 2010 long session, however, there should be time to consider a variety of bills – including this one, Schmidt said. The coalition is just beginning to gauge legislative support and seek sponsors, he said.
State Sen. Mike Reynolds, D-Bowling Green, said he anticipates seeing the issue on the January agenda.
“I expect that that bill will be introduced in the House,” he said. “I am not sure about its total chances of success in next year’s session, but I do know that there is a large push on for it.”
To win passage, the group has to demonstrate widespread public support to legislators, Schmidt said. A petition drive in more than 100 grocery stores – including Kroger and Houchens stores locally – garnered about 56,000 signatures in late 2008. This year, however, the coalition is hoping to surpass that number online.
On Sept. 9, they began placing 5-foot-tall displays in many grocery stores asking “Where’s the wine?” These are followed by fliers at checkout counters, and both point shoppers toward an online petition at www.foodwithwine.org. By agreeing to sign it online, citizens also send an automatic note to their legislators, Schmidt said.
Displays are already up in Kroger stores, and are coming soon to Houchens, he said. The signs in more than 100 stores have already drawn “literally thousands” of letters, Schmidt said.
The coalition’s proposal would allow groceries to sell wine in areas that are already “wet” or “moist” – in this region, that would only allow sales in Bowling Green. The campaign isn’t aimed at selling alcohol where it’s now prohibited, selling hard liquor in grocery stores, or allowing Sunday sales; groceries just want to sell wine in their aisles as they do beer, without setting up a separate building for the product, Schmidt has said.
Kroger has recently opened its own wine and liquor stores adjacent to its three Bowling Green locations. Stephen Reed, director of retail operations for Houchens, has said the legalization of wine sales in grocery stores would include major Houchens stores and Crossroads markets in “wet” areas. That’s only about 10 or 15 stores out of the company’s 100, he said. Wine would not be sold in Houchens-owned convenience stores, Save-A-Lot or Food Giant stores, Reed said.
Thirty-four other states already allow wine sales in grocery stores, including six of the seven states bordering Kentucky, Schmidt said. In the only exception, Tennessee, there’s also a legislative push under way to legalize it, he said.
Schmidt gives three reasons for allowing sales in grocery stores. One is expanding competition beyond liquor stores’ “near monopoly,” thus aiding consumers. The second is increased sales from the 300 to 400 stores statewide that would be eligible to sell wine. In 2008, Schmidt estimated that the resulting increase in wine sales could add $55 million in new state tax revenue over five years, without hiking tax rates. This year he increased that projection to $84 million.
The third justification is the boost to Kentucky’s 50 wineries, and the vineyards in 86 of the state’s 120 counties, which now can only sell in liquor stores and their own tasting rooms, Schmidt said.
“At the moment, Kentucky wineries have pretty much maxed out where they can sell their product,” he said.
Reynolds said the change would probably cause price competition between groceries and liquor stores, so he understands that package liquor dealers probably won’t like it. But then it would promote Kentucky agriculture by offering a wider venue for local winemakers, and he expects lots of lobbying from that industry, he said.
It’s still too early for Reynolds to take a position, he said. He generally favors expanded commerce, but wants to see the details in a formal bill, he said.
“I’ve got mixed emotions about it,” Reynolds said.
Food and wine often go well together but here in Kentucky, the two aren’t sold together. One group hopes to change that.
Article originally posted by the WBKO-TV Web site directed to: http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/59780442.html
Food with Wine Coalition Launches Online Petition
Food and wine often go well together but here in Kentucky, the two aren’t sold together. One group hopes to change that.
Posted: 4:31 PM Sep 18, 2009
Reporter: Kirk Butts
Email Address: kirk.butts@wbko.com
Food and wine often go well together but here in Kentucky, the two aren’t sold together.
One group hopes to change that.
The Food with Wine Coalition was organized in 2007 by Kentucky’s food store industry.
The group says 34 states, including six of Kentucky’s seven bordering states, allow wine to be sold in supermarkets.
The coalition believes by allowing it here, Kentucky farmers and wineries will benefit, and millions of dollars of tax revenuecan also be gained.
“We’re encouraging people who are interested in this issue and want to support it to go to our websitefoodwithwine.org, sign our petition,” says coalition consultant Luke Schmidt.
“And two things will happen. First of all not only will you sign the petition but by doing so, it will automatically generate a letter to your specific state senator and state representative indicating your support for the issue.”
Click Hereto learn more about the initiative and sign the petition yourself.
Kentucky grocery stores are launching a campaign to gain the right to sell wine. The Food With Wine Coalition is campaigning to convince state legislators to change the law to allow wine sales in grocery stores.
Article originally posted by the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer directed to: http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=12ADFA6428C46AA8&p_docnum=3&s_dlid=DL0110120219175506943&s_ecproduct=SBK-W3&s_ecprodtype=&s_trackval=&s_siteloc=&s_referrer=&s_subterm=Subscription%20until%3A%2012%2F09%2F2010%202%3A08%20PM&s_docsbal=Docs%20remaining%3A%201&s_subexpires=12%2F09%2F2010%202%3A08%20PM&s_docstart=3&s_docsleft=1&s_docsread=2&s_username=lbschmidt@lbschmidt.com&s_accountid=AC0110052614253132185&s_upgradeable=no
Grocery stores wanting to sell wine launch campaign
James Mayse Messenger-Inquirer
Published: September 19, 2009
Kentucky grocery stores are launching a campaign to gain the right to sell wine. The Food With Wine Coalition is campaigning to convince state legislators to change the law to allow wine sales in grocery stores. In counties that permit alcohol sales, grocerystories can sell beer, but not wine.
Luke B. Schmidt, who is advocating on behalf of the Food With Wine Coalition, said 34 states allow wine to be sold in groceries. Permitting such sales in Kentucky would benefit state wine producers and increase tax revenue, Schmidt said.
“This issue from the beginning has been driven by consumers,” Schmidt said Friday. “Nationwide in grocery stores, wine is the second-fastest-growing category, next to bottled water.
“Kroger tells us wine is the No. 1 requested (item) in their stores that they don’t have,” Schmidt said.
The coalition has tried to get a bill introduced. During the 2008 legislative session, Rep. Larry Clark introduced one, but it was not taken up by legislators. An attempt was made again during the 2009 “short session,” but the session was dominated by budget issues, Schmidt said.
Liquor stores have opposed such legislation. Schmidt said that in the 34 states that allow grocery stores to sell wine, “liquor storeshaven’t gone out of business.”
In Indiana and Illinois, the most popular wines sold in grocery stores are produced in those states, Schmidt said. “There’s absolutely no question this will be good for the wine industry,” he said. “Almost every county has a vineyard,” but those winescan now be sold only at the wineries themselves or at liquor stores.
“There’s no question if you make wine more available, you’re going to sell more of it,” he said.
The coalition has estimated the state will see a $30.1 million increase in sales taxes the first year wine sales are allowed in grocerystores. Over five years, such sales would raise an estimated $84 million in new sales tax revenue, Schmidt said.
“The bill we have in mind is very simple, very straight-forward. All we want to do is create a new license category,” Schmidt said.
The organization has a petition on its Web site, www.foodwithwine.org. When people sign the petition, a letter will be automatically generated and sent to the appropriate state legislator, Schmidt said.
“We’re going to make a hard push between now and January,” he said.
Allowing wine sales would not legalize selling alcohol in “dry” counties. A public “wet/dry” vote would have to be held in the county before groceries could sell wine or beer.
“This issue will impact wet and moist counties only,” he said. ” … If a county wants to consider going wet, that’s their option.”
James Mayse, 691-7303,jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com
COVINGTON, KY (FOX19) – If you want to buy wine in Kentucky, you have to buy it at a liquor store. But an effort by the Food With Wine Coalition is seeking to squeeze out something new – wine sales at grocery stores.
Article originally posted by the WXIX-TV Web site directed to: http://www.fox19.com/Global/story.asp?S=11147416
Group aims to allow wine sales in Ky. grocery stores
Posted: Sep 17, 2009 8:15 AM EDT Updated: Sep 17, 2009 8:15 AM EDT
By Sara Gouedy
Posted by Trina Edwards
COVINGTON, KY (FOX19) – If you want to buy wine in Kentucky, you have to buy it at a liquor store.
But an effort by the Food With Wine Coalition is seeking to squeeze out something new – wine sales at grocery stores.
Most grocery stores already sell beer.
“I don’t think it would be a bad idea,” said Edward Ward, who lives in Kentucky “It’s something to sell, isn’t it?”
Proponents say by changing the law, it would bring the state of Kentucky more than $83 million in tax revenue from wine sales.
So the coalition set up an online petition, seeking signatures of Kentucky residents ages 21 and up.
“It just doesn’t make sense. I’m buying all my party stuff at the grocery store, so why can’t I buy all of it there instead of having to go to two different stores?” said Aimee Atkins, who also supports the idea.
“I think it’s a bad idea,” said John Dalton. “You’ve got enough stores to sell wine, so why not get it there?”
The coalition hasn’t said how many people have signed the petition, but plans are to take signatures until the start of the Kentucky General Assembly session in January.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KENTUCKY (WNKU) – A group representing several supermarket chains will try once again in the 2010 Kentucky General Assembly to get approval for a law allowing grocery stores to sell wine. WNKU’s Steve Hirschberg reports.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wnku/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1555094
LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – It’s easy to finding beer in Kentucky grocery stores, but the sale of wine or other liquor is prohibited in grocery stores – even in counties where alcohol sales are allowed. There’s been a push to change for several years, and now that battle is being fought in cyberspace.
“It’s a win-win” said Luke Schmidt, who represents the Food With Wine Coalition, a not-for-profit organization.
Article originally posted by WAVE-TV Web site directed to: http://www.wave3.com/story/11117288/push-continues-to-allow-ky-grocers-to-sell-wine?redirected=true
Posted: Sep 11, 2009 7:54 PM EDT Updated: Sep 30, 2009 8:18 AM EDT
By Maira Ansari
Edited By Mike Dever
LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – It’s easy to finding beer in Kentucky grocery stores, but the sale of wine or other liquor is prohibited in grocery stores – even in counties where alcohol sales are allowed. There’s been a push to change for several years, and now that battle is being fought in cyberspace.
“It’s a win-win” said Luke Schmidt, who represents the Food With Wine Coalition, a not-for-profit organization.
Schmidt says grocers and the wine industry want state law changed to allow wine sales at grocery stores in counties where package liquor is already allowed.
“It’s a win for the consumer, it’s a win for the state, it’s a win for Kentucky’s winery industry, it’s a win for Kentucky’s vineyards, Schmidt said.
Schmidt has launched a website to continue his push to change the state’s liquor laws. He’s hoping other Kentuckians will use the site as a tool to put pressure on state lawmakers.
“All people have to do is visit that site, foodwithwine.org, click on the ‘Sign the Petition button.’ It will enable them to not only sign the online petition, but it will also generate a letter to their specific state senator and their specific state representative indicating that they support a change in the law, Schmidt said.
The issue has come up before without success in the Kentucky General Assembly, but Schmidt says wine sales would increase if customers can buy it in grocery stores, and that increase will boost tax revenue, giving lawmakers a way to raise more money during tough economic times.
“We estimate over the first two years when the law is fully implemented that tax revenue will increase by $30.1 million,” Schmidt said.
Not everyone wants to see the law changed. Independent wine dealers and liquor store owners like Gordon Jackson of Old Town Liquors say making their biggest selling item available in retail stores could hurt their business.
“When we look at our business, wine is the core of our business,” Jackson said. “It would affect us, there is no question. Because we’re a small store, and we work on a relatively low margin to stay competitive with the big stores.”
Currently, 34 other states allow grocery stores to sell wine, including Indiana.
If you want to check out the online petition, visit www.foodwithwine.org.
Hundreds of people buy bottles of wine at Evergreen Liquors every week. It’s a profitable business. And grocery stores, like Kroger, would like a piece of that pie.
Article originally posted by WHAS-TV Web site directed to: http://www.whas11.com/news/consumer/64439637.html
Local-area Kroger campaign hopes to convince Ky lawmakers to let grocery stores sell wine
Local-area Kroger campaign hopes to convince Ky lawmakers to let grocery stores sell wine
WHAS11.com
Posted on September 12, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Updated Thursday, Oct 15 at 4:14 PM
By Melanie Kahn
(WHAS11) Hundreds of people buy bottles of wine at Evergreen Liquors every week. It’s a profitable business. And grocery stores, like Kroger, would like a piece of that pie.
Tim McGurk, Kroger Spokesperson says, “Certainly we’re interested in the extra sales, there’s no questioning that, but the driving force really is satisfying our customers. It is the number one requested item. Right now for a grocery store to sell wine and spirits we have to build a separate building with a separate entrance and it’s very inconvenient for our customers to shop that way.”
So Kroger, with the food and wine coalition have started a campaign to try and convince Kentucky Lawmakers to let grocery stores sell line. Kroger has added displays all over the stores and they’re putting flyers in shoppers’ bags.
Luke Schmidt, Food with Wine Coalition says, “A year ago we did a regular petition drive in grocery stores across the state and we generated 56 thousand signatures. That’s a lot of signatures. This mechanism, by going online, we believe is going to demonstrate to the legislators loud and clear that people want this law changed.”
Kentucky is one of the 15 states that does not allow customers to buy wine in grocery stores. Bill Boland, President of Evergreen Liquors says, it should stay that way.
Bill Boland, President of Evergreen Liquors says, “It’s sort of opening Pandora’s box and I think that is one of the reasons the legislature is reluctant. It’s going to make alcohol sales as common as soft drink sales.”
But public reaction to this campaign is mixed.
Ann Lennon, Kroger Customer says, “I think it’s a good idea. I would like it. You wouldn’t have to make another trip. It’s just more convenient.”
Mary-Beth Headinger, Kroger Customer, says, “I would prefer just to keep it separate and keep the liquor stores away from children and adolescents or anybody that might be tempted to do it either way.”
Supporters of changing state law to allow wine sales at Kentucky grocery stores in wet or moist counties are starting a campaign ahead of next year’s legislative session…The new campaign includes an online petition drive at www.foodwithwine.org, distributing fliers in groceries, along with 5-foot tall signs in groceries promoting the effort.
Article originally posted by The (Louisville) Courier-Journal directed to: http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090911/BUSINESS/909110370/1003/BUSINESS/Campaign%20renewed%20for%20wine%20sales%20in%20groceries?GID=75AzNxFoolHXwWKskiZ4XGmG739z9x0y+NAZEw5rmbA%3D
Campaign renewed for wine sales in groceries
Supporters of changing state law to allow wine sales at Kentucky grocery stores in wet or moist counties are starting a campaign ahead of next year’s legislative session.
A bill to allow wine sales in Kentucky grocery stores died during the 2008 General Assembly. House Bill 585 would have allowed wine sales in 350 to 400 grocery stores statewide.
Food with Wine Coalition spokesman Luke Schmidt said Friday that proponents believe the change would produce $30.1 million in additional tax revenue for the state over the first two years. The coalition is backed by the Kroger chain.
The new campaign includes an online petition drive at www.foodwithwine.org, distributing fliers in groceries, along with 5-foot tall signs in groceries promoting the effort.
Liquor-store owners have questioned opposed the efforts, citing a variety of reasons including arguing that gains in grocery sales would be offset by declines at package liquor stores.