New Brunswick residents craving the flavors of American alcohol can now find these products available for purchase at a single location. New Brunswick Liquor has begun selling its surplus of American alcohol at its warehouse site in Salisbury. CEO Lori Stickles emphasized the importance of maximizing the value of these products for the province and recouping investments. The initiative aims to prevent wastage and avoid potential product spoilage due to aging.
Following the removal of U.S. alcohol from Alcool N.B. Liquor stores in response to trade tensions with the U.S. in March, the Crown corporation was left with approximately $4 million worth of American inventory. Stickles informed the public accounts committee that around $3.4 million worth of American alcohol remains in stock. While these products have been available to agency stores and licensed establishments, consumer demand has been low.
Premier Susan Holt had announced earlier that N.B. Liquor stores would stop selling American alcohol as a response to tariff threats from the U.S. President. Despite initial halting of U.S. alcohol purchases in February, the products were only removed from shelves in March. N.B. Liquor typically sells about $40 million worth of American alcohol annually.
The opposition party had urged N.B. Liquor to sell off its existing U.S. alcohol stock since May, highlighting the need to recover the initial investment. Minister Luke Randall highlighted the increased shelf space for Canadian products as a positive outcome, while acknowledging that some U.S. alcohol is still available at agency stores. MLA Tammy Scott-Wallace supported the decision to sell the surplus stock at the Salisbury depot store to recoup expenditures and prevent further storage costs.