The Distilled Spirits Council today lauded the Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s (OLCC) effort to significantly increase the number of spirits outlets by considering new and innovative retail settings.
“The OLCC has taken great steps to modernize the marketplace in Oregon and has been a collaborative partner in increasing the number of outlets where consumers can purchase spirits products,” said Distilled Spirits Council Vice President David Wojnar. “This newest phase of the OLCC’s outlet expansion is critical to better serving 14 counties in central, eastern and northeastern Oregon. Expanding spirits sales into grocery stores and other nontraditional retail settings will better serve consumers in Oregon.”
“The spirits business is a critical part of the Oregon economy and hospitality sector, providing nearly 15,000 jobs to the state. Oregon, in particular, has a booming and expanding in-state distilling sector. Continuing to modernize the marketplace will benefit consumers, Oregon’s distillers and the state’s economy,” Wojnar concluded.
OLCC Executive Director Steve Marks added, “It is exciting to put the Oregon system in position to feature all the innovation and competition in the spirits marketplace. To date, the open-recruitment process has been a success for the Oregon public.
“We have approved 20 more stores over the past year, making this the largest expansion since prohibition. We are now on track to approve another 43 stores over the next two years. Our need to grow is fueled by customer convenience and experience as well as population growth,” concluded Marks.