Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/64274
Though it carries main- stream beers, Green's tries to focus on imports and craft brews, because of intense competition from large supermarkets and big box retailers. among more than 250 private label and additional discount wines bought at volume. The contemporary wine drinker's will- ingness to try new things encourages experimentation and thus, the discounted brands are a good bet for building sales. Especially in the modest income South Carolina stores, California wines have thrived, though Reddic expects prices to begin to rise soon. "We had a Stags Leap Cab that we sold at $19 at very good margins for awhile, and that's a thing of the past. I think the supply and demand axiom is about to come back into play." He sources less-expensive wines from Chile, Italy and Spain, where he consistently finds value and quality, and stocks up on $3 to $5 bottles "If we didn't pursue that business we'd lose all of it, and I'm not sure we'd replace it with anything, so we try to embrace it." he beer business is under a different kind of pres- sure, this coming from other types of retailers, including grocers and big box stores who are dri- ving down the price of mass market beer at a time when customers are deserting the brands, with one retailer in Columbia selling suitcases of domestic beer at cost all year long. Faced with the decision to match low prices or hold firm and give up the volume in the domestic side, Green's has found salvation with craft beers, imports and a growing business in growlers. "We sell a tremendous amount of growlers – it's been a godsend Focusing on Craft Brews and Imports T G and made up a lot of the revenue we've lost from domestic sales." Now, with temperature and humidity controlled beer caves installed for fans of the Duvels and Chimays of the world, Green's has estab- lished a point of differentiation that can't be found at a Walmart. "It's a different world and it's changed more than any category we do business with," he says. Possible State Law Changes reen's operates under state and local strictures that limit tastings, and state rules on ownership that are in flux. Right now, Reddic is closely watching the Georgia legislature, where a bill (supported by a large national retailer aggressive about selling alco- hol) would allow a single operator 10 liquor licenses. "If it passes, the landscape in Georgia will change so quick- ly, we're going to have to ramp up or get out," he says, with small operators with one or two stores in danger of becoming irrelevant. If no changes come, he's interested in looking to expand into neighboring states that might open up – he mentions North Carolina and Alabama as likely targets if the laws change there. "We would be much better as a regional player rather than building more stores where we are." Meanwhile, juggling the needs of the various mar- kets keeps Green's busy enough matching national trends with regional responses, adding and subtracting products and building business through discounts, industry innovation and private label. In the right combinations, that's a formula that could work in any locale. s Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • May/June 2012 • 19 community and if you can get the right products in front of people at a price that's been discounted, usually you're going to have tremendous cross- section of the "We have a a success." — Lock Reddic President, Green's Discount Beverages