StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/661597
StateWays n www.stateways.com n March/April 2016 10 [ PROFILE ] ucts and encouraging people to support their community. Since 2012, NHLC stores have seen a 76% increase in the overall sales of New Hampshire wines. One way the NHLC showcases its many product offerings is by operating large liquor and wine outlet superstores, known for offering tremendous savings. In June 2015, the commission opened its largest store to date in Salem. The 24,000-square-foot facility is anticipated to generate $25.7 million in sales, which will amount to a $2 million increase over fi scal year 2014 fi gures. Like all NHLC stores, the Salem location was expertly designed with custom lighting and shelving features, and can also accommodate educational and training events for customers and staff. The store layout was designed in part- nership with Constellation Brands, re- sulting in the largest wine shelf set that Constellation Brand Category Man- agement Team has ever completed in the country. This summer, the agency plans to open another new store, which will be its biggest yet. Mollica predicts that it will be one of the largest liquor retail stores in all of New England. FOCUSING ON SPECIAL EVENTS The NHLC is unique in that it places a strong emphasis on coor- dinating public events to engage with the beverage industry lead- ers. By concentrating its efforts in this area, the commission has successfully attracted more customers, generated higher profi ts and set itself up as a key market destination for winemakers and other beverage industry leaders. One of the agency's most popular events, Wine Week, just celebrated its eleventh year in January 2016. First conceived around the state's largest original tasting event, Wine Week quickly evolved to become one of the largest events of its kind on the East Coast. Each year, more than 60 winemakers from around the world participate in various activities, interacting with thousands of customers. This year's Wine Week featured 125 separate events, including wine dinners, in-person tastings and edu- cational programs. One of the most popular activities, the Winter Wine Spectacular, is a signature wine tast- ing event drawing more than 1,200 attendees who are able to sam- ple more than 1,500 wines. Other events during this year's Wine Week festivities included a dinner with fourth-generation Italian winemaker Andrea Cecchi; a panel of wine experts who guided participants through a tasting of various Cabernet and Merlot varieties; and meet-and-greets and bottle signings with different winemakers at NHLC retail store locations. Nicole Brassard Jordan, the NHLC's Director of Sales, Mar- keting, Merchandising, and Warehousing, says that Wine Week provides an excellent opportunity for wine enthusiasts and sup- The NHLC's 78 retail locations generate more than $600 million in sales per year. More than 1,400 employees work for the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. "We've created a unique brand for our stores, we've improved our effi ciencies and customer service and we offer many different SKUs that people can't fi nd anywhere else in the country."