Supply chain issues hit Alberta liquor stores

Some Alberta liquor stores are reporting shortages of certain types of alcohol this holiday season – including here in Edmonton. 

Gaps in the beer fridge have been a familiar sight for weeks at some shops.

“We’ve removed the tags because they’ve been out of stock for so long and now we’re trying to figure out what to bring in its place,” said Taranvir Mahal, owner of T’s Liquor.

When it comes to some higher-end customer favourites like Hennessy, not only is stock running low – there is no word on when the supply will be steady again.

“They can’t even tell you when they’re going to have it back again,” Mahal said. “It could be a week, it could be a few months from now.”

And with New Year’s Even coming up quickly, some customers might have to ring in 2022 with something other than the classic champagne toast.

“We’ve had probably the worst selection of champagne we’ve seen in probably the 20 years I’ve been in the industry,” said Adam Koziak with Chateau Louis Liquor Store.

Alberta Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis is not overly concerned by the situation, saying while it’s possible some imported products might experience delays due to the supply chain, Alberta’s system has been working “very well.” It said it would be monitoring for potential impacts on liquor deliveries.

“For a guy like me who likes his scotch, that’s a pretty scary thought,” said Jack Brink, who was stocking up Monday.

“I might normally buy two, maybe three bottles on a trip. But today, I’ll probably get four or five.”

Liquor store owners confirmed that while they can still fill the shelves this holiday season, anything from overseas is getting harder to find.

With files from Joe Scarpelli