The Spike Pub & Liquor Store - ABLE BC

the 

Publican 

The Alliance of Beverage Licensees 

Fall 2010 

The Spike 

Pub & Liquor 

Store 

Sign of the Times 

Value Your 

Accessories 

Tech Trends 

Pub Cuisine 

Agreement #40026059

IT’S GOOD 

TO BE HERE. 

Thanks for pouring 

Brockton IPA. 

Well hopped, refreshing and 

already a local favourite.

On the Cover 

The Spike Pub & 

Liquor Store 

Cheryl Semenuik 

20 

Quarterly Publication for the 

Alliance of Beverage Licensees 

200-948 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1N9 

T 604-688-5560 F 604-688-8560 

Toll free 1-800-663-4883 

info@ablebc.ca www.ablebc.ca 

2009-2010 Board of Directors 

President 

Al McCreary 

Past President Al Arbuthnot 

Vice President Jonathan Cross 

Vice President Poma Dhaliwal 

Vice President LRS Salim Karim 

Vice President LP Matthew MacNeil 

Vice President Ronnie Paterson 

Treasurer 

Roger Gibson 

Executive Director Kim Haakstad 

Directors 

Brady Beruschi, Al Deacon, 

Mariana Fiddler, Mike Jahnke, John Lepinski, Don Lutzak, 

Kurt Pyrch, Danny Rickaby, Grant Smith 

Director at Large Dave Crown 

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Joyce Hayne 

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ABLE BC Editor Kim Haakstad 

Copyright EMC Publications 

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40026059 

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The statements, opinions & points of view expressed in 

published articles are not necessarily those of ABLE BC. 

Advertisers are not necessarily endorsed by ABLE BC. 

8 

Features 

14 

the 

PublicanFall 2010 

6 Liquor Serving Sizes 

8 Sign of the Times 

14 Value Your Accessories 

20 Cover Story - The Spike Pub & Liquor Store 

22 Pub Cuisine - Food Cost Control 

26 Building Sales Without Suggestive Selling 

27 Impaired Driving Legislation 

28 Would You Call This Theft 

31 Tech Trends 

34 Effective Employee Sales Contests 

22 26 

Departments 

4 President's Message 

5 Executive Director's Report 

6 LCLB Report 

12 Product Showcase 

13 Human Resources 

18 Liquor Sales & Trends 

25 What's New 

29 Liquor Policy & Business Review 

30 Wine Report - Accessories 

32 LDB Report - Liqueurs 

36 Spotlight on Agave Spirits 

38 Names in the News 

38 BC Hospitality Foundation

President's Message 

Al McCreary, President, ABLE BC 

The spring and early summer of 2010 were a tough time for many operators 

with poor weather and slow sales through until the end of June. While business 

has picked up for many pubs and liquor stores in July, it is not all good news. 

While our businesses were quiet early Spring, the government was busy working 

away on legislative changes that will impact our industry in many ways. Some 

of these changes are already hurting our businesses, some will have a positive 

impact, and some will change the way we do business and how government 

holds us accountable on complying with the law. 

A new law, which is no doubt creating as much chatter in your establishments as 

it is in mine, changes the penalties for drinking and driving. More specific factbased 

information on these changes has been provided by the Superintendent 

of Motor Vehicles and can be found further into this edition of The Publican. 

Like or loathe these changes, one thing is for certain - despite the fact that the 

law doesn’t come into effect until sometime in the fall; people are changing 

their behaviour now. As fewer people are willing to have just one drink and 

then drive, these changing behaviours have already caused a decline in sales 

in a lot of pubs around BC, despite the fact that the new penalties are not yet 

in effect. So whether you want to see these new laws repealed or made even 

stronger, we are all faced with the same daunting dilemma of making it work 

for our businesses, which depend on liquor sales. 

So, what can we do 

Is this just another nail in the coffin for the pub business Maybe, but I think 

we need to find a way to look at it as an opportunity. I know my pub’s viability 

requires that I do that. Remember that Designated Driving Program you used 

to have in your establishment We all used to have them, and some of you 

still might, but most of us have stopped promoting it. You might still have the 

posters and or coasters collecting dust in your storage room. Well let’s dust 

those off and breathe new life into that Designated Driver program! Remember 

when a designated driver got free pop all night Maybe it was a free appetizer, 

or a Virgin Caesar. Treating designated drivers like VIPs because they are going 

to get their drinking friends home safely is certainly a viable and successful 

solution to our dilemma. While the DD’s friends spend money in your business, 

without having to worry about how they will get home, the DD will remember 

this treatment and is more likely to come back to your place when it is his or 

her turn to have a few drinks while someone else drives. 

Cabs, transit, and arranging drop-offs and pick-ups can be expensive or just plain 

impossible. Often having a designated driver is the only viable option, but we 

all know it can be a difficult role to fill. Let’s face it, we no longer have to work 

just to attract our drinking patrons, but maybe more so their designated drivers. 

Let’s work together to make this role more enticing. Treat your designated driver 

customers like VIPs and remind your customers that the best way to avoid 

drinking and driving is a little pre-planning and a willingness to enjoy a night 

of mocktails instead of cocktails every once in a while, in the name of safety. 

4 The Publican

Executive 

Director's Report 

by Kim Haakstad 

Union Organizing Drives 

The UFCW Union has been dropping (literally) 

pamphlets at liquor stores in the Metro Vancouver 

and Kootenay areas. The pamphlets promise 

higher wages if your staff join a union. For many 

small businesses, it is not feasible to have a union. 

Be proactive, know what other employers pay 

for similar jobs in your area, and do what you 

can to address staff inquiries and complaints as 

they arise. 

Want more information Check out three new 

resources on ABLE’s new website: Talking To Your 

Staff About Unions, How To Avoid Organizing 

Drives In Your Business, and What To Do When 

There Is An Organizing Drive (available to 

members only). 

Service to Minors and Intoxicated Patrons 

Recently a number of pubs and LRSs have 

received fines or suspensions for serving 

intoxicated patrons. Make sure your staff are 

monitoring customers in your businesses. 

Have staff check consumption patterns of each 

patron when possible, and support your staff in 

cutting customers off or declining service when 

necessary. 

Also, make sure your staff always ask, “May I see 

2 pieces of ID” Minors will be coming into your 

establishments as secret shoppers, so make sure 

your staff are prepared. Remind them that liquor 

inspectors now have the ability to not only issue 

fines to the minors, but also to staff, and they 

will start issuing those tickets sometime this fall. 

For more information on how to improve your 

due diligence, check out the templates in the 

Members Only area of ABLE’s website. Need more 

2 pieces of ID Required posters Call ABLE and 

they will be sent to you free of charge. 

Changes to Trade Practices 

As you may know, the provincial government is 

working on changes to the laws relating to the 

relationship your LP or LRS can have with liquor 

suppliers. ABLE has received some questions 

about how this will work. While we don’t know 

the details yet, the Liquor Control and Licensing 

Branch has assured us that ABLE will be consulted 

in the development of the new rules governing 

these relationships. Please feel free to let your 

regional ABLE director or the ABLE office know 

your opinions. 

Ability to Sell Pre-Mixed Drinks 

Have you always wanted a Bellini machine 

and couldn’t figure out why a certain chain of 

restaurants had them but your liquor inspector 

told you that you couldn’t Well, wonder no more. 

Changes to the Liquor Act now allow you to sell 

pre-mixed drinks to patrons - so get those slushy 

machines up and running before the summer sun 

is gone for another year. 

Door Staff Licensing 

It has now been almost ten months since the 

government started requiring door staff in 

licensed liquor establishments to be licensed. So 

far there has been little enforcement, but if you 

currently use door staff and do not have them 

licensed, we recommend you do so as soon as 

possible. Reminder - if you DO NOT currently use 

door staff, you do not need to start. 

If you do have your door staff licensed, we want 

to hear from you. What were the costs, challenge, 

and benefits, if any 

Renewal Time at ABLE 

Just a reminder that ABLE’s membership year is 

September 1 to August 31. Watch for your renewal 

packages in the mail. 

Not a member yet Been thinking about joining 

ABLE for a while but haven’t done it Nonmembers 

have probably noticed less and 

less free information is available on ABLE’s 

website. Members tell us that one of the biggest 

values of ABLE membership is timely access to 

quality information about our industry, so less 

information is being given away for free. ABLE 

has a new fee structure to reflect the LP- LRS 

separation - stand alone LPs or LRSs can now 

join ABLE for just $630! Check out ABLE’s website 

for more information on the benefits of ABLE 

membership at www.ablebc.ca. Join today and 

support your association! 

Visit the 

BC Hospitality Industry 

Conference & Exposition 

November 21- 23 

The Publican 

5

LCLB Report 

by Karen Ayers 

Liquor-Related Legislative Changes 

Government recently passed Bill 20, which included many liquor-related 

changes intended to enhance public safety, modernize our legislation, and 

de-regulate aspects of the liquor hospitality industry. 

Some of the changes took effect on June 3, 2010. Others will come into effect 

by regulation. 

The following changes that are already in effect may be of interest to you: 

• Licensees may pre-mix drinks. This is meant to accommodate mixing 

equipment like Bellini machines and preparing popular mixed drinks ahead 

of time. 

• Gaming regulations have been consolidated within the Gaming Act, and 

will be regulated by the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch. However, 

the LCLB will maintain restrictions on gaming where it is appropriate for the 

type of licence, e.g. social occasion casinos won’t be permitted in food 

primary establishments. 

• All licensees may sponsor community activities and events - previously only 

liquor manufacturers could sponsor events. 

• LCLB may suspend or impose terms and conditions on a licence for up to 14 

days, without a hearing, in extraordinary circumstances - intended only 

where there are significant public safety concerns. While we expect this 

power will be used very infrequently, it will be a valuable tool for protecting 

public safety in those cases. 

• LCLB and police may hire minors to help monitor compliance with ID 

checking rules. Minors would be under supervision and not allowed to 

consume alcohol. This is to address the low compliance rate among some 

licensees for checking ID, given that liquor service to minors is a public safety 

risk. 

In addition, changes of interest to you that will require regulations before 

coming into force include: 

• Provision to permit ownership links between liquor manufacturers and 

licensees beyond what is presently permitted to provide additional 

investment and marketing opportunities for both groups. 

• Provision to modernize trade practice relationships between liquor 

manufacturers and licensees. The rules governing how liquor manufacturers 

can promote their products within licensed establishments will be relaxed. 

• Provisions for greater control over who may obtain a special occasion 

licence and where the event may be held, and for holding special occasion 

licence holders accountable for infractions, i.e. subject to LCLB enforcement 

and penalties just like permanent licensees. 

• Provision to licence agency stores, e.g. rural agency, manufacturer, and 

private wine stores, and hold them to the same compliance and enforcement 

rules as other private liquor retail outlets. 

LCLB will consult with stakeholders on the development of these regulations 

and policies before they go forward. Many of these initiatives will not be 

implemented for a number of months to allow us time to consult. 

A complete list of the changes to the Liquor Control and Licensing Act are on our 

website at www.hsd.gov.bc.ca/lclb. 

LIQUOR SERVING SIZES 

The purpose of the maximum single serving size rules is to encourage moderate 

consumption at all times and avoid over-serving patrons. Concerns have been 

expressed that the previous serving size rules did not allow for serving a pint 

of draught beer and that the basis for the different serving sizes for different 

categories of liquor was unclear. 

A standard drink in Canada contains 13.6 grams of ethyl alcohol, which is 

approximately equivalent to one 12 oz (340ml) beer containing 5% alcohol, one 

5 oz (142ml) glass of wine containing 12% alcohol, and 1.5 oz (42.6ml) of spirits 

containing 40% alcohol. These revised serving sizes better reflect the alcohol 

content of different types of liquor by attempting to equalize the amount of 

alcohol that is contained in the different types of liquor. 

Revised Serving Size Policy 

The following are the maximum drink sizes, which can be served to patrons 

at one time: 

Distilled liquor: Drinks containing distilled liquor (spirits) must not contain 

more than three fluid ounces (85ml) of distilled liquor. Drinks that two or more 

patrons intend to share may be served in larger containers, but the maximum 

of three fluid ounces per person must be maintained. Whole bottles of distilled 

liquor must not be served or sold. (There has been no change to the serving 

sizes for distilled liquor.) 

6 The Publican 

from LCLB Policy Directive 10-04 

Draught beer: Draught beer may be served in single servings of no more than 

24 oz (680ml) or smaller servings of multiple brands, provided the total served 

at one time is no more than 24 oz (680ml). (A Canadian pint is 20 oz or 568ml.) 

Pitchers or other multiple serving containers shared by two or more patrons 

may contain no more than 1.5 litres of draught beer. 

Bottled beer: A maximum of two standard-sized or one large-sized (up to 24 oz 

or 680ml) bottle of beer may be served to a single patron at one time. 

Wine: Wine may be served in single servings of 10 oz (285ml) or in smaller 

servings of multiple brands provided the total served at one time is no more 

than 10 oz (285ml). Wine may also be served by the standard 750ml bottle if 

it is to be consumed by at least two people and with food. Wine may also be 

served in non-refillable containers up to 1.5 litres or in refillable containers up 

to 1.5 litres (with approval for the container from the Public Health Protection 

Branch of the Ministry of Health), and subject to these serving size rules. 

These are maximum serving sizes; licensees may continue to serve smaller 

servings, which fit their existing glassware. 

Further information regarding liquor control and licensing in BC is available on the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch 

website at www.hsd.gov.bc.ca/lclb. If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact the Liquor Control 

and Licensing Branch toll free in Canada at 1-866-209-2111 or 250-387-1254 if calling from the Victoria area.

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SIGN OF THE TIMES 

by Alex Van Tol 

Maximizing impact and sales through great signage 

A sign has a number of jobs to do. The most important is to be eye-catching. You 

can’t sell your stuff unless you stand out from the competition. The next most 

important job of a sign is to be informative. It should be easy to understand. 

And it’s a bonus if it’s nice to look at. 

“The biggest thing with signage is don’t clutter it with a lot of stuff,” notes Ted 

Lau, co-owner and creative principal of a graphic design studio in Vancouver. 

Sorry, but the photos have to go, insists Lau. They won’t translate well onto your 

signs. Nor, for that matter, will complex logos. If your pub or liquor store logo 

is intricate, you might need to think about a redesign before you fork out for 

signs that won’t get your message across clearly. “And try not to do more than 

just a few colours,” Lau advises. Two or three is ideal. Keep signs at eye level. 

Illuminated signs are good, especially for food and drink establishments. You’re 


open at night, right That means you’ll want people to see your signage clearly, 

both inside and out. But steer clear of those blue LED lights, because they’re 

really hard to see in the dark. 

At the Berezan Group, the whole management team came together to develop 

its signature backlit martini glass that graces every liquor store under the 

Berezan umbrella. It’s sparkly, easy to see, and effectively branded with the “B” 

surrounding the martini glass. “As we started to expand our stores,” explains 

Troy Bilodeau, director of retail operations for Berezan, “we decided to get 

something out there for consumers to be able to identify our stores and know 

they were in a Berezan liquor store.” 

Your takeaway “Keep everything as branded as possible,” suggests Lau, whose 

company has done a lot of work with the Arbuthnot Group, at establishments 

like Fox’s Reach and The Landing. Not sure where to start in changing or 

developing your brand A good design firm can help with everything from 

branding to marketing to websites, and everything in between. 

Position interior and exterior signs in high-traffic areas. If it’s outside, ensure it’s 

not hidden behind any trees or bushes. “The style of sign is also determined 

by its location and the municipality,” notes Iqbal Virani, owner of a sign shop 

in Surrey. Pay close attention to your regulations and you won’t have to take 

down a sign that you’ve just paid a bundle for. 

Once you’ve got them through the door, the trick is to capture your customers’ 

attention and boost sales. No better way to do it than by showing them a 

tempting array of what’s to be had at your establishment. Large-screen digital 

signs are a great way to do this. “Digital signage is more dynamic than static 

images,” reveals Tony White, sales manager for Best Buy for Business. “It has a 

greater impression rate on consumers, especially if you add in constant changes 


9

to the sign. Those are eye-catching and people 

have a tendency to look at them for longer periods 

than static images.” Plus, digital signs can save you 

the headache of juggling (and re-taping, patching, 

and changing) paper signs, posters, and banners. 

Going digital might even save you money down 

the line on printing costs. 

Digital signs take the form of a TV or large-screen 

computer monitor with a media player or software. 

The content can be updated and controlled from 

any location. Once you buy a digital display, you 

can go to your provider’s website and upload 

content, whether it’s video or still images. “As 

long as [publicans] have somewhere with Internet 

access, they can change anything from anywhere 

in the world,” explains Mike Maclean, whose 

company manufactures software for use with 

digital signs. “It’s the iPod of digital signs. It’s cost 

effective, durable, and scalable.” 

These signs let you share specials with your 

customers, tempt them with mouth-watering 

images, and upsell new or recommended items. 

You can do as much or as little self-promotion as 

you like - and it’s a perfect opportunity for crosspromotion 

between establishments. You can run 

a display in your liquor store about the specials in 

your pub, or vice versa. 

“The nice thing about it is being able to promote 

your own specials,” comments White. “There’s 

great margin in those items.” White steers his 

clients away from using their in-house digital 

signage to advertise outside services like the 

pizza joint down the road. “It won’t drive as much 

revenue for you as if you advertise your own 

products and services, or those of your partners,” 

White observes. 

Others feel differently. As the Berezan Group rolls 

out digital signs at all of its liquor stores in the 

coming months, they are looking at advertising 

for other businesses as a potential source of 

revenue. 

You don’t even have to sign up for a digital 

package to make an impact with your interior 

signs. Not sure that you want a constantly 

revolving screen of branded images At Canoe 

Brewpub Marina and Restaurant in Victoria, 

General Manager Alain Leger and his team bought 

several TVs to complement their existing roster of 

banners and window signs. Canoe runs movies 

during their themed nights, such as surf Sundays 

and James Bond night. 

In the market for tent cards Take a good look 

at how the interior of your pub is styled. “If the 

atmosphere is dark, they have to be easy to 

read,” says Lau. List your features, but add a call 

to action to entice your customers to try your 

specials. Sometimes a catchy title is enough to 

do this. Keep your branding clear and simple, and 

keep the design in line with your brand. If your 

establishment’s chief colours are green and gold, 

these should be reflected in your tent cards and 

other signage. Your pub’s name should be visible 

on the card. Resist the temptation to give it over to 

a supplier: sure, they’ll pay the cost of having the 

cards printed, but you’re not doing yourself any 

favours, because it’s their branding that’s getting 

the most airtime. You’re advertising for them, not 

for your establishment. 

Keep your own brand front and centre on 

functional, informative, and attractive signs. Tell 

the people what’s new, what’s hot, and what’s 

on special. Make an impact, and you’ll make 

more sales. 


Digital Signage 

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Plus, with the largest selection of commercial and consumer TVs available, 

we're sure to have the displays you need. 

Contact us today to find out what we can do for your business. 

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Product Showcase 

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Licor 43 

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Human Resources 

by go2 

Getting New Hire Orientation Right 

Since young workers constitute a significant part of 

the labour pool in the bar and pub business, where 

there's a high degree of staff turnover, a strong and 

detailed orientation program is key to assimilating 

new employees. Following is orientation advice from 

three managers at licensed establishments of various 

sizes: Foggy Dew, Doolin’s Irish Pub, and the Dockside 

Lounge. 

review. “Along with reviewing the house rules and any 

training materials, I include a Serving It Right review,” 

notes Gaudaur. “We are in the business of creating 

good times for our guests, but many people don’t 

know their limits with alcohol, so we must be the 

monitors. It is our responsibility to ensure patrons 

are not over-served alcoholic beverages, and the new 

server must be aware of the signs of intoxication.” 

HITACHINO NEST 

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abv 5% 


SKU 230672 


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Comprehensive Orientation is Crucial 

These managers require that printed manuals, 

which outline roles and responsibilities, be given to 

all new employees. The manual should also cover 

company policies and procedures that new employees 

need to know about - from gratuity sharing to 

safety procedures and everything in between. They 

recommend reading the manuals aloud to new hires 

so that expectations don't fall into grey areas, and 

employees cannot deny being informed of policies. A 

question-and-answer session at this point will help to 

ensure that employees understand what is expected 

of them. Ensure that the employees sign the policies 

and procedures as well. 

“The orientation is a multi-layered, ongoing process 

from the point of hiring,” says Paul Gaudaur, general 

manager of Coquitlam’s Foggy Dew, part of Gibson 

Hospitality Inc. “It benefits the employee, the company, 

and the guest. Moulding new employees into the 

company model through communication, handson 

training, and development ensures a confident, 

knowledgeable employee. The goal is to maintain 

your workforce through exemplary communication 

and training." 

Jay Mangan, general manager at Doolin’s Irish Pub in 

Vancouver, emphasizes a positive team attitude. “If you 

have a happy team, it’s a lot easier to get new hires to 

buy into the ideals or initiatives that you’re trying to 

put forward,” he explains. Mangan personally leads 

a new hire on a tour of the premises, displaying the 

confidence and enthusiasm that he wants to see on 

the job. He also handles the introductions to all staff on 

duty. “We spend time in the kitchen area, so that even 

if they never go back there again, they have respect for 

what our kitchen staff go through every day.” 

Reviewing the Serving It Right Program 

During orientation, and then periodically after that, 

all front-of-house staff should have a Serving It Right 

Accommodating Shifts while Supervising 

Orientation 

To accommodate day and evening shifts, experienced 

employees can be assigned as trainers for new hires. 

“A trainer is somebody who I feel has a lot of buy-in to 

the company, won’t take shortcuts, and will teach the 

proper way,” describes Eugene Vassilev, assistant food 

and beverage director at the Granville Island Hotel, 

which encompasses the Dockside Brewing Restaurant 

Bar and the Dockside Lounge. “The trainer will always 

be a senior department employee who exemplifies 

the business model through their performance, 

knowledge, and leadership skills,” reveals Gaudaur. 

“Integrating the trainer at this point is a gentle handoff 

from the manager. I ensure the new employee has the 

same trainer for at least the first week. I explain how 

I will measure the employee’s progress through daily 

performance reviews and set daily goals.” 

For the first few shifts, Vassilev encourages 

implementation of a training schedule, a list of tasks to 

be accomplished, goals to be reached, and questions 

to be answered for both trainee and trainer. He breaks 

the initial shift into two hours with that shift’s hostess, 

two hours with the bus staff, and two hours at the 

kitchen line. He considers the latter most important. 

“It forces the server to learn the table numbers and 

the seat numbers, while at the same time interacting 

with the kitchen, learning how to speak to them, and 

knowing who to approach with specific problems.” 

In pub venues, managers also assign time with the 

bartender, helping new servers learn the procedure 

of taking orders and making drinks. 

"All front-line employees are the faces of your 

business," concludes Gaudaur. "If you have successfully 

oriented and trained the employee, the end result is 

an informed, satisfied guest combined with a positive 

revenue source in the employee." 

Les Wiseman is writing for go2. For more information for using human resources 

to improve your business' bottom line, visit www.go2hr.ca. 


13

VALUE YOUR ACCESSORIES 

and boost bottle sales 

by Chris McBeath 


When retail guru Robert Spector shared the 

secrets of Nordstrom’s success, and made a chunk 

of change in doing so, the face of retailing was 

changed forever. Consumers were “in” on the 

arts of persuasion, and the study of how people 

shopped became a sophisticated science. Add 

the Internet, and the contest has evolved to a 

whole new, fast-moving ball game against which 

bricks-and-mortar stores must now compete. That 

includes catering to a customer who is, as various 

studies reveal, more demanding and increasingly 

attention deficit. Look no further than the socalled 

Generation Y whose surfing childhood 

has taught them to think in bytes, literally and 

figuratively. They’re looking for fast and easy 

engagement, originality, and value-added ideas. 

Therein lays the opportunity. 

Engaging Customers 

“Although accessories are a small part of our 

overall revenues, they offer an excellent markup, 

often as much as 100%”, says Stacey Mueller, 

Manager of the recently opened Berezan Liquor 

Store in Langley. “More importantly, they add to 

the buying experience and engage our customers 

in a way that results in more sales of our primary 

merchandise.” 

Mueller, who has an extensive background in 

retailing, admits that sometimes the selection 

process can be bit of a hit and miss affair - “we’re 

not an exclusive wine store with clearly defined 

clientele” - but since displays can be changed 

quickly in response to the season, customer 

demand, or sheer novelty appeal, offering nonalcoholic 

wares is a way to keep the store an 

exciting place to shop. “They can be a point of 

differentiation and help build customer loyalty.” 

Murray Rasmusson, a 15-year veteran of 

distributing various alcohol-related supplies 

agrees. “Displays of bottle openers, gift bags and 

inexpensive glassware are geared to the impulse 

buy and they need to move fast,” he suggests. 

“These are POP staples to any inventory - the 

nearer the cash register, the better. However, 

it’s important to make sure that value doesn’t 

translate to cheap; a wine opener must have the 

strength to pull out a cork, and the durability to 

last beyond one picnic.” Clutter around the cash 

register is the bane of most operations. But it 

need not be so. 

Consider the Trends 

Peter Fisk, business innovator, marketer, and best 

selling author, is an authority on prevailing trends 

in commerce. When applied to the liquor industry, 

they pave the way for a fresh look at sundry, nonalcoholic 

accessories. 

Some of the trends, such as Challenger Brands (as 

in, serious private labels), and Designer Quality, 

are already familiar commodities whether in 

limited edition wines and sought-after vintages, 

or established, high-end spirits. Take a look at the 

trends, Simplifying Life (anything that makes life 

better), and Streamlining (everything fast and 

convenient), and you open the doors to more 

inspired service that goes beyond nachos and 

cheese dip beside cases of beer. Today, these 

concepts talk to pick-up dinner items, such as 


15

flavourful crackers with hand-crafted cheeses - the more local the better, summer coolers 

alongside stylish plastic glasses for the beach, and ready-made gift baskets, which are 

easy to theme and prepare in advance. “Good merchandising is all about helping your 

customers think,” notes Fisk. 

Although your average liquor store can’t compete with the box-warehouse space 

of Everything Wine in North Vancouver (the 12,000 square foot shop carries almost 

3,000 different wines), you can adapt and adopt some of their savvy when it comes 

to accessories. Proportionately speaking, the accessory area is small, but it’s packed 

with nick-nacks that invite tactile browsing. There’s a good range of Riedel glassware, 

books, and publications including Wine Enthusiast, Decanter and Wine Spectator (there’s 

even a bin that sells past issues at 50% off); whimsical pieces such as ornamental glass 

decorations, coasters, and wine-related trivia playing cards as well as well-priced platters 

and dip dishes to go with jars of gourmet antipasto and spreads. Various bags, already 

stuffed with colourful tissue, need only a bottle added, and are artfully arranged to inspire 

a gift-giving mentality. There’s also an eco-friendly section featuring those wineries that 

follow sustainable, organic, or bio-dynamic practices. This is an important consideration 

when almost half of consumers say environmentally friendly products are the primary 

factor in their purchase decisions. Regular tasting events are part of the store’s modus 

operandi, which not only attracts new customers, but is creating a local wine community 

of enthusiastic store ambassadors. 

Ideas for Companion Sales 

• Accessorize slow movers and place a hot spot in your store 

(but only for a limited time) 

• Work with local producers to establish a “buy local” 

destination shelf, nook, or alcove 

• Set aside an eco-conscious area 

• Position books, DVDs and accessories throughout the store 

• Show examples of how products can be packaged for gift 

ideas 

• Handmade liqueur chocolates and organic wine chocolates 

are big impulse sellers 

• Host tastings that pair beer and wine with chocolate 

• Include one-of-a-kind items in a specialty section, such as 

hand-painted wine glasses 

• Offer specially priced gift sets 

• Securely fasten some of your accessory ideas on the wall in 

your bathroom 


Cultivate the Purchase Experience 

Effective retailing is as much about placement and environment as it is the stock, 

so when Alcool NB Liquor in New Brunswick embraced two key design trends: 

Concept Space and Engaging Niches, it was banking on success. Responsible 

for a network of 48 stores and 70 licensed agency partners, the organization is 

revamping the Alcool NB Liquor purchasing experience. First, it is emphasizing 

a culture of staff product knowledge and service, and second, remodeled stores 

now include interior destinations using bottle displays, mood pictures, and 

themed accessories. Kudos to date include earning top honours last June from 

the Retail Council of Canada for Retail Innovation Service Excellence (RISE), in a 

category that included Holt Renfrew, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Home Depot. 

For Mueller, retailing is all about crafting a relationship with her customers. 

“Selling accessory items helps to provide a value experience,” she explains. “For 

example, it costs me cents to throw in a bag of ice with every cooler purchased, 

yet it brands us with a style of customer service that keeps us in the forefront 

of purchase decisions.” 

Retailing Trends into 2011 

Concept Spaces – retail beyond selling. Create dynamic environments. 

Engaging Niches - don’t be average. Encourage shoppers to stay. 

Simplifying Life - make life better. Help make customers feel good 

and the planet healthier. 

Challenger Brands - serious private labels. Look for exclusive and 

out-of-the-ordinary sources. 

Digital Hybrids - fusing physical and virtual. Incorporate both online 

and in-store. 

Cool Downtraders - cheaper is better. Glitz is out; ethic/eco-aware 

is in. 

Designer Quality - luxury that lasts. Carry some signature brands. 

Streamlining - fast and convenient. Package and place products for 

easy decisions. 

Network Loyalty - loyal to each other. Loyal to websites. Support 

community causes and carry local product. 

Source: Peter Fisk, Genius Works 

Catch the Digital Wave 

As the fastest growing media segment in North America, point-of-decision 

digital media is the wave of the future. You just need to look across the border 

and the results speak for themselves. Already ensconced in large-scale vendors 

such as Target, Kroger, Costco, and Best Buy, research by Mintel shows consumers 

will visit stores with in-store digital display networks twice as often, spend 

10% more money, and double the number of impulse purchases. Meanwhile, 

Arbitron, a media-measurement firm, reports that US consumers are more likely 

to recall in-store video advertising than other media and were subsequently 40% 

more likely to purchase. And just in case there are any doubts, you need look 

no further than Walmart. It is constructing a worldwide advertising network to 

operate in all its stores, which, when fully implemented, will be the fifth biggest 

TV network in the US, reaching 180 million viewers a month. 

Our recommendation is: catch the digital wave, tap into the accessory market 

in support of your primary focus, and realize that showmanship is part of 

today’s selling success. 


17

LIQUOR SALES AND TRENDS 

YTD ending May 30, 2010 

Beer 

Gross Sales % Change Marketshare 

BC Liquor Stores $ 56,024,924 -7.1% 29.9% 

LRS $ 83,443,681 -9.6% 44.5% 

Licensee $ 36,912,676 -7.8% 19.7% 

Other Sources not Reported $ 11,108,893 5.9% 

Product Total from All Sources $187,490,174 

Spirits 


BC Liquor Stores $53,469,123 -4.7% 45.7% 

LRS $39,880,578 21.4% 34.1% 

Licensee $16,046,272 -7.1% 13.7% 



Wine 


BC Liquor Stores $63,424,130 0.5% 50.1% 

LRS $26,375,353 -1.9% 20.8% 

Licensee $20,970,045 -3.5% 16.6% 

Other Sources not Reported $15,850,724 12.5% 


Refreshment Beverage 


BC Liquor Stores $ 6,498,259 -7.6% 31.6% 

LRS $10,779,858 -4.2% 52.4% 

Licensee $ 2,000,391 -13.5% 9.7% 



Note: (1) Measured in Gross Retail Sales Dollars. (2) Report includes all liquor sales from BC market. 

Source: BC Liquor Distribution Branch 


PERIOD 02 SALES – UNAUDITED 

Sales for period 02 [May] were $216.2 million which is $12.9 million (5.6%) below budget and $7.6 million (3.4 %) lower than last 

year. Year to date sales were $446.1 million, $21.2 million below budget and $14.6 million (3.2%) lower than last year. 

COUNTER AND LICENSEE SALES ($ Millions) 

CURRENT PERIOD 2010/11 2009/10 Change 

Counter Sales 

BC Liquor Stores (GLS) 85.6 88.4 -3.1% 

Licensee Retail Store (LRS) 76.3 80.0 -4.3% 

Rural Agency Stores (RAS) 9.2 9.6 -4.2% 

Licensee Sales 36.5 37.5 -2.6% 

YEAR-TO-DATE 2010/11 2009/10 Change 

Counter Sales 

BC Liquor Stores (GLS) 176.6 184.4 -4.2% 

Licensee Retail Store (LRS) 161.5 161.8 -0.2% 

Rural Agency Stores (RAS) 17.2 18.8 -8.3% 

Licensee Sales 75.7 80.7 -6.3% 

SALES BY CATEGORY ($ Millions) 

CURRENT PERIOD 2010/11 2009/10 Change 

Spirits 50.3 53.1 -5.4% 

Wine 60.1 59.8 0.5% 

Beer 94.4 99.0 -4.6% 

Cider/Coolers/Others 10.8 11.2 -4.0% 

YEAR-TO-DATE 

2010/11 2009/10 Change 

Spirits 113.8 110.9 2.6% 

Wine 124.0 124.8 -0.6% 

Beer 186.6 202.0 -7.6% 

Cider/Coolers/Others 20.2 21.8 -7.0% 


19

The 

Spike Pub & 

Liquor Store 

by Jonathan Niven 

An Award-Winning Part of the Berezan Hospitality Group 

It’s well known that achieving success in the pub industry is not an easy 

endeavour. Long hours, stiff competition, ever-changing regulations, and fickle 

customers contribute to the daily stresses that all pub owners and managers 

face. So having a strong business partner can be a huge asset. 

Cheryl Semenuik has been in the hospitality industry for about 30 years, starting 

as a hostess, then becoming a server and bartender. After a brief stint with a 

law firm, Cheryl realized she wanted to buy her own pub and make it her career. 

She also realized that her best chance for success was to find a partner with 

a solid track record, who could also provide financial support. She contacted 

Gord McCormick and asked him to find her a pub and partnership opportunity 

that would be a good fit. Through Gord, she and her life partner, Jeff Palidor, 

met Ralph Berezan and went into business together in 2001 at the Spike Pub 

in Port Moody, however, Jeff retired from the Spike in 2008. Named after the 

last spike driven in Canada’s national railway, the Spike is a 250-seat pub and 

liquor store located on busy St. John’s Street. 

Cheryl quickly realized there was much more to operating a pub than serving 

customers, but her experience as a server gave her a solid understanding of 

the floor operations and a healthy empathy for her staff and patrons alike. As 

Cheryl’s confidence grew, she knew she had to become involved in the local 

community in order to grow the business and survive in what is essentially 

a small town with a large urban environment. She got involved in the local 

business association and served as its president for four years. Her philosophy 

is to do as much business locally as possible, including hiring local trades, 

sourcing local suppliers, and hiring local bands. While that may be the only 

option in isolated communities, it’s not the case in the Lower Mainland: it 

simply makes good business sense. 

Cheryl’s community spirit also extends to supporting the community through 

various fundraising efforts, including raising over $150,000 for Canuck Place 

in just three years. The pub hosted a large community beach volleyball 

tournament for ten years with proceeds to the local hospital. Every year, 

truckloads of sand were dumped in their parking lot for the volleyball courts, 

until a condo development adjacent to the property forced them to cancel the 

tournament. The Spike continues to support about 50 different sports teams 

and groups on an ongoing basis. 

This commitment to the community has not gone unrecognized. Numerous 

awards including Overall Favourite Business 2004, Spirit of Business Award 2006, 

and Community Spirit Award 2007 represent just some of the recognition the 

pub and Cheryl has received through the years. 

Along with the support of Canuck Place came a close association with the 

team, and Cheryl began to build a culture and atmosphere around the Canucks. 

The pub became known as “the place” to be for a hockey game, and their 

association with the team allowed them to acquire numerous pieces of Canuck 

memorabilia, which were in turn auctioned off for Canuck Place. 

Cheryl is quick to point out that although she is there everyday, her partner, 

The Berezan Hospitality Group, provides huge support in many aspects of the 

operation. Currently Berezan Hospitality owns 4 pubs, 10 liquor stores, Agave 

Restaurant, Chateau Cargill, and the Hemlock Valley Ski Resort. With that many 

properties, the group has significant buyer power. As an example, all liquor 

purchases for the liquor store go through head office, freeing up the liquor store 

manager to concentrate on staffing, promotions, and floor issues. While each 

property has autonomy to stock locally popular items, group purchasing just 

make sense and it allows all the properties to take advantage of volume buying, 

special promotions, and a coordinated approach to product and merchandising. 


" Superior food service in pubs 

is just one of the many ways to 

continue to attract and retain 

customers." 

The Spike Pub is currently undergoing some major renovations 

beginning with the washrooms (chandeliers in the Ladies’ Room), 

new carpets, and other upgrades. Not to be outdone, the men get 

soccer “aim games” in the urinals, reducing the accumulation of 

chewing gum and other unwanted debris, and greatly improving 

aim! 

According to Cheryl, the recent move to detach liquor stores 

from pubs has provided opportunities for the liquor stores and 

challenges for the pubs. Increasingly pubs have to support 

themselves despite escalating competition from restaurants 

acting like pubs. Superior food service in pubs is just one of 

the many ways to continue to attract and retain customers. At 

the Spike, Cheryl and her team are working hard to keep their 

customers engaged and coming back with promotions and event 

nights such as “Rock Band Mondays”, “Music Trivia Tuesdays”, 

and live entertainment on the weekends. And of course, all the 

goings-on can be found on Facebook. 

Meanwhile, the liquor store continues to provide some of the 

best opportunities for growth with specialty products and diverse 

retail offerings. Cheryl foresees bigger and better private liquor 

stores entering the market with specialty products and a focus on 

hard-to-find products that the government stores are not carrying. 

The Spike is proof that partnerships in the pub industry can not 

only work, they can become very successful. Berezan Hospitality 

has had the ability to find competent, dedicated working 

partners, and as a result, their business model continues to grow 

and flourish. 


21

PUB CUISINE 

New Challenges to Food Cost Control 

by Dave Swanston 


Controlling food cost has never been so important nor so difficult for pub 

operators. In the changing competitive landscape, the future success of pubs 

depends on their ability to capitalize on the opportunities available from new 

operating models. One key opportunity rests in the increased prominence of 

food programs. 

The pub industry has been hit hard recently. After overcoming challenges 

presented by legislation related to smoking and alcohol service, the last couple 

of years have brought a second wave of trials that jeopardized this industry's 

survival. The economic downturn reduced the disposable income of consumers 

and decreased their spending in food service operations. Increased wage 

demands and higher input prices have reduced operators' margins. Now, as 

BC adopts the HST, patrons will pay tax on items that were previously exempt, 

which will likely reduce spending further. 

In order to thrive, not just survive, operators must rely less on alcohol sales and 

begin diversifying their service offerings. Food can no longer be an afterthought. 

A greater focus on food programs will increase revenues, build traffic flows, 

and improve profitability. Unlike alcohol, food menus provide operators with 

the ability to differentiate themselves from the competition and can become 

a more stable source of long-term growth. 

Benefiting from these opportunities, however, requires a different approach to 

menu planning and cost control. Recipes will become increasingly complex, 

menus will need to be updated more often, and there will need to be a greater 

emphasis on fresh, made-from-scratch dishes. In light of these changes, 

managers should consider the following practical suggestions to ensure that 

food costs are maintained and their financial targets are achieved: 

Standardize Recipes 

Detailed recipes and product specifications will need to be created and adhered 

to. These standards will guide employee food production, guarantee that guests 

receive a consistent product, and ensure that item costs can be maintained. 

Batch recipe and yield costs must also be developed as the number of items 

made on site increases. 

Update Menu Costing 

Every food product and processing activity has a certain amount of inherent 

natural variation that cannot be controlled. Not every head of romaine is exactly 

the same, for example, and not every roast shrinks the same amount when 

cooked. As more fresh ingredients are utilized and the number of preparation 

steps increase, the greater the impact of this variation will have on food costs. 

Management must include an allowance for this variation when they determine 

costs for each menu item. Not doing so will result in ideal cost targets being 

set that could never be met, and prices being set that do not provide adequate 

margins. 

Multiple Vendor Sourcing 

Unless contract prices are established, fresh and locally sourced ingredients 

are prone to more frequent price changes. To protect themselves, operators 

should ensure that they have a minimum of two suppliers for every product 

they use. Not only will this promote price competition between vendors, it 

will also reduce the chance that the pub will get caught shorthanded, should 

a vendor have problems with its supply. 

Improve Receiving Practices 

Many management hours are spent trying to correct supply problems such 

as short shipments, product substitutions, and inferior quality product, which 

could have been caught at the door. With clear specifications established, staff 

entrusted with receiving product should inspect all items to ensure that they 

meet the pub's requirements. Often this involves little more than checking 

items off of the delivery invoice. 

A scale should be located near the receiving area so that staff can verify the 

weight of arriving products. It should be used for items purchased by weight, 

such as beef as well as for checking the weight of a case of tomatoes or potatoes. 

All produce should be inspected for quality as well as size specifications. 

Occasionally, cases should be opened from the bottom to verify that the 


23

product at the bottom is as good as the items on 

top. Delivery drivers should be required to correct 

any deficiencies before they leave, reducing the 

time managers must spend addressing these 

problems. Improved receiving will result in less 

waste and consistent product yields. 

Pre-Portioning 

Mistakes and shortcuts are more likely during busy 

meal periods when staff are rushing to produce 

and serve dishes. Cooks often deviate from recipes 

and over portion ingredients in haste, resulting in 

higher product usage and costs. Pre-portioning 

ingredients in advance of meal periods allows 

employees to accurately follow specifications in 

a controlled environment. Ramekins of sauces, 

portion cups of shredded cheese, and preset plate 

garnishes are simple examples of items that can be 

portioned ahead of peak meal periods. 

Control Employee Consumption 

Providing management and staff with 

complementary food and beverages while they 

are working is a common practice. Most operators 

have little or no idea how much employee 

consumption costs them. If a pub has an average 

of eight employees working each day, and each 

employee consumes an average of $3 worth of 

food and beverage, at cost, the annual cost to the 

pub of this benefit would be just short of $9,000! 

This amount is even more shocking when you 

consider the amount of product employees take 

but don't consume, eventually ending up in the 

garbage or poured down the drain. Setting limits 

on what items employees can consume, charging 

staff discounted prices to cover product cost, and 

prohibiting snacking while on duty are simple 

ways of reducing excess employee consumption 

and hence reducing costs. 

“Cooks often deviate from 

recipes and over portion 

ingredients in haste…” 

Reduce Waste 

Begin tracking waste by having all employees 

record any product that must be discarded, and 

that the pub receives no revenue for. Analyze the 

waste tracking sheets daily and calculate the value 

of product wasted. This will provide managers 

with information about the common causes of 

waste and the extent to which waste is inflating 

food cost. Strategies can then be implemented to 

address the source of the problems and reduce 

product waste. 

Some common strategies to reduce waste include 

finding legitimate uses for previously discarded 

items, such as making croutons from day-old 

bread, dicing tomato ends to make bruschetta, 

and using vegetable and meat trimmings for soup 

stock. Maintaining proper equipment repair and 

calibration will improve quality and also reduce 

unnecessary waste. 

Next Issue 

the 


Involve Staff 

• Utilizing Social Media 

• Credit Card Fraud & Counterfeit Cash 

• Product Diversity & Organization 

• Training Cooks 

Following many of these suggestions will be 

difficult without the support of the entire 

culinary team. Providing opportunities for staff 

to become involved with the development 

and implementation of these new programs 

will enhance their understanding of food cost 

issues. Allowing employees to take ownership 

of these initiatives will increase their buy-in and 

adherence to the programs, resulting in stronger 

performance and cost efficiency. 

Providing an enhanced food program is becoming 

a necessity for the future viability of pubs, but will 

require operators to be more rigorous with their 

cost control activities. The benefits, however, of 

these control efforts will be an improved bottom 

line, higher quality, and more consistency in their 

operations. 

David Swanston is a Hospitality and Foodservice Consultant, Principal 

of Focused Industry Training Seminars and is an instructor at major 

Canadian university business schools. Since 1997 he has helped a wide 

variety of organizations develop and launch new concepts, turn around 

troubled operations, and improve sales, profits, controls, and efficiency. 

To learn more about how he can help you improve your sales, profits, 

and performance, contact him directly at 905.331.6115 or contactfit@ 

fitseminars.ca. 

Winter2010 

The winter issue is also 

distributed to buyers at the 

BC Hospitality Industry 

Conference & Exposition. 

Call 1-800-667-0955 to book your ad by October 1. 


What's New 

by Debbie Minke 

RTDs 

Canella Blood Orange Mimosa is a wine cocktail made from grape wine paired 

with the juice and pulp of crimson-fleshed Sicilian blood oranges. It’s light, 

fruity, and flavourful. 750ml $16.99 

Beer 

Nelson Brewing Company is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a very 

special ale, just released this August. Cascadian Organic Pale Ale is dripping 

with fresh Cascade hops; an ale that reflects NBC’s organic way of life, loving, 

and living in Nelson. 6 x 341ml bottles $11.99 Limited quantity 

Spirits 

X Four (Times Four) is a handcrafted premium corn and rye-based vodka 

made in BC. Distilled four times, X Four is additive free and boasts a crystal 

clear flavour, with hints of fruit and vanilla. 750ml $39.95 

Khortytsa Platinum Vodka from Ukraine appeals to consumers who like a 

traditional European taste. The distinct flavour is created with the finest grains 

and pure water, using a patented conditioning process and a unique system of 

purification and filtration through naturally formed crystals. Khortytsa Classic 

and Khortytsa Pepper Honey Hot are also available. 1L $32.00, 750ml $28.00 

New Products 

TUACA liqueur from Italy is adventurously bold 

and surprisingly smooth with a predominant 

taste of vanilla, accompanied by notes of 

Mediterranean citrus. TUACA is consumed 

primarily as an icy cold shot, but it’s also great 

in mixed drinks. 750ml $29.99 

Tuaca was launched at the Tuaca Body Art Ball 

The Winesceptre TM is a unique wine cooling system that 

maintains a pre-chilled bottle of wine at a temperature 

recommended by sommeliers when it is brought to the 

table. The stainless steel tube is inserted into the cooled 

wine; its decorative top swings open for easy pouring. For 

more information, go to www.winesceptre.com. 

Wine 

Greg Norman Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir offers lifted 

strawberry, citrus, and nutty aromas with a hint of sherbet 

character. The palate is medium to full bodied with generous 

stone and citrus fruit. 750ml $16.00 Spec 

2008 Kato Sauvignon Blanc boasts vibrant aromas of melon, 

passion fruit, and citrus enhanced by notes of dried herbs. 

The palate combines elegant fruit flavours with a flintiness 

and minerality representative of the wine’s terroir in the 

Marlborough region of New Zealand. 750ml $19.99 Spec 

Santa Ana Chardonnay-Viognier 2008 hails from Mendoza, 

Argentina. It’s crisp, full-flavoured, and complex with ripe, 

peachy fruit plus lemon freshness and spicy oak notes. 

750ml $13.99 Spec 

Juno Sauvignon Blanc 2009 is a pale straw colour with a 

hint of green - a crisp South African wine with mineral and 

lime tones with a long finish. The Shiraz is also available. Both 

wines sport eye-catching labels displaying original paintings 

of “Cape Maidens” by Tertia du Toit. 750ml $12.99 Spec 

2009 Clearview Estate Black Reef Blush is a complex off-dry 

styled rosé from New Zealand. Enjoy delicate hints of berry 

fruits, fresh cherries, and spicy watermelon as well as the 

long, refreshing finish. 750ml $24.99 Spec 

Windmill Estates Zinfandel originates from the Michael 

David Winery in California. 76% Zinfandel and 24% Petite 

Sirah, its aromas of sweet black cherries and juicy licorice 

tantalize the nose. Full flavours fill the mouth with cocoa, 

raspberry jam, and roasted coffee bean. 750ml $19.99 Spec 

Lammershoek Aprilskloff Red Red 2005 is a South African 

Cape blend with a twist. Soft and smooth with juicy red fruit, 

it’s aged in French and American oak barrels for 12 months, 

then bottled unfiltered, without fining. 750ml $15.99 Spec 

Eco Balance Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Chile’s 

Emiliana Orgánico winery. All grapes are farmed sustainably, 

with no pesticides or herbicides; the wine is packaged 

with eco-glass, labeled with ecological paper and shipped 

in boxes of recycled material. Besides that, it’s a pleasant, 

widely-appealing wine with plum, licorice, and cherry scents 

on the nose, medium body with fresh red fruit flavours, 

spice, and soft tannins. Carmenere and Chardonnay are also 

available. All 750ml $11.99 Spec 


25

BUILDING SALES WITHOUT 

SUGGESTIVE SELLING 

by Jim Sullivan 

There's much more to sales-building than merely training customer-facing team 

members to suggestively sell. For instance, spotlessly-clean facilities and great 

service are but two examples that come to mind, because that makes more 

customers return; and that builds your check averages exponentially. Let's 

consider ways to generate more revenue that don't involve face-to-face selling. 

Don't pay people who make your job harder. Seek out, select, hire, and retain 

team members who are natural service-givers. Give those without this trait a 

job at the competition. Hire smart and you sell more because customers come 

back more often. 

Better POS training. One reason that servers don't sell more is because they 

are not totally comfortable with the point-of-sale hardware or software they 

use to input the orders. This uneasiness may not be problematic when it's slow, 

but when it's busy, servers can get flustered, and this means they may make 

mistakes during order entry that costs them time and builds anxiety. (Hurry is 

the mother of mistake.) Many servers will minimize this potential problem by 

taking orders instead of making sales, therefore having fewer items to enter. 

Test your servers periodically on their POS prowess, make sure managers are 

readily available during busy shifts to cheerfully correct input orders, and you 

may find your sales jump as a result. 

Remove internal obstacles to selling. What do your team members cite 

as reasons (whether real or perceived) that they don't sell more Common 

complaints we hear are: kitchen issues, low supplies, cook or bartender 

attitudes, too busy, under-staffed, overlooked prep work, throughput 

bottlenecks, etc. Now address and resolve each of those system issues. 

Educate the team on the real cost of mistaken orders. Server and kitchen crew 

routinely believe that the price of an incorrect order is merely the wholesale 

cost of the product ("Yes, I accidentally fired a chicken breast instead of a burger, 

but what does that chicken cost us, a buck"). No, it cost us the $8.95 menu 

price that we didn't get for it because we threw it away. 

Connect to the community, crew, and customers. Connecting with both 

internal and external customers is a prerequisite for building more traffic and 

sales. Customers don't come out to your pub just to get something to eat or 

drink. They could do that at home. Creating an emotional connection between 


your operation and the community, and teaching 

your servers to individually connect with each 

guest, is the key to building both short-term and 

long-term relationships. Service is our invisible 

product. 

Staff appropriately for volume. Proper staffing of 

your customer-facing crew is critical to generate 

more revenue. If you try to save labour dollars 

by under-staffing, your servers will be running 

around trying to stay ahead of the pace instead 

of having time to connect with customers and 

merchandise the menu. 

Focus on the right outcome. The ultimate goal 

for profitable operators is to get customers to 

come back more often, not to get them to spend 

as much as possible during the visit. Having a 

group come back twice a month versus once a 

month doubles your sales too, doesn't it Sell, 

don't oversell. If you only had one hen, would it 

be smarter to get an egg a day, every day, or have 

one hearty meal of omelettes 

Reduce employee turnover. Employee retention 

(of the right employees) is often overlooked as a 

key factor in profitably-run foodservice operations. 

Retaining great team members benefits you 

three ways: 1) a seasoned, well-trained service 

staff usually creates a more consistent positive 

experience for your customers, which makes 

them want to return, 2) customers like to see the 

same faces in your operations, and 3) same store 

sales rise because well-trained tenured servers 

reflexively know how to suggestively sell. When 

good servers leave you, you suffer the loss of not 

only a high-performer, but of time and resource 

allocation as well. When a good server leaves all 

of your training goes with them. 

Remember to charge for everything you sell. 

You can't take it to the bank if it's not first in the 

till. Don't let "busy-ness" affect your business if 

forgetful (or dishonest) crews overlook ringing up 

transactions. Trust your servers and cashiers, but 

occasionally audit their transactions and banks to 

discourage improper behaviour. 

You sell more in a clean pub. Keep the tabletops 

bussed throughout a guest's dining experience. 

Research shows that you can sell more to a 

clean table. 

Don't get me wrong, I still think that training 

servers and cashiers to suggest their best is a 

smart strategy for building sales, but your first 

objective is to make certain you're executing 

these steps too. By doing so you'll create an 

environment where your entire team can better 

serve and better sell. 

Copyright 2010 Sullivision.com 

Jim Sullivan is a popular speaker at foodservice and retail industry 

conferences worldwide. Sullivision.com creates service, sales, training, 

marketing, leadership and e-learning resources for the foodservice and 

retail industries worldwide. See the free podcasts, articles, templates 

and product catalog at www.sullivision.com. 

BC's New Impaired Driving Legislation 

by Steve Martin 

Liquor licensees and their staff help ensure road safety - whether they’re serving 

patrons responsibly or simply offering to call a cab when they ask for the bill. 

This fall, drivers will have more reasons to plan a safe ride home: Canada’s most 

immediate, severe penalties will come into effect. The penalties will apply to 

all alcohol-impaired drivers – not just those with blood-alcohol content (BAC) 

above 0.08%. In fact, a driver with a BAC between 0.05 and 0.08% is seven times 

more likely to be in a fatal crash than one who’s completely sober. 

Drivers who blow between 0.05 and 0.08% once in a five-year period will face an 

immediate, three-day driving ban and a $200 fine; a second time, a seven-day 

ban and a $300 fine; and a third, a 30-day ban and a $400 fine. 

Drivers who blow above 0.08% BAC or refuse to provide a breath sample at the 

roadside will face an immediate 90-day driving ban, a $500 fine, and vehicle 

impoundment for 30 days. They may also face criminal charges. 

In addition, drivers who blow once above 0.08% or three times within five years 

between 0.05 and 0.08%, will be required to participate in the rehabilitative 

Responsible Driver Program. They must also use an ignition interlock device, 

which tests a driver’s breath for alcohol every time they operate their vehicle, 

for one year. 

These tough measures will help keep your patrons - and everyone else - safe 

on BC’s roads. 

Steve Martin is BC Superintendent of Motor Vehicles. 


27

WOULD YOU CALL THIS THEFT 

by Ian Foster and Peter Nelson 

An industry that loses 20% of sales to “shrinkage” 

needs to confront theft problems head-on instead 

of avoiding the subject altogether. 

Theft is pretty clear. It is taking someone else’s property without permission. 

In the hospitality industry, however, the definition of theft seems to depend 

on who is doing the defining! Is it theft to over-pour in order to get a better 

tip What about over-pouring for visiting staff from other restaurants and bars, 

or giving them a free drink What about having a staff drink after close on an 

exceptionally busy night What about keeping any overages when counting the 

cash at the end of the night Use of “open keys” on the POS system to save time 

We seem to be afraid to talk about this problem. Most operators refuse to believe 

that their staff would steal. Yet we know that virtually every bar gives up more 

than 20% of their sales to illicit freebies, over-pouring, and, yes, theft. That fact 

alone suggests that a bar owner who doesn’t acknowledge a significant amount 

of theft is ignoring reality - and making a lot less money as a result. 

Part of the problem is that managers have been promoted from the same 

team they are now meant to supervise: in most establishments the staff and 

managers are all friends and socialize together. Moreover, most managers find 

it pretty difficult to discipline staff for doing something that the managers 

themselves used to do, before their promotion. Finally, unless the manager’s 

compensation is tied directly to alcohol losses, the manager has little, if any, 

motivation to “rock the boat” by vigilantly safeguarding the alcohol. 

Another contributing factor, like it or not, is that many owners often send the 

wrong message. This happens when the owner takes alcohol home from the bar 

or borrows $100 from the register. It happens when the owner takes a bottle of 

water or gives away a drink without having the bartender ring it up. Obviously, 

being the owner, you aren’t stealing, but you are sending the wrong message 

to your staff. And, just like children, bartenders and servers pay more attention 

to your example than your policies. 

However, the biggest reason that theft is ubiquitous is that most owners 

don’t think their staff would steal and they don’t have the data to know it is 

happening. Most operators take a quick look at their pour cost to determine 

how their bar is performing. If it is not out-of-line they think everything is fine. 

But “out-of-line” simply means comparing it with previous month’s costs. What 

they don’t consider is the possibility that their bar has been plagued with theft 

and over-pouring problems all along - and that their pour cost should always 

have been two or three points lower than it has been. 

The holy grail is establishing a culture of honesty in your establishment. 

Dishonesty is contagious, but if employees know that their colleagues are 

honest, because the alcohol is regularly audited and compared to sales, they 

will buy into the culture of honesty and accountability. 

Ian Foster is with Bevinco and their analysts are dedicated to improving their clients’ profitability. Call 1-888-Bevinco 

for more information. Peter Nelson is the Managing Director for Bevinco New Zealand. He can be reached at 

peter.nelson@bevinco.co.nz. 

Theft Prevention Checklist 

Acceptance - The industry attitude of adding employee theft losses 

into the operating cost of running the bar must stop. Our industry has 

losses far higher than any other industry, and yet they are accepted as 

a cost of doing business. Acceptance of internal theft as an operations 

cost is crazy. Stop making excuses and stamp it out! 

Written Policy - Employees must have a clear and written policy 

within their manuals relating to employee theft. This policy must be 

set in stone and followed to the letter. Don’t be afraid to use words 

like “terminated,” “arrested, “or “prosecuted”. 

Criminal Background Checks - These are inexpensive and have the 

potential to save you thousands of dollars. 

Cameras - Catch them in the act and, most importantly, have the 

evidence on tape. 

POS System - A good POS system will detail every drink sold and give 

you a full record. If you aren’t able to track sales properly, a determined 

thief will know that and have a field day. 

Independent Audits - Employ a professional independent audit 

company to carry out weekly alcohol audits. Correctly and 

independently done, these will show just where and to what extent 

losses are occurring and expert advice on eliminating losses. 

Incentives - Management compensation should be tied closely to 

alcohol losses. Bonus your managers based on how close their pour 

cost matches their ideal pour cost. 

Zero Tolerance - If an employee is caught stealing, owners must 

have a set plan and be ready to stick to it. Have this zero tolerance 

policy written for employees to read. Have the policy outline steps 

for management to follow. 

Prosecute - If you have the evidence, then get the police involved. If 

the person has a conviction, then any future employer can see that 

and be warned. We have an industry that has two temptations for any 

dishonest person - cash and alcohol. Don’t be one of the operators 

that discovers he has a problem when he has already lost thousands 

of dollars. Be proactive and prevent the problem. 



Liquor Policy and Business Review 

by Dennis P. Coates 

Maximizing LRS Values and Bankability 

The separation of LRS and LP licenses in December has created great 

opportunities to maximize LRS values and make them more bankable. It is 

essential that Third Party Use Agreeements, as they relate to LRSs, be replaced 

with a transfer of the LRS license. If both licenses are operated by the same 

company, one should be transferred into a new company. The accountants 

need to be involved to deal with valuation, capital gains, and timing. Subleases, 

where they exist in connection with the LRS Third Party Use agreement, should 

be replaced by head leases. The intent is that all aspects of the two operations 

should be entirely separate, including bank accounts, employees and all 

contractual obligations or guarantees. Banking should be separated out for 

the two entities. 

“… all aspects of the two operations 

should be entirely separate…” 

These steps will ensure that when one of the businesses is sold, family, estate, 

or tax planning and management can be done with fewer complications. It may 

take one or two fiscal year-ends to accomplish all the steps, but the benefits 

are there to be had. 

The valuation of the two entities continues to be an inexact science. The 

multiples of net income for valuation will fluctuate based on geographical 

location, level of gross income, competition from either public or private stores, 

margins, and trends. There are many examples of liquor store pricing in certain 

municipalities that result in low income levels and increased expenses, which 

again affects the valuation formula. The current trend seems to be that LP 

operations with a high dependence on food attract less interest from buyers 

and banks, and as a result, don’t sell at a multiplier much more than three to 

four times net income. 

Licensing Audits 

It is recommended that every year a checklist of items be reviewed to ensure 

that issues don't arise that could affect your license and your business. The 

matters that should be on the list include license renewal, ensuring that any 

ownership changes have been reported to the LCLB, checking that any facility 

changes have been reported to the LCLB, reviewing employee contracts and 

details including WCB matters, ensuring that staff training and notification 

systems are reviewed and updated, and noting that matters such as incident 

logs are standardized. 

Third Party Use Agreements 

The separation of LP and LRS licenses has eliminated the necessity of Third 

Party Use Agreements to a great extent. As a result of a legal dispute involving 

some of the Liquor Depot Stores, there is currently a cloud of uncertainty over 

the agreements that are used. The issue is the meaning of the term “business”. 

The Act requires that a licensee must be fit and proper, have an interest in the 

property or premises by way of lease or ownership, and own the business. 

Another section anticipates allowing someone to use your license as long as the 

arrangement is approved by the Branch. In the past, this has been interpreted 

as meaning that the licensee would retain the interest in the property and 

retain ownership of the license. There is currently uncertainty over what else 

must be retained, or what kinds of financial arrangements are acceptable. It 

may be the safe course of action to submit the actual agreement to the Branch 

for their approval. 


29

Wine Report 

by Mark Shipway 

Accessories 

Ask ten wine professionals for their opinions on wine accessories 

and you’ll get ten different answers. Although professionals may 

argue on some points, they can be divided into roughly two 

camps - those who endorse them and those that scorn them. 

Many sommeliers will tell you that the only accessory you will ever 

need is a corkscrew, though some would opine that a corkscrew 

is not an accessory at all, but an essential tool of the trade. 

The most essential accessory a bartender, server, or consumer 

can own is a good corkscrew. What elements should you look for 

in a good crank Essentially, a corkscrew must be able to extract 

any type of cork both easily and cleanly. The corkscrew that many 

people like to use is the two-stage waiters’ friend (so-called as it 

extracts the cork by a two-stage cantilever action), which has the 

major advantage of applying force vertically and not bending the 

cork to the side, which reduces the risk of cork breakage. This is 

the most common type of corkscrew, but for your staff, look for a 

brand that has a good quality knife blade and well-made casing 

(which often splits apart in cheap versions). 

This is a much easier corkscrew to use than the original waiter’s friend with 

its one stage lever, although some servers still prefer to carry this traditional 

version. Other useful corkscrews to have on hand at the bar are the two-pronged 

“Ah-So” as well as the “Screwpull”, which are both hugely valuable when trying 

to extract old and frail corks that might otherwise crumble or split when pulled 

with a waiter’s friend. In my view, the large and cumbersome “Rabbit” corkscrew 

(so named as its shape resembles the head of a rabbit) is a gimmicky device to 

have at home unless you really do struggle with using a regular crank. 

Once your bottle of wine is opened you will need to get it into whatever drinking 

vessel you are utilizing (hopefully some appropriate, high quality stemware). 

Various accessories are once again provided for this purpose, 

but I find pourers, wine collars, drop-stops and aerators to be 

largely superfluous. Aerators are devices designed to “loosen 

up” powerful, tannic reds, however, this can be just as well 

achieved by splash decanting. There is no doubt though that 

aerators are more than just decoration and they do change 

the character of wine, which can be beneficial in certain cases. 

A good decanter or carafe is an essential accessory as it can be 

utilized for both aeration and the separation of precipitated 

sediment. Carafes also look elegant on the table, so select 

an example from a high quality glassware manufacturer 

like Riedel and choose a simple, practical design. The basic 

Venetian Carafe shape does the job perfectly. 

In my opinion, wine stoppers and wine preservers like the 

Vacuvin, which sucks out air in an attempt to reduce the rate 

of oxidation in an opened bottle, are extraneous. The only 

method of wine preservation that I have found to work is 

the use of inert gas, which is dispensed from a canister and 

displaces the air in an opened bottle. It can keep some wines for up to a week 

without serious deterioration. Champagne stoppers or fizz-keepers, on the other 

hand, are useful since champagne corks cannot be reinserted into the bottle 

once removed, so it’s definitely worth having a couple on hand. 

Finally, cooler jackets and thermometers for controlling and monitoring service 

temperature of wines are devices that have a practical application, since cooler 

jackets are great for keeping wines cool on hot summer days. I like the simple 

alcohol-filled dip thermometer the best. 

Remember that these accessories aren’t just for your employees to use in your 

bar, they should also be stocked in your store. 


TECH TRENDS 

What’s Out There, What’s Useful - and What’s for You 

by Alex van Tol 

Some technologies have been around for a while 

- and with good reason: they work. But others are 

new, and are making waves on the pub and liquor 

store scene. This issue, The Publican rounds up 

several technical innovations for your appraisal. 

Could they be right for your establishment 

Keeping Track 

Visitor analytics are a publican’s best friend. In 

a nightclub setting, video cameras make fire 

code compliance easy by tracking the number 

of people coming in and out of your club. You’ll 

also learn where the bottlenecks are happening 

inside the club, so you can restructure things to 

smooth traffic patterns, avoid lineups and sell 

more product. 

In the LRS, retail visitor analytics can help with 

people counts and tracking flow throughout 

the store. When combined with POS data, it’s 

a powerful tool to help owners and managers 

understand their conversion rates. “Then they can 

understand how effective their staff are in terms of 

closing the sale, or adding onto the sale,” explains 

retail analytics expert Rick Benson. This raw data 

helps with basket fill too. For example, if you’re 

selling lots of one item and the data’s telling you 

that people are also buying a second item at the 

same time, you’ll have a better handle on what 

products can be merchandised together. Knowing 

the flow of traffic around your store as well as 

your sales patterns helps you figure out how to 

manage your retail floor area to avoid dead space 

and maximize sales to each customer. 

“We have had traffic tracking since 1990,” 

says Amy Hanson, manager of the Windward 

Neighbourhood Pub LRS in Nanaimo. Cameras 

are a preventive measure against theft, Hanson 

notes. The system also provides hourly reports 

throughout the day that help to track customers 

and average purchase amounts. “We can see 

seasonal changes, and we can move stuff around 

according to what we want to market.” 

For some bars and pubs, inventory management 

solutions are a valuable tool. With this approach, 

an inventory management specialist is called in on 

a regular basis to track unopened product and to 

weigh and measure all the behind-the-bar bottles. 


“We take that information and match it up to the 

sales report,” explains inventory management 

specialist Ian Foster. So if, for example, 100 ounces 

of Jack Daniel’s were poured in a given week, and 

if the sales data only reports 80 ounces being 

sold, the bar owner will see the discrepancy at a 

glance. From there, management can coach the 

staff in proper pouring - and keep an eye on the 

shifts where the discrepancies tend to turn up 

most often. 

“We use it twice a month,” reports Todd Arbuthnot, 

manager of 57 Below, Drink Lounge, The 

Landing Pub, and Fox’s Reach Pub. “Without the 

[inventory adjustments and usage reports] you are 

guaranteed theft. With them, we can see what’s 

going missing and when it’s going missing. Just 

the knowledge that they’re being monitored 

helps keep staff honest. We talk to the staff 

[constantly], whether the reports are good or bad.” 

The frequent reporting helps to keep the lines of 

communication open. 

Other places, such as Hillside Liquor Store, take 

inventory into their own hands. “We literally go 

out and count, because we have the same product 

in several different places,” reveals Manager 

Stacy Brennan. “We’re pretty thorough that way.” 

Counting three times a week - especially in hightheft 

areas - and moving merchandise around 

helps to reduce loss and position products in 

areas where they’re most likely to sell. L-BOSS 

store controller software helps Hillside keep track 

of what was sold on a given day. “So if we have a 

tasting on a certain Friday, you can go back and 

see how many units of that particular thing sold,” 

explains Brennan. Then, when it’s time to place an 

order, Brennan compiles a tendency report, which 

shows everything that was sold and guides her in 

her next round of orders. 

Organizing Your Ordering 

Web-based ordering has taken off in recent 

months. With online ordering, there’s no need to 

manually produce a form to be phoned, faxed, or 

emailed. LRS owners can upload files from their 

POS systems, or even an Excel spreadsheet or Word 

document. The weekly list can be saved and simply 

updated every time a new order rolls around. 

Awareness of online ordering is beginning to 

increase, observes Katharine Jowett, at the Liquor 

Distribution Branch, who helps get wholesalers up 

and running with web-based ordering. “We have 

about 130 customers on board and we’re doing 

about $70 million in sales on a 12-month basis,” she 

reports. Part of the shift to online ordering involves 

intensive training sessions, so that retailers can 

familiarize themselves with the ordering system 

and get hands-on experience. Orientation sessions 

are followed up by eight weeks of customer service 

support to make sure LRS owners are succeeding 

with the system. So far, so good, boasts Jowett: 

“We’ve had a 95% success rate with retailers who 

have attended the orientation sessions.” 

Communicating With Your Customers 

With today’s advances in technology, it’s easier 

than ever to bring your customers into the loop. 

Digital signage helps inform people of what your 

specials are, and freestanding info-pods (like 

Labatt’s) are a great way to catch your customers’ 

eye. One new item that’s really making a splash 

and turning heads is Ask Ginger, an information 

kiosk that you can put pretty much anywhere in 

your LRS and that helps customers understand 

the products you’ve got on your shelves. Got a 

question about Riesling vs. Sauvignon Blanc 

Swipe the UPC over a little scanner and you’ll get 

everything from product knowledge to pairings 

and recipe ideas. It’s knowledge at the fingertips 

of your shoppers. And it comes in handy in an 

industry where staff turnover is high. “It’s great as 

a staff training tool,” observes Clayton Edwards, 

manager of the LRS at the Travelodge in Sidney. 

“With the turnover I get it’s impossible to train 

people in all the wines. It’s like your own private 

sommelier.” While customers are slower than staff 

to catch on to Ginger’s offerings, Edwards sees 

tech-savvy Gen Y at the scanning screen quite 

often. “They’re looking up shooter recipes!” 

There’s no shortage of widgets, programs and 

systems to choose from. Select the tools that work 

best for your establishment’s particular needs, 

keeping simplicity and ease of use at the top of 

your mind. 

The Publican 31

LDB Report 

by Katharine Jowett 

Liqueurs 

The liqueurs category is in a period of transition, 

after having witnessed minimal growth every 

year since 2007/08, and a drop of 9% in 2009/10. 

Fortunately, liqueurs have been thrown a possible 

lifeline with the growth of cocktail consumption 

in BC. Many BC lounges, bars, and restaurants 

are seeing a cocktail culture emerge, which is 

leading to experimentation with once relatively 

obscure liqueurs. 

This decline in liqueur sales has prompted many 

liqueur brands to re-invent themselves, now 

highlighting their youthful and contemporary 

appeal and suitability as an ingredient in mixed 

cocktail drinks. Fruit liqueurs are now key 

ingredients in martinis, and chocolate and coffee 

liqueurs are reappearing in pub menus tailored 

for the holiday season. 

Why should we be thinking liqueurs now It is 

important to realize that many of the largest 

volume liqueurs do as much as 30-40% of their 

total yearly volume in the months of November 

and December alone. Hence, it is important to 

order adequate quantities early in the season 

and even give thought to expanding the size of 

your retail liqueur section to accommodate the 

additional seasonal demand. 

The following shows popular liqueur brand 

rankings in B.C. and the percentage of total yearly 

sales that the November and December holiday 

season represents. 

Top 10 Ranked Liqueurs by Brand - Gross $ 

All sizes, all channels 

Rank Brand (all sizes) % of full year sales sold in 

the months of Nov/Dec 2009 

1 Baileys Irish Cream 42% 

2 Carolans Finest Irish Cream 35% 

3 Jägermeister 20% 

4 Kahlua 30% 

5 Grand Marnier 34% 

6 Amaretto - Disaronno 36% 

7 Fireball – Dr. McGillicuddy's 23% 

8 Drambuie 37% 

9 Amarula 40% 

10 Cadbury Caramilk Liqueur 92%* 

*New product introduced to the market October 2009 

Since the introduction of Baileys Irish Cream 

liqueur back in 1974, cream liqueurs continue 

to dominate the BC liqueur market by selling up 

to three times more than other liqueurs. Baileys 

sparked the introduction of various other rivals 

such as Carolans Finest Irish Cream, Feeney’s Irish 

Cream, and O’Darby Irish Cream, which use Irish 

whiskey as the base ingredient. The mix of coffee, 

cocoa, vanilla scent, and dash of Irish whiskey 

make these some of the most popular liqueurs in 

the BC marketplace. 


In addition to Irish cream liqueurs, the following liqueur products are also 

popular during the holiday season: 

Alizé 

A refreshing mix of exotic flavours (passion fruit base with strawberry, lychee, 

mango, cherry, ginger or cranberry) 

Baja Rosa 

Strawberry cream with tequila 

Cadbury Caramilk Liqueur 

Chocolate cream liqueur 

Cointreau 

A marriage between sweet and bitter orange peels 

Goldschläger Cinnamon Schnapps 

Liqueur with gold leaf that is reminiscent of red cinnamon heart candy 

Navan 

A natural, vanilla, cognac-based liqueur 

Peppermint Schnapps 

A full flavour peppermint liqueur 

Sour Puss Raspberry 

Raspberry liqueur 

Patrón XO Café 

Coffee liqueur made with tequila 

Looking for ways to rejuvenate the liqueur category Present these fabulous 

holiday liqueur cocktail recipes to your customers this festive season: 

Peppermint Snowfall 

• 1 oz. espresso vodka 

• ¾ oz. peppermint schnapps 

• 1 oz. white chocolate liqueur 

• 1 dollop of heavy whipping cream 

• crushed peppermint 

• chocolate dipped peppermint stick 

garnish - optional 

Rim an old fashioned glass with white 

chocolate liqueur. Dip rim of glass in crushed peppermint. 

Set aside. Combine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 

to blend and chill. Strain into peppermint-rimmed old 

fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with chocolate dipped 

peppermint stick. 

Chocolate Martini 

• 1 dash orange liqueur 

• ½ oz. crème de cacao or 

chocolate liqueur 

• 2 oz. vodka 

Fill shaker with ice. Add ingredients 

to shaker. Stir and strain into 

chilled martini glass. Garnish with 

chocolate-covered cherry or small 

chocolate chips. 

Hazelnut Liqueur Toddy 

• ½ oz. hazelnut liqueur 

• 1 cinnamon stick, for garnish 

• 1 lemon slice 

• Hot water 

• 1 tbsp liquid honey 

Pour the hazelnut liqueur into a 

brandy snifter. Add honey and lemon 

peel. Fill snifter with hot water to taste. 

Pointsettia Cocktail 

• Champagne 

• 1/2 oz. orange liqueur 

• 3 oz. cranberry juice 

Add chilled orange liqueur and cranberry 

to chilled champagne glass. Stir and top 

with champagne just before serving. 

Drink recipes courtesy of drinkoftheweek.com.” 


33

EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEE SALES CONTESTS 

by Jim Sullivan 

Employee contests can be used to improve 

service, sales, cleanliness, labour, ticket times, 

costs, and dozens of other operational issues. 

Here's a collection of the most basic and easyto-use 

employee sales contest ideas to help you 

kickstart sales, and create some fun competition 

among the crew every shift. 

When planning, designing, and implementing 

employee sales contests, remember these five 

things: 

1. Make sure that each contest is staged for no 

longer than 30 days. Team members tend to lose 

interest in contests that last longer than a month. 

2. Set team sales goals whenever possible, and 

avoid pitting individual crew members against 

one another in monthly contests. Let them 

compete against other stores or other districts, but 

not against each other unless they're in teams. Put 



a different shift manager in charge of each team. 

It's OK to post individual cashier or server's sales 

or check averages (in fact, I strongly recommend 

it), and it's certainly OK to encourage individual 

achievement each shift, but tally collective effort 

for the contest. 

3. Let the team set its own goals. For instance, if 

you tell your crew how much you want them to 

increase sales, those are your goals, not theirs. 

Give them their recent sales averages, and ask 

them what they think they can do collectively to 

improve those numbers. Most of the time, they'll 

set goals higher than what you would have. 

4. Let the team pick prizes. Don't pick prizes 

that would motivate you; your team may have 

completely different perspectives. Ask them what 

would motivate them the most. 

5. Celebrate winners. The point of recognizing 

contest winners is two-fold: 1) show appreciation 

to the achiever and 2) motivate the non-winners 

to do better next month. 

Here are a few classic check-boosting games to 

help focus your team on increasing store sales 

this quarter: 

The "Perfect Guest Check" - Have a game that 

encourages servers to amass as many "Perfect 

Guest Checks" as possible on each shift - a guest 

check that includes a beverage, an appetizer, an 

entrée, and a dessert. Each "Perfect Guest Check" 

recorded receives a special raffle ticket (or small 

gift) for the individual or team. The more perfect 

checks you sell, the greater your odds of winning 

the raffle drawing at the end of the month. Pair 

up cooks and dishwashers on the different server 

sales teams to make them partners in the contest 

too.

Personal Best - Record the highest sales each employee has ever posted during 

a single shift. Now have a contest to see who can exceed their personal bests in 

a team setting. Be sure to post the results, and recognize and reward the team 

as well as individual achievers. 

Sales Bingo - Create a "bingo-style" game board with at least 12-16 squares 

with a different menu item (appetizer, dessert, beverages, specials, promotions, 

etc.) in each square. Servers who sell every item on the sheet, or four in a row, 

win a prize. This classic contest is a staple of every savvy manager's playbook. 

Ticket Time Dollars - You probably have specific cooking time goals set for 

every appetizer or entrée. If takes too long to get that food out, service suffers 

and sales drop. Here's an incentive that might help. Before a busy shift, string 

10 or 15 chits on a wire behind the pass-through window. Tell the cooks that 

for every order that goes out beyond the targeted cooking time (measure by 

the time the ticket was fired), you'll remove a chit. Whatever's left at the end of 

the shift is theirs to cash in. 

Highest Team Check Average - Measure the individual check averages of every 

server and bartender, then assign them to three random teams, cipher their 

collective check average, and encourage them to beat the other teams’ posted 

averages. Assign a different supervisor to each team, so that he or she can be 

competitive as well, and coach their team to victory. 

Raffles - Go to a stationery or party store and purchase a package of raffle tickets. 

Every time a cook, server, or bartender does something commendable, give 

them a raffle ticket. The more they earn, the better their chances of winning 

the prize at the end of the contest. 

Once your crew is on a daily diet of fun contests and monthly incentives, the 

critical companion step is to implement habitual recognition and intermittent 

rewards. Popular no-cost and low-cost incentives include Lotto tickets, iTunes 

gift cards, movie tickets, doing their sidework, letting them off early, unexpected 

food treats, pass-around trophies, and don't forget the simplest and most 

effective incentive of all: a simple and sincere thank you. Always supervise with 

an attitude of gratitude. 

Anything worth doing is worth measuring, and if you don't reward your best 

performers, you can bet that your competition will. 

Copyright 2010 Sullivsion.com 

Jim Sullivan is a popular speaker at foodservice and retail industry conferences worldwide. See the free podcasts, 

articles, templates, and product catalog at www.sullivision.com. 

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35

Spotlight on Agave Spirits 

by Shawn Soole 

The Untapped Mexican Elixirs 

Tequila can bring back those memories of late 

nights as a young adult; your first night at the bar 

trying to test your drinking stamina with shot after 

shot of cheap tequila. Each shot burning, turning 

your night into a blur of beer chasers and a distinct 

turning in your stomach. Mezcal probably conjures 

up memories of dares and pressure from fellow 

drinkers to eat the preserved worm or scorpion 

after the bottle is done. These are the recollections 

of people all over the world when you mention the 

word tequila, creating a bad name for liquor with 

the Mexican spirit for life. But what happens when 

your humble tequila and mezcal gets a high-end 

makeover Well move over gimmicky, burning 

lighter fuel! The Mexicans are bringing their art 

of fine agave spirit-making north. 

Agave spirits can be broken down into a few 

distinctive groups that most people would have 

heard of, plus a few that they may not have. 

Everybody has heard of the famous tequila - the 

trendy shot to have at the hippest joints. Tequila is 

made in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, 

down the Jalisco coast to Guadalajara and then 

east to Arandas. Tequila and agave spirits in 

general are produced from - you guessed it - 

agave. Agave, long thought to be a cactus, now 

has its own classification. There are 423 species of 

agave in this region, not all good enough to make 

tequila. The best agave to use in tequila is blue 

agave, but with shortages in supply over the last 

ten years, many big names in tequila have used 

a blend of blue agave and other agaves. These 

tequilas are classified as mixto. 

Tequila production is a labour intensive endeavour. 

From the waiting period of up to 10 years for the 

agave to mature, to the sometimes dangerous job 

of slicing the leaves off with a coa de jima, a six foot 

pole with a paddle like, razor sharp blade attached 

to it. It takes a jimador less than two minutes to 

harvest the agave, slicing through the leaves with 

such precision as to not slice off his toes. The result 

is a piña which resembles something of a green 

and white pineapple that weighs anywhere up to 

170 pounds. Inside this piña is the sweet nectar; to 

obtain the nectar the piña is baked to caramelize 

the juice that will soon be extracted by crushing 

it. Traditionally the piña is crushed using a giant 

mortar wheel, which is towed by a mule or an 

ox. The nectar is then distilled straight to create 

100% agave or mixed with water to create a mixto 

and distilled in a traditional copper still. Once 

the tequila is finished, it is bottled right away to 

become a blanco, and aged for anywhere from 


three weeks to five years. The periods of aging 

vary between tequila and mezcal. 

Mezcals have always been associated with the 

worm or the scorpion that lies in wait for you at 

the bottom of the bottle. To put urban legends 

to bed, that little creature is not there to suck 

out the alcohol from the liquor, only to give you 

a high octane kick at the end of the bottle, it’s 

simply a gimmick to get you to buy it. A good 

mezcal is great enough on its own. Mezcal is a 

style of agave spirit that is not for the faint of 

heart, produced further south in the Oaxaca 

region using a distillation process that is slightly 

different to tequila, making it a worthy adversary. 

Mezcal distillers have spent over 400 years 

perfecting the spirit, first by the indigenous locals 

and the Spanish conquistadores. It starts with 

five different types of agave being harvested in a 

similar manner to tequila, and then taken for the 

first and very different step of production. 

The mezcal piña is shredded of its leaves and 

husks. The leaves are then placed under a pit of 

river rocks to smoke the piña, which is covered 

with the husks to keep in the flavour. The pit can 

be any size, but its main purpose is to smoke and 

heat the piña to concentrate the natural sugars 

in the bulb. The smoking of the piña before 

crushing it is the key step in the production 

process; it can go on for as long as five days. What 

remains after the smoking, is a charred bulb of 

concentrated agave syrup, ready for crushing. The 

steps after this are very similar to tequila, but the 

final product is what differentiates mezcal from 

tequila. Mezcal has a distinct, obvious smoky 

nose to it with other aromas including tar, leather, 

and charcoal. It is more of a sipper similar to a 

Speyside Scotch, rather than a quick shot at the 

start of the night. 

Agave spirits are complex, as you can already 

see. There are different methods, styles, and 

aging. Aging any spirit can be beneficial in the 

way that it adds complexity and balance to liquid, 

adding in flavours of wood, caramel, and leather 

while taking out any harsher chemical flavours. 

There are four distinct styles of aging for agave 

spirits. First you have Blanco or Plata; these styles 

require no aging. These are clear and are used 

mainly in cocktails. In Mexico, people prefer to 

drink it as an apéritif before lunch in the classic 

fashion of neat with salt and lime. This style of 

agave spirit is beginning to get popular with the 

tequila fraternity, due to producers taking the 

time to create a great base spirit instead of letting 

aging do the work. This new, invigorated thinking 

behind Blancos and Platas has made way for 

drinkers who would love the aged agaves to come 

back and try these complex yet light spirits. These 

silver beauties have enlightening flavours of sweet 

agave nectar, tropical fruits, and refreshing citrus. 

Put an agave spirit in a cask for at least two months, 

but not longer than a year, and what do you get 

A Reposado. Reposados are the biggest selling 

agave spirits in Mexico, used to pair with food 

as you would wine in North America. Offering 

the light, refreshing flavours of a Blanco with the 

beginning complexity of an Añejo, this style of 

agave gives the drinker a step-up experience that 

they can’t achieve with a regular Blanco. When it 

comes to aging of agave spirits, there are no hard 

and fast rules on what they should be aged in. 

The last two styles can be grouped together - 

Añejo and the latest (available only in the last few 

years) Extra Añejo. Añejo is aged for a minimum of 

one year but less than three. This is the big daddy 

of all agave spirits. It’s all about the wood and the 

flavours the wood brings to the spirit. Caramel, 

vanilla, and cigar box come to mind when smelling 

a fine Añejo; these follow through to flavours of 

leather, chocolate, and sweetened agave nectar. 

This is the epitome of a fine sipping spirit, similar 

to a scotch or even-aged rum. Extra Añejo is the 

latest in aged agaves, aged for a minimum of five 

years. What does this give you A pure, smooth, 

woody sipper that will change your mind forever 

about tequilas and mezcals. 

With North America beginning to get more fine 

imported spirits, you can’t help but wonder what 

is in store for agave spirits. Perhaps your customer 

is a purist who likes her Blanco neat with some 

fine chicken tamales or in a classic Margarita, 

or maybe one of your regulars is a scotch fiend 

who is looking for a new conquest. Whatever the 

case, tequilas and mezcals have brushed off their 

immoral and sometimes downright evil cloaks and 

are now a force to be dealt with.

Marketplace 

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in independent liquor stores, 

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37

Names in 

the News 

ABLE BC welcomes the following new member and associate: Duane Jordan, The 

Best Damn Sports Bar, Penticton; and Kal Sidhu, Visions Business Solutions, 

Surrey. 

The Metropole, established in the historic Vancouver neighbourhood of 

Gastown in 1906, has been re-launched as the Metropole Community Pub. 

The pub will donate 25% of its annual profits to organizations in the Downtown 

Eastside that are dedicated to making a difference, such as United We Can, 

the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, the Vancouver Food Bank, and 

Gallery Gachet. Donated funds to United We Can will be used in the charity’s 

lane-cleaning program, which employs local residents who are considered 

unemployable due to mental health, poverty, addiction, and physical disabilities 

to clean sidewalks, lanes, alleys, and other public spaces as well as pick up litter. 

The Hook & Ladder Pub held its 25th annual Duck Race fundraiser for Surrey 

Memorial Hospital in April. For 25 years the pub has been "renting" rubber 

ducks to their customers for $5. These ducks race down the creek, which runs 

parallel to the pub, along with 699 others, in the hope of winning $500. It's a 

family event with free hot dogs and pop for kids, face painting, and balloons. 

Every child goes home with a prize. Pat Reffeling, Manager at the Hook & Ladder 

boasts, “To date we have raised nearly $35,000 for the hospital, specifically the 

children’s centre.” 

The Oliver Twist Pub sponsored a weekend baseball tournament fundraiser for 

Kidsport. 20 teams participated in the tournament, which was well attended 

and very successful. The pub coordinated the set up of the beer garden, and 

provided Serving It Right employees to staff it for the two-day tournament. 

KidSport is a community-based sports funding program that provides grants 

for financially disadvantaged children ages 6 to 18 to participate in amateur 

sport and learn valuable life lessons and skills. 

The Heriot Bay Inn on Quadra Island has hosted three fundraising dinners 

throughout the year. These events raised at least $2,000 each for the Quadra 

Island Children’s Centre, North Island Survivors Healing Society, and the Quadra 

Island Seniors Housing Society. Delicious food was teamed up with fantastic 

music or storytelling for memorable evenings benefitting worthwhile causes. 

Central City Brewing has won the legal battle with Bear Republic Brewing of 

Healdsburg, California over alleged trademark infringement. The judge ruled 

that Central City’s Red Racer brand did not infringe on Bear Republic’s Racer 

5 or Red Rocket marks. 

To help promote Vancouver Craft Beer Week, which took place in May, event 

organizers produced a video entitled “I Am a Canadian Craft Brewer”. It primarily 

features brewers from BC, but is also meant to honour the hard work and 

passion of small-scale brewers all across the country. Check it out on YouTube. 

Beers of British Columbia is a new, 190-page, full colour guidebook written 

by Leo Buijs after five months of research visiting breweries and brewpubs 

throughout the province. The book evaluates each of the 300 different 

beers brewed in BC, and makes recommendations for the novice as well 

as the experienced beer consumer. It comes with a glossary of beer terms 

and information on how to perform a proper tasting. Each beer is described 

according to its content and taste experience and is accompanied by a full colour 

picture of the label. The book includes the history and description of about 55 

breweries and brewpubs in three regions of BC: the Lower Mainland, Vancouver 

Island, and the south Central Interior. A cross-referenced index makes it easy 

to find a particular beer or brewery and you will find a short history and great 

ideas on food-pairing with some of the specific beer types. 

BC Hospitality 

Foundation 

by Renée Blackstone 

Frank Georgas of Vancouver has gotten a new lease on life - a lift, if you will 

- thanks to the BC Hospitality Foundation. Georgas has amyotrophic lateral 

sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease, that has severely restricted 

his mobility. 

Georgas is in a wheelchair and has been unable to get out of the house, but the 

installation of an elevator in his home, paid for by many generous donations 

to BCHF fundraisers over the years, now allows him to get fresh air and visit his 

beloved grandchildren as well as friends. 

Before he became ill, Georgas enjoyed an extensive career in the hospitality 

industry, starting with a first job as a dishwasher. He's also been a cook, chef, 

and restaurant operator for various employers, including working as chef at the 

Delta Hotel properties in Campbell River and Prince George. 

Meanwhile, the foundation's biggest fundraiser - the annual golf tournament 

held at the spectacular Westwood Plateau course in Coquitlam on July 19 - sold 

out as more than 200 people from all sectors of the industry turned out for 

the event. Generous support from suppliers and donors provided food and 

beverages at each hole, while an exciting silent auction drew bids on such great 

items as flights to the Yukon, hotel stays, and fabulous wines. Additionally, there 

were six chances to win hole-in-one prizes, one of which was won with the 

winner taking home a prize of $5,000 cash and a set of new golf clubs. 

The golf tournament was able to raise approximately $80,000, according to 

BCHF Business Development Manager, Alan Sacks, who explains, “The generous 

support of our sponsors and golfers enables the foundation to support our 

own hospitality community. The generosity shown at this year's event shows 

that the foundation’s objectives have been clearly identified as being a high 

priority in the industry.” 

For those with an “appetite for giving,” the BCHF is planning a new fundraising 

event on October 25 called Dine and Dazzle. The event will be staged at the 

third-floor Summit Level of the Vancouver Convention Centre and is intended 

to be a less formal than traditional gala. The views will be unparalleled, the 

food and wine will be fabulous, and there will also be lots going on that will 

satisfy an appetite for high-energy fun, including the honouring of those who 

have given unstintingly to the industry over the years. For more information on 

this and other BCHF events, please go to www.bchospitalityfoundation.com. 

Renee Blackstone is a freelance journalist who sits on the BCHF Advisory Board. 


Rolling out our newest Racer! 

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