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North Carolina’s Alcoholic Beverage Control System: Part 2

May 8, 2019 · Jon Sanders, John Locke Foundation

Bob has a bumper crop of North Carolina sweet potatoes. How can he get them to a consumer? Bob’s got a lot of options.

Maybe Bob knows some local grocers and restauranteurs who’ll sell his produce. He could contract with food handlers to deliver his sweet potatoes to other grocers. He might set up a stand at a local farmer’s market. He could set up his own roadside stand. Wherever he is, Bob can offer samples to prospective buyers. Bob could even become a member of the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Service’s “Got to Be NC” program, where his sweet potatoes could be listed and accessible to any consumer, grocer, or restaurant looking to showcase North Carolina products.1

Amber has a batch of North Carolina rum. How can she get them to a consumer? Amber faces a lot of roadblocks.

First, she has to get product recognized by the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Commission. Then she has to persuade commissioners to think her rum will meet their profit threshold, so that they will put it on their official list of approved products. If it’s not listed, ABC stores can’t sell it. Once it’s listed, she has to contact each of the 433 ABC stores to urge the managers to carry her product.

Amber can’t sell her rum at farmers’ markets or fairs. She can’t sell bottles or even drinks away from her distillery. She can’t even hold tastings of her rum at ABC stores. She can’t distribute any of her products herself. If someone visits her distillery, Amber may offer a very limited amount of tastings and sell a limited number of bottles per visitor per year. But she still can’t serve drinks or cocktails to her visitors.

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#freethespirits

asterixmiraj khaled@asterix·
30 Jan

why is #Canada stuck with 18th century rules in 2021? & da fascination with monopolies like @LCBO @LaSAQ_officiel @theNSLC?
get with the program #Ontario #Quebec #NovaScotia @ONfinance @FinancesQuebec & #FreeTheSpirits!🍷🍻🥃🍹#EcommerceIsFuture #FreeTheBeer #WinesForAllCanadians

Toronto Star@TorontoStar

In December, Conservative MP Dan Albas tabled bill C-260 which seeks to overturn restrictions to shipping wine, beer and spirits from one part of the country to another. http://thestar.com/news/canada/2021/01/29/will-pandemic-finally-loosen-canadas-liquor-lockdown-why-booze-from-other-provinces-remains-the-thing-you-cant-order-to-your-door.html?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_campaign=Business&utm_content=liquorlawscanada

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Andye123Andy Ellen@Andye123·
27 Jan

@FoodLionNews @FoodLion So North Carolinians can go just over the NC border to @foodlion to buy spirits but have to go to a government run store for the same product in NC - think about that for a moment #ncga #ncpol @ncrla #freethespirits

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Seth_PalmerSeth Palmer@Seth_Palmer·
18 Nov

My friend @IsaVillaGarcia reminding us of the draconian method North Carolinians acquire specialty liquor. Gotta be a better way #freethespirits #freethebourbon

Isabel Villa-García@IsaVillaGarcia

Freedom!! Unless you want liquor... To all of my Wake friends, make sure you get in on the Holiday Liquor Lottery #freethespirits http://wakeabc.com/lottery/

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IsaVillaGarciaIsabel Villa-García@IsaVillaGarcia·
18 Nov

Freedom!! Unless you want liquor... To all of my Wake friends, make sure you get in on the Holiday Liquor Lottery #freethespirits http://wakeabc.com/lottery/

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Coronavirus continues to devastate the restaurant Coronavirus continues to devastate the restaurant industry. Check out the link in our bio for the most recent survey data provided by the National Restaurant Association.

#COVID19impact #RestaurantIndustry #NCRLA #ChooseRestaurants
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Click the link in bio for more information.
Stand in solidarity with the Black community by su Stand in solidarity with the Black community by supporting Black-owned restaurants! On 6/11, post a photo of your takeout meal from a Black-owned restaurant and tag #thegreatamericantakeout. For every post, a $5 donation will go to @blklivesmatter (up to $20K)!
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