The LCBO is a provincial government enterprise employing some 7,000 people, including part-time workers, with more than 600 stores across Ontario supplied by five regional distribution centres.
More than 22,000 products are read more...available to Ontario consumers through stores, special order programs and catalogues.
VINTAGES is LCBO’s premium wines and spirits business unit. VINTAGES products are available through the LCBO’s store network, including five specialized VINTAGES stores, 40 boutiques and 170 corners. VINTAGES releases more than 120 products every two weeks to the LCBO retail network. A wide assortment of products from some of the world’s best producers is also available through vintagesshoponline.com, Bordeaux Futures, direct offers and the Classics Collection. Each year, VINTAGES hosts more than 25 events for collectors and oenophiles. Full program and event information are available at www.vintages.com. In total, VINTAGES released 6,688 products in 2008-09.
Customers can also obtain many other products not regularly listed in Ontario through the LCBO Private Ordering program.
In partnership with the LCBO, established retailers operate some 216 agency stores in communities without large enough population bases to support regular LCBO stores.
In the interests of consumer protection, LCBO Quality Assurance conducts more than 492,000 tests annually on more than 22,000 different products. This testing helps ensure all products sold by the LCBO comply with the federal Food and Drugs Act and Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and their related regulations as well as the LCBO’s high standards for quality and taste.
Since 1990, the LCBO has received more than 200 awards for customer service, staff training and development, store design, marketing, innovative retailing, corporate communications and social responsibility.
These include 12 Retail Council of Canada Excellence in Retailing Awards, including Innovative Retailer of the Year, Socially Responsible Retailer of the Year and the Retail Technology Award.
A 2009 Corporate Reputation Study conducted by Leger Marketing, an independent survey company, placed the LCBO 15 out of the top 100 companies in Ontario.
Members of LCBO’s Senior Team have also been commended for outstanding contributions in their respective fields. In 2007, Nancy Cardinal, Vice President, LCBO Marketing and Customer Insights, earned the Top Integrated Marketer Award from Strategy Magazine. Hugh Kelly, LCBO Senior Vice President, LCBO Information Technology, was named Chief Information Officer of the Year through the Canadian Information Productivity Awards. Also in 2007, Andy Brandt, former LCBO Chair and CEO, was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Legends.
Recent awards include:
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LCBO’s Prom Tips campaign poster, created to remind high school graduates that alcohol doesn’t belong at their celebrations, was a winner in the Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario Design@Work Competition in 2008.
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The Wine 101 promotion, created in 2008 to help demystify wine buying for LCBO customers, was honoured by the Canadian Marketing Association with a bronze award in the Retailing category.
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LCBO was named “Integrated Marketer of the Year” by Strategy Magazine in 2008.
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A training video used to teach store staff how to effectively deal with shop theft, entitled Play it Safe, earned a Silver Screen Award in the Training Safety category at the U.S. International Film & Video Festival. It also won a Bronze World Medal in the Internal Communications category at the 2009 New York Festivals International Film & Video Awards.
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LCBO's "Eco Chic" campaign won top prize at the June 2009 Retail Council of Canada's Excellence in Retailing awards in the Retail Marketing/Advertising - Large Chain Category.
The LCBO’s mission statement is: We are a socially responsible, performance-driven, innovative and profitable retailer, engaging our customers in a discovery experience of the world of beverage alcohol. The LCBO’s brand vision is Discover the World – to take customers on a journey of learning and discovery, demystifying the products we sell so that informed choices can be made more easily.
Sales in fiscal 2008-09 were $4.27 billion and the LCBO delivered a $1.40 billion dividend to the Ontario government. This did not include $398 million in PST, $104 million in GST and $346 million in excise taxes and import duties. When payments to municipalities were included, the total was $2.5 billion. (All unaudited figures as of June 2009.)
The dividend helps pay for health care, education, social programs, infrastructure and other important government services.
LCBO staff challenged more than 2.4 million people who appeared underage or intoxicated, up 17.5 per cent from 2007-08. More than 148,000 were refused service, an 11 per cent increase, the vast majority for reasons of age. (hide)
Chris Roswell
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