As tourist season approaches, the pressure to stock familiar names is high, but many of those names are not what they seem. Some large foreign corporations that were shut out of the BC liquor market have been busy “Canada-washing” their products. They find a partner distillery elsewhere in Canada to bottle their spirit so they can keep it on the shelf. This does not mean the product is made in Canada. It is simply foreign liquid in a local bottle, with the profits still flowing back to American shareholders.
Many of these brands rely on a sense of heritage that does not match the reality of their production. Brands that sound Dutch, or fundamentally Canadian, are often part of massive global corporate portfolios headquartered thousands of kilometres from the fields and the farmers. These big brands are not superior to what we produce here. In any honest taste test, our local vodka is found to be better or at least the equivalent, often at the same price.
The Cost of Being Fooled
It is not patriotic to purchase from these corporations during a trade war. Many of these large entities funnel profits to shareholders in a country whose government often does not support the idea of Canada. When a sophisticated traveller looks at your back bar and sees a massive corporate brand passing itself off as a unique foreign experience, it reflects on you. It does not make you look like an expert in your craft. It makes you look like you have been fooled by a workaround.
Serving these standard corporate fares provides no unique experience for your guests. “Bottled in Canada” is not the same as “made in BC.” You have to dig deep to find the truth, or you can make the easy decision to turn to an authentic local option.
The Superior Local Choice
We know the bottom line can make decisions difficult, which is why our pricing remains competitive. You do not have to sacrifice your margin to support your community. Every ounce of alcohol we produce comes from BC-grown raw materials and is distilled right here in Richmond.
We invested in the best equipment in the world: a vodka still custom-built for us in Hungary and a gin still hand-hammered in Spain. We did this because British Columbians and our visitors demand a product that is vastly superior to the average.
Be Part of the Real BC Story
When you choose a local partner, you are investing in the BC economy and providing an experience that is comfortable but new. You are giving your guests a story they can take home: a spirit grown in our fields and distilled with world-class mastery.
Don’t let your bar be a billboard for someone else’s corporation. Give your customers a premium, authentic experience that honours their choice to visit our province.