Wine Industry Report

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board will suspend special liquor orders on its Internet vendor portal for two months, starting Monday, to upgrade the system.

Restaurateurs and liquor vendors who use the portal will still be able to place special liquor orders via fax, e-mail and in person at the Liquor Control Board’s 621 Wine & Spirits stores across the state, PLCB Chief Executive Officer Joe Conti said.

Retail customers at Wine & Spirits stores and users of www.pawineandspirits.com will not be affected by the suspension, Conti said.

The portal allows vendors and liquor licensees — such as restaurant and tavern owners — to place orders online for certain hard-to-find wines and spirits. Products ordered through the portal are delivered to a Wine & Spirits store, where licensees pick up the product for sale in their establishments.

In place since 1995, the vendor portal has helped the Liquor Control Board make the finest wines and spirits in the world available to Pennsylvanians.

“Our industry partners will receive a long-term gain from this short-term inconvenience,” Conti said. “Once this upgrade is completed, licensees and vendors will have access to a state-of-the-art system for their special liquor orders. This is a necessary step in the transformation of the Liquor Control Board into a 21st century specialty retailer.”

The Liquor Control Board is notifying licensees and vendors of the two-month suspension, Conti said. The agency is transferring staff and resources to manage the growth in fax and e-mail special liquor orders that the suspension generates, and there should be no delay in filling these orders, he said.

“Although special liquor orders account for about 4 percent of our gross sales, licensees and vendors are significant partners in distributing wine and spirits in Pennsylvania, and we are taking significant steps to ensure that they will still receive prompt service during this time,” Conti said. “Many of our key partners recognize how important this upgrade is to the long-term success of our partnership. We are grateful for their cooperation and support as we move forward together.”

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board regulates the beverage alcohol industry in Pennsylvania and operates the state’s Wine & Spirits stores. It also sponsors education programs to prevent alcohol use by minors and misuse by adults.