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Working with UnTapped

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From our modest start in 2013, a thriving business has emerged, and we can now proudly say that we are providing discerning customers across Canada with some of the best and rarest craft beverages available.

As fans first, our quest to expand our palates and offerings with the most exciting options will never cease, and our desire to share our findings with an ever-growing network of other enthusiasts is endless.

We want our retailers and customers alike to get to know who you are as producers and learn the quirky and always interesting stories behind your beers; the names, labels, brands, and people.

Photo courtesy of Rogue Ales

Your product is a reflection of who you are, and those stories matter to us.

Our Markets & the Canadian Liquor Landscape

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Ontario

Population: 14,600,000

This province is a mix of government stores and private retailers. In 2025, the LCBO is rolling out an expansion program allowing grocery and corner stores to sell alcohol. These retailers will be able to select products from the LCBO listed SKUs catalogue only, which used to be exclusive to the government stores. The Beer Store is the biggest (and one of the only) corporate channel in the province, with pay-for-placement programs available.

British Columbia

Population: 5,000,000

This province is a mix between government liquor stores and private retailers. There are around 200 BC Liquor stores in the province, who order from a catalogue of listed SKUs approved by the liquor board, with a few exceptions. Private liquor retailers can order anything they like, there are about 700 of them in the province. While beer and non-alcoholic products are routine, there are challenges to import Spirits and Ready to Drink cocktails, due to liquor board eccentricities.

Alberta

Population: 4,300,000

This province is entirely privatized. Alberta has the highest number of liquor stores per capita with more than 1,500 liquor retailers and over 8,000 licensees altogether.

Note: Yukon and the Northwest Territories order from Alberta (90,000 inhabitants combined)

Saskatchewan

Population: 1,200,000

This province is transitioning from a public model to a private one, with approximately 600 liquor retailers who can pull stock from Alberta as well as a local 3PL. All on-premise licensees must order through retail liquor stores.

Manitoba

Population: 1,400,000

This province is overwhelmingly driven by government-owned liquor stores, it's one of the most challenging markets to penetrate aside from a few key accounts, due to the liquor board’s influence on retailers. There are private vendors in rural areas, but over half the population lives in Winnipeg.

Maritimes

New Brunswick, Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island

Population: 1,900,000

Each of these provinces are under the control of their own liquor boards, who regulate the large majority of alcohol sales, with a limited number of key private retailers.

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Photo courtesy of Ben Nelms for CBC

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Photo courtesy of the Grasslands News Group

Government Liquor Stores

We work with 1000 government

liquor stores across Canada,

including:

  • BC Liquor Distribution Branch

  • Saskatchewan Liquor & Gaming Authority

  • Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries

  • Liquor Control Board of Ontario

  • Yukon Liquor Corp.

  • Northwest Territories Liquor & Cannabis Commission

Independent Stores & Locations

We found efficiency and success in focusing our efforts on private channels.

We are now a well-established agency in Western Canada with almost 2000 active independent retailers & on-premise accounts.

Corporate Chains

We work with large and local corporate organizations, such as:

  • Alcanna (Liquor Depot)

  • Angry Otter

  • Cascadia

  • Co-Op

  • Concorde Group

  • Jak’s Liquor

  • Liquor Plus

  • Loblaw’s

  • Sobeys Liquor

  • Sundial

& many more...

Pricing Methodology

The graph below details our pricing process.

Example 1: 4x473ml from a West Coast brewery.*

Example 2: 4x473ml from a East Coast brewery.*

*Style dependent

Exworks / FOB

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The price at which UnTapped purchases from the producer.

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Ex 1 & 2: $45 USD/case

Wholesale

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This includes freight to Canada, warehousing and customs fees, as well as UnTapped’s margin. It’s the price at which stores & restaurants can buy a selling unit.

 

Ex 1: $16.99 CAD/selling unit

Ex 2: $19.99 CAD/selling unit

Retail

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Stores & Provincial liquor boards set their own price. This is the price at which a customer will purchase the selling unit in store.

We can recommend a retail price but ultimately it’s the retailer’s decision.

On average, retail stores take a 30% margin.

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