The Vancouver Farmers Market has a long list of potential vendors ready to offer mini-tastes of beer, sake or wine at the popular summer markets.
“Vista D’oro Winery, Odd Society Spirits, R&B Brewing, Artisan SakeMaker, Fort Wine Company, Backyard Vineyards, Bomber Brewing, Tree Brewing,” Roberta LaQuaglia, operations manager for Vancouver Farmers Markets, told Business in Vancouver.
“Those guys have all come to me and said they’re interested.”
The City of Vancouver announced June 27 that it will roll out a one-season pilot program to allow the sale of craft liquor of Vancouver Farmers Markets. The program is effective immediately, according to market organizers.
The response came just hours after NPA Coun. George Affleck announced he would bring forward a motion at the next city council meeting on July 8. The motion calls for city staff to prioritize updating the city’s guidelines for the sale of craft spirits, beer and wine.
The province recently changed liquor regulations to allow the sale of craft spirits, beer and wine at farmers’ markets.
The city must still introduce a permanent change to its bylaws, Affleck said.
LaQuaglia said that VFM had been asking for a pilot program, but had not been notified of the program’s start before the city sent out its press release.
The provincial regulations allow for samples of craft beer, wine and spirits to be consumed at a farmers’ market booth. Vendors can also sell closed bottles.
LaQuaglia said that the smaller markets with space for extra vendors (Kerrisdale, Yaletown and Mount Pleasant) will probably be the first places customers could taste and buy craft liquor products.
The city’s pilot program lays out the following rules:
- craft liquor vendors are limited to a maximum of three per market;
- the markets must make all reasonable efforts to minimize neighbourhood impacts;
- the markets remain within their currently-permitted market size and vendor allowance;
- continue to obtain a farmers’ market business license;
- promote a diversity of craft liquor vendors at the market (e.g. not the same vendor for the whole season);
- report back to the City on neighbourhood feedback; and
- adhere to all other bylaw requirements for farmers’ markets.
Vancouver Farmers Markets operates from early May to mid-October in various Vancouver neighbourhoods.
