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Specialty Liquor Warehouses

Third-party beer warehouses have been operating in Saskatchewan for decades and SLGA has been fulfilling specialty wine and spirit orders from out-of-province warehouses.

Recent changes mean that interested businesses can now establish third party warehouses in Saskatchewan to distribute specialty beer, wine and spirits.

The changes were made to help meet Saskatchewan’s growing demand for specialty products. SLGA’s Distribution Centre will continue to operate as the main distributor of popular, high volume products.


FAQs
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What is a third party liquor warehouse?
Third party liquor warehouses distribute beverage alcohol on SLGA’s behalf. For years, Saskatchewan has had third party warehouses distributing beer products to liquor retailers and SLGA has been relying on out of province warehouses to fulfill many specialty wine and spirit orders.

What change has been made regarding third party liquor warehouses?
Currently, beer/coolers are the only products distributed by third party warehouses in Saskatchewan. The change means interested businesses can now distribute specialty wine, beer and spirits to liquor retailers.

Why was the change made?
The demand for specialty liquor products continues to grow. Specialty liquor warehouses will provide retailers with another option to access an assortment of specialty liquor products and complement SLGA’s existing Distribution Centre.

How will this impact SLGA’s existing Distribution Centre?
The change is meant to complement SLGA’s Distribution Centre. SLGA will continue to be the main distributor of high volume wine and spirit products.

Will new warehouses be required to supply their products to all retailers across the province?
Yes. Specialty liquor warehouses must make their products available to all retailers in the province. They can choose to distribute the products on their own or distribute the products through SLGA’s existing transportation network.

What rules will these new warehouses follow?
Similar to the rules already in place for existing third party beer distributors, specialty liquor warehouses will have to make their product available to retailers throughout the province, cannot employ minors in the warehouse and they also must collect all applicable markups.

How will SLGA ensure markups are collected?
Operating terms for these warehouses will require appropriate electronic tracking systems that allow SLGA to monitor sales and collect appropriate markups. This requirement is already in place for existing third party warehouses operating in Saskatchewan.

How can I get more information about operating a specialty liquor warehouse?
Interested individuals/businesses can email inquiry@slga.gov.sk.ca.