PLCB: Retail liquor sales up 3.5%

Retail liquor sales in Pennsylvania increased 3.5% to $2.2 billion last year. 

In its annual report released Tuesday, The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) said retail sales comprised 74% of its retail earnings with licensee sales of $754.5 million accounting for the rest of its income in fiscal year 2022-23. 

The report shows spirit sales totaled $1.43 billion and sales to licensees was $403.8 million. 

Wine sales totaled $767.9 million. Sales to licensees selling wine to go totaled $203.8 million and sales to licensees not selling wine to go was $146.9 million. 

The report shows tequila, ready-to-drink beverages, and whiskey topped the list of product categories with the largest year-over-year dollar gains, with increases ranging from 3.8% to 51.9% across categories. 

E-commerce sales totaled $14.5 million, a 6.8% increase in dollar sales compared to the prior year. While transactions decreased marginally by 0.4%, the average transaction value increased 7.1% over fiscal year 2021-22 and the average price per item increased 7.8%, PLCB said. 

The report shows unflavored vodka was the top spirits category in 43 counties, while the remaining 24 counties had American whiskey as the top spirits category.  

California cabernet sauvignon was the top wine category in 42 counties, while another 13 counties had box red wine as the top wine category; California chardonnay and beverage wine followed as the top wine categories in the remaining counties, with six counties each. 

PLCB said the top three counties – Allegheny, Philadelphia, and Montgomery – accounted for 35% of statewide sales. 

In its report, PLCB said more than $869.7 million of its revenue was distributed to the Pennsylvania General Fund and state and local government beneficiaries in fiscal year 2022-23. 

The report includes a summary of Fine Wine & Good Spirits store operations, including the launch of a third phase of a customer service training program for store leadership, highlights of new activities and programs to support the PLCB’s retail workforce, and a detail of efforts to enhance customers in-store tasting experiences. 

PLCB said the report also offers details on Special Order (SO) direct delivery, which accounted for 36.7% of total SO transactions with licensees within its first full year, information on permits issued and sales to holders of wine expanded permits, which authorize the sale of wine to go by private retailers. 

It also highlights Project New Horizon, the PLCB’s a multi-year effort to modernize and transform the agency’s technology infrastructure, the agency said. 

According to the report, PLCB processed more than 87,000 liquor license and permit applications and completed more than 8,000 investigations. 

During its 11th restaurant license auction, PLCB said it awarded 20 licenses for a potential bid revenue of $3.2 million. 

The report also includes a summary of alcohol education efforts to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking, including an overview of the agency’s 2023 Report on Underage and High-Risk Drinking, highlights from “Broadening Our Awareness” – the PLCB Bureau of Alcohol Education’s annual conference – and information on the award-winning Know When. Know How. campaign, PLCB said. 

PLCB said it also included a list of recipients of $1.8 million in PLCB grants that support Pennsylvania’s wine and beer industries.