NB Liquor extends discount beer promotion

NB Liquor is extending its sale of discounted beer brands in the province until February following heavy sales of the products this summer.

The province's Crown-owned liquor corporationintroduced six discount brands last spring that sold for $18.49 a case, which is $5 cheaper than regular beer.

The experiment in discount beer was scheduled to end next week but NB Liquor said it is being extended for five months.

"The breweries actually came to us and we had a discussion and everyone was willing to extend the program to give New Brunswickers more choice and more selection," said Marcelle Saulnier, a spokesperson for NB Liquor.

The discount beer brands, include: Molson Dry, Keystone, Old Milwaukee, James Ready, JR 6.0.

The promotion has worked so well, according to NB Liquor, that it is adding a seventh discount brandBusch on Oct. 1.

Saulnier said the discount brands grabbed 10 per cent of the New Brunswick beer market over the summer.

NB Liquors attempt to drive up beer sales, by dropping prices stands in contrast to its ill-fated plan to brew its own beer three years ago.

NB Liquor tried marketing its own beer brand Selection but sales went flat immediately despite heavy promotion and prime floor space. During that promotion, Selection brands accounted for roughly one per cent of beer sales for the corporation.

A quick trip to the Saint John's Golden Mile Redemption Centre reinforces the success of the discount beer promotion.

Thousands of empties pile up at the redemption centre and many of the cans display the names of the discount brands.

Chris Taylor, the owner of the redemption centre, said the cans don't lie.

"It just seemed to take right off. It was a good deal for New Brunswickers," he said.