Communications

Latest News

July 29, 2024 - Product restrictions removed on Monday, July 29 

As you are aware, we have been working to prepare our people and operations to return to business as usual following the end of a 17-day strike.  

Last week we shared that LCO catalogue would remain limited to 100 SKUs until August 6, but we are pleased to share that starting Monday, July 29, you will once again be able to shop on wholesale.lcbo.com and select from your entire catalogue of more than 1000 SKUs.  

As an interim measure, LCOs can also continue to order products from manufacturers authorized to participate in the Direct Delivery Program while our business continues to recover. We will communicate when this program formally comes to an end.  

To support you through this transition, we will continue to waive delivery fees until August 7.   

Our team is in the process of reconciling shipments and credits for the past several weeks and we will be in contact starting Monday, July 29 to discuss these matters. If your order was cancelled or short picked in the last few weeks, a credit will be automatically applied to your online account. Any credits will appear on the ‘Company Credit’ menu within wholesale.lcbo.com. To use your credit towards your next order, select ‘Use Company Credit’ on the billings page during the checkout process. It won’t be automatically applied unless you select this option.  

If you have any questions, please speak to your Client Services Coordinator or email our team at lco@lcbo.com. 

Thank you again for your patience, and we look forward to returning to the service levels that you expect from us.  

July 21, 2024 - An update on delivery timelines and your shopping experience starting Tuesday, July 23

Following the ratification of the collective agreement with OPSEU, LCBO is working to prepare our people and operations to return to business as usual. This will be a transition over the next several weeks. 

Changes to your shopping experience over the coming weeks, starting Tuesday, July 23 :

- Online shopping: You can continue to shop on wholesale.lcbo.com.

- Product availability: We have removed all limits on product quantities, but the curated 100 SKUs will remain in place until August 6 while we transition to business as usual – this list is attached for your reference. 

        - Product availability continues to evolve as we replenish inventory in our warehouses.

         - As an interim measure, LCOs can continue to order products from manufacturers authorized to participate in the Direct Delivery Program, while our business continues to recover.

- Delivery fees: We are extending free delivery until August 6. 

An update on LCO orders

- We continue to fulfill orders which have been placed in the last few weeks; you can expect to receive orders within the next two weeks. Thank you for your patience. 

- Please report any damages or discrepancies via the B2B Claims App. Claims will be processed in a timely manner; please forward any supporting documentations such as photos or documents signed by the delivery driver. 

We understand that the last few weeks have been challenging. Thank you for your patience and support.

LCBO strike: How LCBO Convenience Outlets can place and receive orders

Earlier this morning, LCBO issued a statement acknowledging the first strike in the history of our organization. As such, we have activated our contingency plans to ensure the continued service of our wholesale customers. 

With a strike now underway, and as LCBO retail locations are closed for 14 days:  

LCOs will continue to be a valued option for Ontarians to purchase alcohol, including spirits. Continue to plan accordingly and place your orders as usual.  

Product assortment will be limited to a selection of SKUs LCBO has planned to support an increase in inventory and customer preferences. 

Note that fulfillment time may be impacted if there is a higher-than-normal order volume. If this is the case, we will be in touch. 

We did not want a strike at LCBO, and we sincerely regret the inconvenience this will cause. We thank you for your patience and understanding.  

While we can’t predict how long the strike will last, we will keep customers informed via our website and social media channels. Information regarding the status of negotiations between LCBO and OPSEU will continue to be posted to LCBONegotiations.com. Our Customer Care team is here to help with any questions or concerns.  

Thank you.

Important LCO guidance ahead of potential strike at LCBO

Earlier this week, we reached out with an update on the status of labour negotiations between LCBO and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and shared information on our contingency approach to supporting licensee customers should the union go on strike on Friday, July 5 (or any time after). 

We’ve issued some initial information on how LCBO operations would pivot if a strike were to happen. If a strike happens, all LCBO retail locations will be closed for 14 days, and so we would like to offer an additional reminder to our valued LCO operators.

In the event of a strike at LCBO, LCOs will continue to be a valued option for Ontarians to purchase alcohol, including spirits. We strongly recommend that you order extra stock and plan for an increase in sales demand. 

Our negotiations with OPSEU resume next week and we remain committed to reaching an agreement.  Updates will continue to be shared at LCBONegotiations.com. In the meantime, our support for your business continues. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Supporting you in the event of an LCBO union strike

LCBO and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), the union representing approximately 10,000 LCBO team members, have been at the bargaining table negotiating a renewal collective agreement over the last several months. Most recently, OPSEU was granted a ‘no board’ report from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, which, coupled with their strike vote, puts them in a legal strike position as of 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 5 (or any time after).

Over the course of the past few weeks, we have been in touch with our valued wholesale customers, including LCBO Convenience Outlets, on the importance of the timely placement of orders and consider increased sales demand in your forecasting. We strongly recommend you follow this direction.  

This morning, we shared guidance that customers should consider shopping early to help prepare for the potential disruption to the retail customer experience and we would like to offer a bit more information on our approach to LCOs at this time as well.

In the event of a strike at LCBO, LCOs will continue to be a valued option for Ontarians to purchase beverage alcohol. In terms of getting product into your stores, we have robust contingency plans that cover our ability to continue to take and fulfill wholesale orders. We’ve put measures in place across our inventory build, our warehouse operations, and our fulfillment approach that reflects the importance of beverage alcohol availability, especially during the busy summer months. Our priority is to ensure continued service and the support of our valued customers, both retail and wholesale.  

LCBO will provide continued service. That said, it will not be business as usual and there may be some changes in our ways of working with operators. What we can say with all confidence is that customers will be supported through the ordering and delivery process. In the meantime, we remain committed to reaching a deal that is fair and helps the LCBO to operate efficiently and effectively in the new marketplace and will keep you informed as the collective bargaining process continues to unfold. Please find our latest updates on LCBO and OPSEU labour negotiations at LCBONegotiations.com.

Again, we will be in touch on any other matters that require your attention. In the meantime, our support for your business continues. Please feel free to reach out should you have any questions.

New online ordering process for LCBO Convenience Outlets

On Monday, May 27, 2024, LCBO is excited to launch the new online ordering process for LCBO Convenience Outlets (LCOs), supported by our eCommerce site: wholesale.lcbo.com. This will be the only platform used by LCOs to order products from the LCBO.

Ahead of launching the new site, and to support our valued customers, we have refreshed doingbusinesswithlcbo.com/lco. We encourage you to explore the site and share with your team.

The site includes: 

•      Popular resources for doing business with the LCBO
•      Website demonstration webinar
•      Online ordering tutorials 
•      Frequently asked questions 
•      Your contacts and support 

Next Steps 

Your account will be active on Monday May 27, 2024. On this day, visit wholesale.lcbo.com to sign in and start shopping! 

Please follow the steps below to complete setting up your online account.

1. Sign in using your customer email
2. Click on Forgot Password to create a new password.
3. An email will be sent to (customer email) with a link to login with your new password
4. Start Shopping

If you experience any issues logging in, please reach out to LCBO Customer Care.

Thank you for doing business with the LCBO,

Your Client Services Team, Wholesale Group, LCBO                                                                                                                                                          

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