E-commerce allows entrepreneurs to build direct-to-consumer (DtC) retail businesses and manage them from anywhere. Whether selling snow skis or water skis (or both), geography is no obstacle for a good retail website and strong brands. When it comes to the heavily regulated alcoholic beverage industry, however, it’s not so simple (see How to Build a Direct-to-Consumer Florida Beverage Company)....
Continue ReadingIn the middle of Florida’s COVID-19 shutdown, Florida breweries managed to increase monthly taxpaid sales by over 30%. Monthly Highlights The Florida Breweries Report reflects data published by the Florida ABT, which is available online here. The ABT monthly publishes the taxpaid sales for each brewery and distributor. Unfortunately, the ABT does not publish breweries’ sales to distributors. This means...
Continue ReadingThe next reception you attend might be catered by your favorite bar. Alcohol Catering: Bringing the Bar to You Florida’s Alcoholic Beverage Law authorizes alcohol catering by two kinds of licenseholders. An alcohol beverage catering license (13CT) is available to licensed food caterers, and allows them to sell and serve alcoholic beverages at events along with food catering (see...
Continue ReadingWhere the safety of your staff and customers requires it, employers can require employees to be tested for COVID-19 and provide employers the results of testing. Employers Can Require Employees to be Tested for COVID-19 Employers who want to require employees to be tested for COVID-19 must be aware of their requirements under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA)....
Continue ReadingWith Florida’s executive orders prohibiting consumption on premises at brewery taprooms in April 2020, average monthly taxpaid sales per brewery were down by 46% compared to last year. Monthly Highlights Would you like The Florida Breweries Report as an Excel spreadsheet? Reports for this month and all months back to January 2015 are available at this link: https://brwlng.co/FLBreweries. Florida Breweries...
Continue ReadingGames are fun and easy ways for bars and taprooms to keep customers entertained and keep them ordering. But in Florida, handling a game in the wrong way could result in civil fines or criminal charges. Don’t Call It Bingo In Florida, “bingo” has a specific statutory meaning. “Bingo” involves participants paying a sum of money for the use...
Continue ReadingDtC Sales of Alcohol are Promising but Hard to Manage Popularity of the Direct-to-Consumer (DtC) sales model is at an all-time high, in the alcoholic beverage industry and many others. The DtC model allows manufacturers and brand owners to sell (and often deliver) directly to consumers, bypassing traditional distribution and retail sales channels. Particularly in light of the COVID-19...
Continue ReadingThe COVID-19 Shutdown began taking its toll on Florida Breweries in March 2020, with average monthly taxpaid sales per brewery down by over 26%. Monthly Highlights Would you like The Florida Breweries Report as an Excel spreadsheet? Reports for this month and all months back to January 2015 are available at this link: https://brwlng.co/FLBreweries. Florida Breweries Monthly Taxpaid Sales The...
Continue ReadingThe Florida ABT’s 2012 Declaratory Statement In re BK Whopper Bar, LLC tells us how the ABT thinks about the present separation of alcoholic beverage manufacturers, distributors, and vendors. BK Whopper Bar Asked and the ABT Answered In 2011, BK Whopper Bar, LLC and Burger King Corporation asked the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (ABT) to issue...
Continue ReadingTemporary Relief from Federal Requirements for Nonbeverage Alcohol To encourage the nation’s alcohol manufacturers to produce hand sanitizer and ethanol for use in hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (the TTB) issued Public Guidance 2020-1 and 2020-1A. The TTB guidance continues through December 31, 2020. Under the TTB guidance, the...
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