Rare thing in the world of wine in Quebec, small entrepreneurs openly criticize the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ). If omerta usually reigns in this small environment, they are tired of being suffocated by the bureaucracy of the state monopoly.
“The SAQ has big problems. They don’t feel indebted. It’s an unaccountable monopoly,” launches Pascal Gerrits of the Primavin agency.
This 44-year-old entrepreneur has been co-owner of his business for 5 years and describes himself as a “black sheep” in the industry, because he does not hesitate to criticize the SAQ.
Poorly planned rosé
He has just brought together more than 20 other entrepreneurs of his kind to decry a very specific situation, that of rosé wine orders.
This type of wine is very popular in the spring, when the terraces open, and in the summer, when the weather is hot.
However, many agents who import wine were unable to obtain their products on time last year.
“I ordered my rosé in March and received it in October,” confirms Philip Morrisset, of the Origines agency, another courageous person who isn’t afraid to rub shoulders with the SAQ.
The two entrepreneurs explain that the SAQ, in 2022, asked import agencies to place their order of rosé wine before February 4. However, they hasten to add, the rosé wine is not ready in February, but rather in March or April.
“It makes no sense, the winegrowers don’t even have time to produce it,” exclaims Pascal Gerrits.
The state-owned company says it is aware of the situation and indicates that it is “in discussion” with private agents to resolve the problem.
Once the February 4, 2022 deadline had passed, the SAQ therefore prioritized other wines in its orders, so that the agencies found themselves “with lots of bottles of rosé on their hands”.
Mr. Gerrits is therefore organizing tomorrow, March 4, the Salon Rose, in Montreal, in order on the one hand to sell off the stocks of rosé and on the other hand, to go to the front with more than 20 of his peers.
They want to change the methods of the SAQ.
No omerta, says the SAQ
There are approximately 320 private agencies that do business with the SAQ in Quebec. They accounted for about 5% of sales and 8% of the profits of the crown corporation before the pandemic.
The SAQ indicates that private imports now account for 3% of its sales.
“But they rely heavily on our products to offer interesting new features,” adds Philip Morisset.
Above all, we never hear the agents explain their situation, because there is a “clear, clear and precise omerta” in the wine industry, assures the entrepreneur.
“Agencies have lost their privileges for speaking too loudly and not being able to place a product in branches for two years,” he says.
The SAQ refutes these accusations and does not believe in the omerta hypothesis.
“It is certain that when you do business with several partners, it is certain that there are always some who will be less happy”, summarizes spokesperson Geneviève Cormier.