Originally Posted By: shawn k
The state most likely buys from the manufacturer or the rep ( southern wine and spirit is the big gun on the west coast). Yes safeway and fred meyer are union, costco is not. State employees have a stronger union with better benefits pay etc.
About 13% of Costco employees are union.

"The state most likely" buys from a distributor? Or you know for fact they do? For the sake of argument, let's say they are forced to buy from Southern Wine and Spirit; what precludes the grocery stores from not being held to the same requirement? I doubt SWS is going to sit by and let one of their biggest customers go away.

I don't believe private grocers will be able to buy the products any cheaper than what the state does now. Considering how many liquor stores are in the state, that's some serious volume.
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Tent makers for Christie, 2016.