Liquor store owners warn supply chain crisis may hamper the holiday spirit
Tewksbury Fine Wine & Spirits owner’s Elisabeth and Andrea Maranca say that champagne, tequila and some wines are hard to acquire
Two New Jersey wine and spirits store owners joined 'Fox News Live' on Thanksgiving Thursday warning that the supply chain crisis may hamper the holiday season.
"Champagne is our biggest issue," said Andrea Maranca, a co-owner of Tewksbury Fine Wine & Spirits. "Shortages are crazy and so we’re buying as much champagne as we can so that we can continue to fill our shelves."
Elisabeth Maranca said she often tells customers upfront about the issue facing the shop, citing shortages of glass and tequila as "quite the challenge."
LIQUOR SHORTAGES PUT A DAMPER ON UPCOMING THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS
She added that particular wines from New Zealand used to take eight weeks to arrive. The trucking shortage, however, has extended that time frame to as long as four to five months.
"It has been a bit of a struggle but we’re tasting a lot of wines and we’re trying to find things we think that the customer's really going to love," said Elisabeth.
Shipping containers are seen at the container terminal of the port of Oakland, California, U.S., October 28, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Barria (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)
Several other states have also complained of a similar shortage. In Michigan, businesses are complaining about a lack of shipments of tequila, in particular, after producers were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
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Utah's Department of Alcohol Beverage Control is also warning of shortages during the holidays, namely various Hennessy cognacs and Patron Silver Tequila, along with Dom Perignon Blanc and Moet Imperial Brut Champagne.
The agency told FOX 13 that Thanksgiving is typically the busiest week for state-run liquor stores, and customers should expect long lines or to make alternative selections that they might not have otherwise.
U.S. President Joe Biden checks his watch during an event on global supply chain resilience through the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and recovery, on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' summit in Rome, Italy October 31, 2021. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
Lisa Hawkins, Distilled Spirits Council senior vice president of public affairs, told FOX Business, "The spirits industry, like numerous others, is being impacted by shortages of glass, pallets, containers, and drivers."
Despite the issues plaguing their business, though, Elisabeth and Andrea told ‘Fox News Live’ Thursday that they have both committed not to raise prices for their customers.
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Fox Business’ Breck Dumas contributed to this report.
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