LCBO reveals what Ontarians were drinking in the summer of 2023

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has released its quarterly update and the data shows Ontarians were thirsty this summer.

Between June 18 and Oct. 7, the LCBO says it saw nearly $2.5 billion in sales through 229 million units sold.

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Spirts accounted for 36 per cent of those sales while wine products made up 30 per cent. Beer and cider products represented 21 per cent of sales and ready-to-drink products, like mixed drinks and spiked sodas, covered 13 per cent.

The LCBO broke down the most popular brands by category and net sales. Here’s what the data showed.

TOP SELLING WINES:

1. Bread & Butter
2. J.Lohr
3. Kim Crawford
4. Santa Margherita
5. Peller Estates
6. Josh Cellars
7. Oyster Bay
8. Mionetto Prestige
9. Fantini
10. Jackson-Triggs

Red was by far the most popular choice among wine drinkers and represented 46 per cent of all sales during LCBO’s Q2. White wines (35 per cent), sparking & Champagne (eight per cent), rosés (six per cent), and other varieties (five per cent) accounted for the rest of the sales.

Canadian winemakers, specifically those from Ontario, held the largest share of wine products sold at 24 per cent. Shoppers also reached for wines from the U.S. (19 per cent), Italy (19 per cent) and France (11 per cent).

TOP SELLING SPIRITS:

1. Smirnoff Vodka
2. JP Wiser’s
3. Crown Royal
4. Bacardi
5. Captain Morgan
6. Absolut Vodka
7. Canadian Club Whisky
8. Tito’s Homemade Vodka
9. Forty Creek Whisky
10. Johnnie Walker

Ontarians preferred Whisky and sales of the dark spirit accounted for 32 per cent of all transactions. Vodka and rum made up 25 and 11 per cent of other spirits sold, respectively.

TOP SELLING BEER AND CIDER:

1. Heineken Lager
2. Corona Extra
3. Busch
4. Coors Light
5. Molson Canadian
6. Budweiser
7. Stella Artois
8. Bud Light
9. Laker
10. Michelob Ultra

Premium beers took the lion’s share of those sold over the summer at 61 per cent of sales. Mainstream and craft beers made up 16 and 15 per cent of sales, respectively.

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TOP READY-TO-DRINK PRODUCTS:

1. Cottage Springs
2. White Claw
3. Twisted Tea
4. Smirnoff Ice
5. Mott’s
6. Black Fly
7. Mike’s Hard
8. NUTRL
9. Georgian Bay
10. Coors Seltzer

The wave of hard seltzer and cooler popularity continued and made up 35 per cent of all read-to-drink products sold. Customers also sought out traditional coolers at 23 per cent and tea coolers at 14 per cent. 

LCBO has released its Q2 report, giving consumers a snapshot of what Ontarians were drinking over the summer of 2023. (LCBO)