What is a Product Consultant?

LCBO Product Consultants are leaders in product knowledge in our retail stores. They are responsible for supporting the VINTAGES program within the store and are experts in a full range of beverage alcohol products. They are a resource for serving solutions as well as food pairing ideas for our customers. A day in the life of a Product Consultant involves the following: 

    • Customer Service
    • Merchandising
    • Product Knowledge
    • Development Day Tastings

Product Consultants are among the most passionate wine, spirits, and beer professionals within the industry and many hold their WSET Advanced or above, as well as other accreditations, including Prud’homme, Sommelier and Spirit Ambassador programs etc. 

Presenting to this group is an excellent way to give your brand exposure to Retail Product Consultants who in turn act as your Brand Ambassador with our customers. 

Product Consultant Development Days

Every year, we collaborate with the trade industry to deliver product knowledge education to our network of Retail Product Consultants across the province. These informative Supplier Meetings take place at 13 different locations throughout the province, occurring once or twice a month. They are strategically slotted into one-hour segments during our Product Consultants’ Development Days. It's important to distinguish these sessions from our annual conference.

The allocation of presentation slots depends on availability, as we strive to offer a fair and equitable opportunity to all agents and suppliers involved. Please note that the primary purpose of these Supplier Meetings is to impart educational insights and knowledge. Consequently, it's essential for each session to have well-defined objectives, and any proposed content will be evaluated to ensure alignment with these criteria.

Before applying to conduct a supplier meeting with the LCBO, we strongly encourage you to review and comprehend the following guidelines carefully:
 

To facilitate a seamless and enriching experience, we kindly request your attention to the following Supplier Meeting Guidelines:
 

     • A comprehensive application is mandatory for LCBO's approval of supplier meetings.

     • Presentations are to be approximately an hour long, commencing at 2:30 PM and
        concluding by 3:30 PM. Please ensure setup is completed at least thirty minutes before the
        scheduled start.

     • For tasting purposes, LCBO will provide tasting glasses and spittoons at each venue.

     • Tasting sessions feature up to six products; a minimum of three is encouraged

     • While we strive to avoid disruptions, please understand that LCBO reserves the right to make
        necessary changes to the presentation schedule.

     • Structured presentations with strong educational components are imperative.

     • Content can span various aspects including wine, beer, spirits, and regions, and may even
        incorporate food-related elements. Interactive and diverse teaching methods are highly
        encouraged

     • Audience-tailored content is key. As our Product Consultants are well-versed in beverage
        alcohol, advanced-level educational content is preferable. Presenters who hold critical roles
        within the company are especially valued.

Thank you for taking the time to familiarize yourself with these guidelines before submitting your application for a supplier meeting with the LCBO.
 

Application Dates:

The application process will open on Monday, August 11th, 2025, at 9:00 am and will close on Friday, August 29th,2025, at 5:00 pm. The application period for which we are considering your proposals will be October 14th, 2025 – December 3rd, 2025.

Please take time to familiarize yourself with the proposal criteria before submitting your application(s).

Proposal Overview & Acceptance Criteria:

A comprehensive proposal must be submitted using the application link for LCBO's approval of supplier meetings. We strive to ensure fair and equitable distribution of opportunities based on the quality of the submission.

Please consider the following:

•    A maximum of 5 presentation topic proposals per supplier can be submitted; we
     cannot guarantee allocation as availability is limited.

•    Clearly define the learning outcomes to ensure presentations are well-structured with advanced
      product knowledge and educational components.

•    Audience-tailored content is key. As our Product Consultants are well-versed in beverage
      alcohol, advanced-level educational content is preferable. Presenters who hold critical roles
      within the company (such as winemakers/key principals) are especially valued.Content can
      span various aspects, including beer, wine, spirits, regional and varietal themes, and
      food-related pairing exercises. Interactive and diverse teaching methods are highly encouraged.

Application Focuses:

We have two periods with specific focuses. Please see the chart below for more information:
 

Period

Supplier Meeting Focuses

Period 8: Oct 12 - Nov 8

Focus on Spirits & Cocktailing*

Period 9: Nov 9 - Dec 6

Focus on Premium Wines & Spirits*


*As part of Ontario’s response strategy to U.S. tariffs, the government of Ontario has directed LCBO to implement restrictions on all U.S. beverage alcohol sales and related imports into Ontario, effective March 4, 2025. As a result, LCBO has ceased the purchase of all U.S. products, and U.S. products are no longer available for purchase by our retail and wholesale customers. U.S. products will not be purchased by LCBO until the LCBO is directed to resume normal business.
 

Supplier Meetings Overview:

•    Presentations are one hour long, commencing at 2:30 PM and concluding by 3:30 PM.
      Please plan to arrive by 2:00 PM for a successful set-up

•    LCBO will provide tasting glasses and spittoons at each location
 

Application Review Process

Once applications are reviewed, you will receive an email confirmation from the Customer Engagement Group with your assigned dates, locations, and approved proposal topics.

Proposal confirmations for Development Days scheduled from October 14th to December 3rd will be sent out beginning Monday September 8th, 2025.
 

Application Submission:


Click here to apply: 
Product Consultant Development Day Supplier Proposal October to December 2025.
 

You will find the dates organized by location. The form is simple and intuitive to use. Please answer all questions as thoroughly as possible.

Thank you for considering this partnership opportunity, and we look forward to continued collaboration.

Best Regards,

Diana Ruscetta
Senior Manager, Customer Engagement Group
cegdevelopmentdaymeetings@lcbo.com