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’ Developmental 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.
• The tasting session can feature up to six products.
• 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, May 5th, 2025, at 9:00 am and will close on Thursday, May 22nd, 2025, at 5:00 pm. The application period for which we are considering your proposals will be July 2nd, 2025 – October 8th, 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:
Period | Supplier Meeting Focuses |
Period 4: June 22 – July 19 | Open to all categories* |
Period 5: July 20 – Aug 16 | Open to all categories* |
Period 6: Aug 17 - Sept 13 | Focus on local products |
Period 7: September 14 – Oct 11 | Focus on VQA Wine |
*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
• The tasting session can feature up to six products
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 will be sent out starting on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025, for the first Development Day of July 2, 2025.
Application Submission:
Please click on the link below to submit your proposal via Microsoft Forms.
You will find the dates organized by location. The form is simple and intuitive to use. Please answer all questions as thoroughly as possible.
Click here to apply:
Product Consultant Development Day Supplier Proposal form
Thank you for considering this partnership opportunity, and we look forward to continued collaboration.
Best Regards, Diana Ruscetta
Senior Manager, Customer Engagement Group