We are pleased to share that we will be extending the listing timeline for ready-to-drink products for the FY26/27 season, in recognition of several challenges experienced over the last few months and following feedback from industry partners. The annual category review will be extended from the end of Period 5 to the end of Period 11, providing more time in market time for products, including the peak holiday season.
What you need to know:
• Instead of using a sales target based on the prior year's performance, each product will be reviewed based on category contribution using Period 4 - 11 sales by RTD product grouping (see list below).
• Products in the top 90% of sales within each product grouping will be retained while those in the bottom 10% will be subject to a secondary review using an average rate of sale per location to account for differences in distribution. Products in the top 95% in ARS will also be retained regardless of whether they met the absolute sales cut-off.
• The category team will send agents a status update on the progression of each listing at the close of Period 8.
• Summer seasonals that were scheduled to conclude at the end of Period 6 will be extended through the end of Period 11.
• Please note: if a Supplier would prefer to end a listing prior to Period 11, this can be accommodated based on your request.
• Additionally, as mentioned in the Notice to Purchase letters for this year’s innovation, sales performance is calculated based on net sales, which excludes sales tax and bottle deposit. Any discounts applied through Limited Time Offers (LTOs), Licensee, or LCO programs are also excluded. Sales are based on LCBO Retail Sales only, including LCBO retail stores, LCBO.com, LCBO Convenience Outlets (LCO) as well as hospitality licensee purchases at LCBO retail stores. Purchases made by grocery and convenience customers are not included.
• Please note: the performance thresholds outlined here are for this year’s review and are subject to change in the future based on consumer demand, market developments and product trends.
Categories/Groupings:
• Seltzers & Light Coolers
• Cocktails, Caesars & Creams
• Teas
• Traditional Coolers
• >2100ml (Large Packs)
• Ontario Incubator Program
On behalf of the Ready to Drink Team, we thank you for your support and look forward to continuing to work together to grow our business and offer our customers an outstanding assortment of RTDs and Premixed Cocktails.
Please direct any questions you may have to either Lesley Morgan, Senior Category Manager RTD or Ashley Ennis, Product Manager RTD.