Marsha Gallant, the marketing officer at Upstreet Craft Brewing, says since social distancing restrictions have been in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain), businesses like hers have had to adjust how they get their products to customers.
On March 18, the P.E.I. government announced all government-run liquor and cannabis stores must close. Since then, government has reopened the Oak Tree liquor store with limited hours and social-distancing restrictions, but Islanders looking for a local brew have some other options.
Five P.E.I. breweries, Upstreet Craft Brewing, P.E.I. Brewing Company, Copper Bottom Brewing, Bogside Brewing and Lone Oak Brewing, have begun offering delivery.
“It’s a great thing to deliver beers to doors all across P.E.I.," said Gallant. “Everyone here wants local businesses to succeed and we feel that support and appreciate it so much.”
Ben Murphy, CEO of Murphy Hospitality Group and the P.E.I. Brewing Company, agrees.
“Charlottetown has been very supportive of our brewery,” Murphy said, noting the company's customers have long asked for a delivery service but liquor laws prevented it.
“We would be hopeful for this (delivery service) to continue," he said.
P.E.I. singer Ashley Condon, who owns Copper Bottom Brewing in Montague with her husband, says the delivery service has introduced her product to more customers.
“It’s been a huge game changer for us here,” Condon said. “The ability to go direct to our customers and deliver has increased our ability to sell beer.”
She also hopes liquor laws will change so that she can continue to offer delivery.
“It’s something that even if it were implemented at a different time of the year, we would be pretty excited about," she said.
Gallant says delivering to Islanders during the pandemic is one small way of helping everyone heed the health orders.
“People are getting used to this new way of living and they still want to retain a little bit of normalcy while staying safe, staying at home,” she said.
“The fact that we can do this (delivery) for them is amazing.”
The delivery service will also help in transitioning back to our normal lifestyles, Gallant said.
“People may be a little bit hesitant to go into crowded places for a while. We are really happy to ease some of those nerves and be able to continue delivery all through the summer.”
