2 NJ Wholesalers fined big bucks

I worked for Fedway from 99-02 and there was favoritism toward the large retail accounts. Lots of salespeople were also giving accounts something extra to get their business.

Pretty big fines.

Well good for them.

Just an idea how much $'s are in booze:
“Each of the 20 retailers agreed to pay a minimum $90,000 in penalties rather than having its license suspended for months.”

The entire liquor licensing model is rigged in NJ.

I’d be curious which states it’s not rigged in.

This link provides more specifics: https://wrnjradio.com/new-jerseys-2-largest-wine-spirits-wholesalers-and-20-of-their-biggest-retail-customers-to-pay-a-total-of-10-3-million-for-engaging-in-discriminatory-trade-practices/

This includes links to PDFs with the specific legal documentation applying to each retailer fined. The fines are paid out over a period of five years so to me this makes it much easier to pay and lessens the severity of the penalty. I didn’t read all of the PDFs but I saw a few other concessions, I think in one instance the last payment was waived if all previous payments were made in a timely manner. This sounds good on paper but at the scale these businesses operate the penalties are not that onerous. Kinda like fining Google $20 million. Ho-hum.

Pretty sure WTSO is part of Roger Wilco

Yeah 90k is nuttin.

WTSO is Roger Wilco.

Some of the fines were MUCH higher, and if you look carefully, some of the stores are listed multiple times (varying for location)

I used to work at Bayway which got the biggest fine per se, due of course to the lovely machinations of Saul (founder and owner even if the ownership papers say Fred). Bayway has about ten registers. Each has a bill counting machine. And they use them regularly. The sheer volume one crappy store in Elizabeth does is staggering. Saul should never be able to set foot in the place again yet he can work there in a gradually reducing role for five years, geez. Bayway could pay their fine in one year and not notice, truly.

I can’t speak to how the ownership webs work behind Canal’s, Gary’s, Vingo, or even other chains like Bottle King or Shoppers but I’d surmise that because there are various LLCs involved in what consumers would consider the same chain of stores that there may be different ownership arrangements per LLC. Hence, I am not sure it would be accurate to total all the fines together and consider it to be levied on the same entity.

Given the money at stake if I had to guess all the relevant players – wholesalers and retailers – will figure out a new way to keep their game going. The New Jersey booze biz will never be a level playing field. If the SLA really wanted it to be the first thing they would do is do away with the RIP. Fat chance.

Tremendous demand this year for most anything with alcohol thanks to COVID, the fines seem like a so-what amount, and the terms just make that more so.

They’ll manage.

Didn’t meant to imply to “add them up”. I know that they are all operated as their own store (legally they have to anyway).

So true about RIPs. I’m not sure why I would want my profit given to me 60 days after paying an invoice? And some retailers LOVE RIPs.