The Beer Store
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1927
- HeadquartersMississauga, Canada
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
The Beer Store firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Beer Store
- Legal name
- Brewers Retail Inc.
- Website
- https://thebeerstore.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1927
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Beer Store industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Beer Retail and Beverage Distribution
- NAICS
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (42481)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Beer Retail (Bottle Shops & Beer Merchants) (CRANABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)
Keywords
Where The Beer Store is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mississauga
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
The Beer Store business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Beer Retail Sales: Sale of beer and alcoholic beverages directly to consumers through retail store locations
- Distribution Services: Distribution of beer to thousands of retail and convenience customers across Ontario through TBS logistics division
- Container Deposit Handling: Processing of deposit returns for empty alcohol containers including beer, wine, and spirit containers
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Deposit return system with 10-cent and 20-cent deposits on containers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Beer Store product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Beer Store (Brewers Retail Inc.) operates Ontario's largest beer retail chain with 100+ storefronts and sells 800+ beer varieties directly to consumers. It also runs the province's primary empty alcohol container return and recycling program with deposit refunds (10- and 20-cent deposits), and through its logistics division distributes beer wholesale to thousands of retail, convenience, and licensed establishment customers via 26 distribution points.
Product overview
The Beer Store is an integrated beverage retail and distribution business, operating as Ontario's largest beer retailer. The company offers three core services: retail beer sales at physical store locations, empty alcohol container return services with deposit refunds, and beer distribution to thousands of retail and convenience customers. The Empty Return Locator tool helps consumers find return locations. The company processes approximately 1.6 billion empty alcohol containers annually for reuse and recycling.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Retail Beer Sales
- Empty Container Return Services
- Distribution Services
- Ontario Deposit Return Program (ODRP)
Companies that use The Beer Store
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Beer Store technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Beer Store partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- UFCW 12R24core25-year partnership with UFCW 12R24 (union) for Ontario's biggest annual bottle drive to raise money and awareness for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. The partnership has raised approximately $25 million for LLSC over 25 years.
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC)coreAnnual bottle drive beneficiary. The Beer Store and UFCW 12R24 partner annually to raise funds through empty container donations, with approximately $25 million raised over 25 years.
- Ontario-based BrewerscoreThe Beer Store is owned by Ontario-based brewers. The company serves as an integrated business including Ontario's largest beer retailer, convenient location for returning empty alcohol containers, and leading beverage distributor.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Beer Store competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO): Ontario's primary off-premise alcohol retailer offering beer, wine, and spirits across hundreds of stores; directly competes with TBS for consumer alcohol purchases within Ontario, particularly as LCBO has expanded beer selection in response to deregulation.
- Brewers Distributor Ltd. (BDL): Ontario-wide beer distribution counterpart under common ownership with TBS; same brewers-owned parentage, operates the wholesale logistics arm that TBS-retail relies on, providing the most direct operational parallel for TBS's distribution business.
Regional players
- Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ): Quebec's government-run alcohol retailer with similar mandate to LCBO and TBS combined; operates an off-premise retail and wholesale network for the province of Quebec, comparable business model but geographically distinct from TBS's Ontario footprint.
- BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB): British Columbia's government-affiliated alcohol retailer and wholesaler; large off-premise retail network paralleling TBS+LCBO's combined role in Ontario, but operating in a different province with different regulatory regime.
- Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC): Alberta's government-operated alcohol and cannabis retailer and wholesaler; provides another Canadian provincial model combining off-premise retail with regulated distribution, comparable in mandate and infrastructure scale to TBS within a different regulatory jurisdiction.
- Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL): Manitoba's Crown corporation for off-premise alcohol retail through Liquor Marts and wholesale distribution; analogous role in another Canadian province but smaller scale and different geographic footprint.
- Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA): Saskatchewan's government-operated alcohol retailer and wholesaler; comparable integrated retail/wholesale model for a Canadian province but with limited geographic overlap with TBS.
Others
- Labatt Breweries of Canada: One of TBS's owner-brewers and a major Canadian beer producer; comparative to the upstream supply side of TBS's distribution, with brewer-owned retailer dynamics that mirror the integrated model TBS represents.
- Sleeman Breweries: Another Ontario brewer with owner stake in TBS; supplies beer through TBS's distribution network and thus has a structural commercial relationship that mirrors TBS's role as the primary channel for Ontario-brewed brands.
Broad incumbents
- Total Wine & More: Large US multi-category off-premise alcohol retailer operating superstores with broad beer/wine/spirits assortment; useful comparable for TBS+LCBO scale retail model and competitive dynamics against incumbents in liberalizing alcohol markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Beer Store social profiles
Digital presenceThe Beer Store financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Beer Store leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The Beer Store funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Beer Store M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Beer Store
What does The Beer Store do?
The Beer Store (Brewers Retail Inc.) operates Ontario's largest beer retail chain with 100+ storefronts and sells 800+ beer varieties directly to consumers. It also runs the province's primary empty alcohol container return and recycling program with deposit refunds (10- and 20-cent deposits), and through its logistics division distributes beer wholesale to thousands of retail, convenience, and licensed establishment customers via 26 distribution points.
Is The Beer Store a public or private company?
The Beer Store is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Beer Store founded?
The Beer Store was founded in 1927. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is The Beer Store based?
The Beer Store is headquartered in Mississauga, Canada, in the North America region.
How does The Beer Store make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Beer Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are distribution Services and container Deposit Handling.
Who are The Beer Store's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and Brewers Distributor Ltd. (BDL). Regional players are Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB), Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL) and Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA). Others are Labatt Breweries of Canada and Sleeman Breweries. Total Wine & More is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Beer Store have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Beer Store.
What industry is The Beer Store in?
The Beer Store's product category is Beer Retail and Beverage Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRANABAC, Beer Retail (Bottle Shops & Beer Merchants), with a secondary code of CRAOAIAA, Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution. Its NAICS code is 44532 and its SIC code is 5180.