Province looking for wine, beer experts

CHARLOTTETOWN - Do you think you know a lot about wines?
How would you like to get paid to be a wine expert?
The Prince Edward Island government will be spending more than $80,000 annually to hire two people who will become experts in the field of wine and in the field of beer and spirits.
The Category Manager - Wines and the Category Manager - Beer and Spirits are two new, full-time positions created by the Liquor Control Commission. Each position will be paid between $19.50 and $23.28 an hour.
Brooke MacMillan, CEO of the Liquor Control Commission, says the new positions will help Island liquor stores become more competitive in the liquor business. He said that means adding new listing in an effort to stop the tide of Island shoppers from purchasing their booze on the mainland.
"You've heard it 100 times yourself, 'oh, I bought that in Nova Scotia.' The consumer now has a higher expectation than it's ever had before," MacMillan told The Guardian.
"Our bottom line is if you want it, we're going to get it."
There are about 1,400 different products in Island liquor stores. That pales by comparison to other Maritime provinces.
New Brunswick has almost twice that many listings while Nova Scotia has almost three times the number of listings that is currently in Island liquor stores.
MacMillan said category managers will provide the Liquor Control Commission with best practices and trends in the industry as well as what is happening in other provinces. He said similar positions have already been created in other provinces.
Up until now, a series of people did the job of category manager in P.E.I. including MacMillan and Fred MacDonald, who is director of marketing.
"There is obviously a cost for this," said MacMillan. "We feel we're going to pick up extra sales by meeting what the consumer needs."
MacMillan added that he's using new program dollars to help off-set the costs, which means Island taxpayers will not have to pay any additional money for the two new positions.
The new positions may not start until the new year.
The commission is about to go to tenders to renovate its Charlottetown headquarters.
Work will probably be carried out early in the new year, which will include new office space for the two new positions.
Changes are also planned for the commission's web site, including a list of products available at each store as well as a form to fill out for products wanted, but not currently being stocked.
MacMillan said category managers will make the commission more accountable by responding of what consumers want. He said they can add new products, even with smaller stores than mainland liquor stores, by carrying less of each product but carrying more different products.
"I think, at the end of the day, the consumer will certainly see the benefits of having category managers manager the sections."