The Ever Changing Marketplace

I spent last week in DC/N. Virginia and in Richmond working with our distributor in the area, International Cellars.  While in the market I learned an interesting fact from them concerning business in Virginia.  Recent data put out by the Virginia ABC (Liquor Control Agency) shows a 20 % decrease in wine sales to restaurant over the past six months, while at the same time showing a 40% increase in retail wine sales.  What an interesting trend.  Essentially this means people have slowed down the amount of eating out they are doing in restaurants and thus the 20% decrease in sales.  At the same time,  a 40% increase in sales at retail is a huge.  I am assuming this is strickly sales dollars.  This is a significant trend in that people are still consuming wine, perhaps more wine, but are drinking the wine at home rather in a restaurant.  So in the midst of a recession, wine consumption in this case has gone up overall but the point of consumption has changed.  It is probably not too surprising that consumption is going up during a recesssion,  but I think it is interesting the dramatic shift from restaurant to retail.