SF Liquor Stores Facing Corona Shortage

by Jesse Batson
July 26, 2010

Six packs and 12 packs of Corona are about all you're going to find right now. Stores and restaurants in Sioux Falls are facing a shortage of the imported Mexican beer. KDLT's Jesse Batson talks to their distributor to find out if the shortage is long-term

A shortage of Corona beer during it's peak sales time. It's not the kind of thing liquor stores were expecting.

"Corona is probably our number import probably all year, but definitely important in the summer time," said Amanda Anderson, manager at the Louise Ave. Hy-Vee Wine and Spirits store.

The shortage that liquor stores are facing now is because of a worker's strike at Crown Imports in Mexico last April. The strike is over, but stores, and restaurants, like Tre Lounge are seeing the effects.

"It was a couple weeks ago," said TJ Ross, Fronthouse Manager at Tre Lounge.  "We got a call from our beer vendors and lettin' us know kind of the situation and what was going on."

Corona is usually the drink of the summer and if bar and restaurant managers run out, they say people will be asking for it.

"You're gonna have your customers that come in and prefer the corona, especially on the summer days, out on the patio," said Ross.

Tre Lounge is down to just a couple of cases. The supply they do have is thanks to some extra effort from their distributor, Dakota Beverage.

"We picked up beer in Minneapolis, Chicago...down in Omaha where we have relationships with other distributors," said Bill Christensen, General Manager at Dakota Beverage.

They took a cut in profits by getting the shipment from other cities and, because they're a smaller distributor, they weren't given very much.

"The amount of beer that we bring in -- that we brought in from Chicago or Denver -- usually if we bring in a load, it's gone in a day," said Christensen.

But for now, their retailers are supplied and they're hoping their next supply arrives in just a couple of weeks.

"Fingers are crossed. toes are crossed. doing our best to keep the product in,"  said Christensen.

But if not, restaurants like Tre Lounge are ready for it.

"We're gonna sell it like normal and if it comes up and we're out of it, we're just going to be up front with our customers and tell them the situation about the strike," said Christensen.

Leaving customers picking a new summertime favorite.

The same company that makes Corona also manufactures the Pacifico, Modelo, Estrella and Leon beers.