Victoria's First-Ever Cocktail Week - Don't Miss Out! For the first time, Victoria Cocktail Week is bringing bars, distilleries, and industry professionals together for a week-long celebration of cocktails, creativity, and craft. From April 13–20, 2025, experience an exciting lineup of events showcasing the best of Victoria’s cocktail scene. Whether you’re a seasoned cocktail enthusiast or just love a well-made drink, this is your chance to learn, taste, and experience something unforgettable. What’s Happening: - Masterclasses & Tastings – Get hands-on with expert-led sessions exploring spirits, techniques, and cocktail trends.
- Exclusive Pop-Ups & Guest Shifts – One-night-only events featuring special menus, collaborations, and top bartenders.
- Signature Cocktail Events – From tasting dinners to themed nights, there’s something for every craft beverage lover.
- Limited-Capacity Gatherings – Many events have small guest lists to keep them intimate—grab your spot early!
Why You Need to Be There: - Experience Victoria’s cocktail culture like never before
- Meet the city’s top bartenders, distillers, and industry pros
- Sip on exclusive, event-only cocktails you won’t find anywhere else
- Tickets are on sale now, and with so many one-night-only events, you won’t want to wait
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Ask an Expert: Unlock Big Savings With Foodbuy Until April 30th, join Foodbuy and receive $400 toward your ABLE BC membership fee. Foodbuy leverages group purchasing to offers members unbeatable savings and rebates on thousands of food and non-food products and services. Why join? - Easy sign-up , no cost, no term memberships
- Savings and rebates on 36,000+ SKUs from 450+ suppliers
- Order through your distributor partner
- Transparent, on-demand purchasing reports
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To start saving today, email martin.brochu@foodbuy.ca. |
Cannabis Corner: SPARK 2025 Cannabis Recap Although we host SPARK annually, this was our first conference including cannabis members. A very special thank you to our sponsors, advocacy partners, members, and government representatives from the cannabis industry! Here are some conference highlights from our cannabis specific program: - Understanding Cannabis Policies and Modern Outlooks
- Cannabis Market Trends: Product Categories in BC
- Exploring Canna Tourism and Hospitality
- Optimize Your Sales & Profits with Cannabis Retail Best Practices
- Bridging the Gap: Licensed & Illicit Cannabis
Read our cannabis newsletter HERE Want to get involved in our cannabis advocacy? Contact Bo Chen at bo@ablebc.ca to learn more about membership. And make sure to sign up for the Cannabis Industry Update newsletter to stay informed on all our cannabis efforts. |
go2HR on Tap: Onboarding Tips For Your Business go2HR is a regular contributor to the ABLE BC Liquor Industry Update newsletter, providing tips and guidance on current HR trends, new legislation, employee recruitment and retention, and more. To read the latest instalment, sign in to the member portal or sign up for the newsletter . A new employee’s first day can be nerve-wracking, but it’s also a prime opportunity for employers to make a great first impression. In today’s competitive labor market, a strong onboarding process not only sets employees up for success but also strengthens your employer brand—helping attract and retain skilled workers. Onboarding, sometimes called orientation, is the process of introducing new hires to your workplace and their role. Depending on the size and complexity of your business, it can last anywhere from a day to several months. Regardless of the duration, here are a few tips to make it effective: - Connect Before Day One: Reach out before their start date to confirm details like start time, person they will be meeting, access procedures, and parking/transit options. It’s also best to have the employment contract signed in advance.
- Plan for a Smooth First Day: Give them a tour, introduce key team members, complete any paperwork, and assign a buddy to help them settle in.
- Set Clear Expectations: Provide an overview of company policies, their role, training plan, performance expectations, reporting structure, and health & safety guidelines.
- Follow Up Regularly: Check in with new employees at regular intervals to answer questions, provide feedback, and ensure they feel supported
A little planning goes a long way in making new employees feel welcome and prepared. Use this tip sheet to create a structured, positive onboarding experience that sets your team up for long-term success! go2HR , the HR and health and safety association for the BC Tourism and Hospitality Industry, has a wealth of resources to support you. We invite you to connect with us to learn more about how you can support your employees with health and safety at safety@go2HR.ca . |
Out and About with ABLE BC BC’s liquor and hospitality industry continues to grapple with significant uncertainty in the face of on-again, off-again American tariffs, a ban on US alcohol imports, discussions of removing inter-provincial trade barriers, increased costs, and historic decreases in consumer demand . On your behalf, ABLE BC meets regularly with senior government officials and industry association leaders to discuss how we can support our grow our industries during these challenging times. In case you missed it, ABLE BC appeared in the following media recently: ABLE BC members and industry colleagues were also featured in these articles: |
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