BY JOSEPH LaROCCA
Granite Staters have never been afraid to improve upon an idea from Washington, D.C. In the summer of 1934, we set out to find a way to capitalize on the nation’s, and our state’s, thirst for alcoholic beverages after more than a decade of Prohibition and in the depths of the Great Depression.
The 21st Amendment, passed in 1933, gave states the power to adopt their own systems of alcohol beverage control, and New Hampshire’s leaders had the foresight to create a state agency that regulates the manufacture, importation, warehousing and sale of alcoholic beverages. In 1934, then-Gov. John G. Winant signed a bill that created the NH Liquor Commission. The first stores opened on Aug. 17 of that year in Concord, Manchester and Nashua.
Now grown to 65 NH Liquor & Wine Outlets and more than 6,000 licensees around the Granite State, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, and there are plenty of reasons to raise a glass: 4 billion reasons, as a matter of fact.
That’s the amount of money poured over the years into our state’s general fund, supporting essential state services such as education, health and social services, transportation, natural resource protection, and addiction treatment and prevention programs. In fiscal year 2023, NHLC sales raised nearly $165 million in net profits, by far the largest non-tax source of revenue for our state.
This year, for the sixth year in a row, NHLC is ranked among the Top 100 Retailers in the nation by Beverage Dynamics.
This is the fifth consecutive year NHLC earned a spot in the top 10 — the only state-run alcoholic beverage retailer among the best of the best, going up against some of the nation’s largest retailers and chains.
NHLC’s combination of competitive pricing, innovative branding, impeccable customer service and the widest selection of wines and spirits have made NHLC a powerhouse, drawing 12 million customers from around North America — with a quarter of NHLC’s patrons coming from Massachusetts.
Under the leadership of chairman Joseph Mollica, deputy commissioner Nicole Brassard Jordan and senior staff, NHLC has steadily increased its investments in customer service training, warehousing and IT, and has strengthened its relationships with brokers, suppliers and licensees.
NHLC has worked with suppliers and brokers over the past eight years to raise more than $4 million for nonprofit organizations. This includes leveraging highly allocated whiskey from distilleries like Buffalo Trace to raise funds for one-to-one friendship and leadership development programs for individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.
They have collaborated alongside my fellow brokers and the world’s best wineries to support organizations providing autism services, inclusive child care and early intervention, special education, behavioral health, family and physical disability services, veterans support and more. They also provide critical funding for the state’s only food bank in their effort to fight the root causes of hunger.
NHLC also supports the state’s craft beverage industry, with products from New Hampshire distilleries and vineyards prominently featured in their stores.
There’s innovation in award-winning programs that include the annual NH Mocktail Month, with nearly 50 New Hampshire restaurants partnering with NHLC to promote alcohol-free mocktails in the month of January. And the past two years, NHLC joined with Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey, in a “Bring Back Jack” campaign that recycled more than 70,000 pounds of glass at NH Liquor & Wine Outlets.
NHLC places a high priority on public safety, and through its Division of Enforcement & Licensing, offers educational programs for holders of liquor licenses, law enforcement personnel, parents, students and the public, all focused on socially responsible alcohol consumption and on reducing incidences of drunk driving and underage drinking.
There’s a lot to be proud of in New Hampshire, and NHLC continues to be a big source of that pride. StateWays Magazine twice named New Hampshire the nation’s top control state, Wine Enthusiast named NHLC one of the finalists for its “Retailer of the Year” award, Serious Eats highlighted NHLC as “one of the best places to find rare spirits,” and The New York Times even called NH Liquor & Wine Outlets a “must-stop vacation destination.”
So, here’s a toast to the NH Liquor Commission, now entering its 90th year serving New Hampshire and North America and supporting important initiatives. The success of NHLC is something we can all enjoy, proudly and responsibly, for years to come.
Joseph LaRocca is chairman of the NH Wine & Spirits Broker’s Association and executive vice president of Republic National Distributing Company New Hampshire.
