Suppliers’ ability to run events for consumers in the New York market has been up in the air for a number of years now, and especially since the industry consent orders in 2006. Now, the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) has given helpful and detailed guidance on how these events can be run .

Supplier Purchases of Alcohol from On-Premise Retailers – #2014-8

This new SLA Advisory covers the ways in which suppliers and wholesalers may purchase alcoholic beverages from on premise retailers for consumers. Under the consent orders issued in 2006, there were three ways in which this could be done: (1) on an incidental basis; (2) for employees or private guests at an invitation-only event; or (3) at a bar spend promotional event open to the general public. The new advisory clarifies the scope of those activities and also expands on them.

Purchases for Consumers on an Individual or Incidental Basis

This is unchanged from SLA’s prior position. It is not intended to be an option for promotional events. It permits a supplier rep to buy themselves a drink and to buy a drink for individual patrons of a retailer.

Business Meetings and Private Events

- Business meetings or business entertainment

This means a gathering of a supplier employees, and/or representatives for entities that do business with a supplier (including other suppliers, distributors and retailers). There must be a legitimate business purpose for the meeting, like discussing product sales, new product introductions etc. It does not include holiday parties or other special occasion events. There are no spending restrictions, or limits on the number of meetings at any particular on premise location. The event must be in a reserved area (can be as little as one table), and at least one supplier employee must be present. Retail licensees and their employees can be invited and an invite can be sent to all employees of a particular retailer. Media reps can be present.

- Private invitation only events closed to the general public

This is an event not conducted for a business purpose or for promotional purposes. It must be a gathering of invitees who have an identifiable affiliation with a supplier (e.g., a party for employees, vendors or business associates), or a common affiliation or relationship with each other (e.g. journalists, sports teams or non-profit organizations). The language of the advisory makes it clear the group cannot just be a large gathering of a group of consumers or potential consumers without meaningful commonality other than an attempt to market or target a demographic. Invitations must be sent by a supplier to invitees by individual name, each such invitee may bring only one guest. Invites can be by phone, e-mail, letter, in person, etc. Invites cannot be in any type of media advertisement or generic communication to anyone wishing to attend and cannot be sent to a “mailing list” of consumers obtained or created by a supplier. The event must be in a reserved area (can be as little as one table) and at least one supplier employee must be present. Despite the stated non-business and non-promotional purpose of the events, retail licensees and their employees can be invited, as can the media. A supplier cannot send a general invite to all employees of a retailer or a retail chain.

Promotional Events Open to the General Public – No Invitation Required

Prior to the advisory, a bar spend was limited to $500 (plus 20% tip) and no more than six events per retailer, per year. Now, the limit is $700 (plus 20% tip), and no more than ten events per retailer, per year. A supplier cannot purchase food, non-alcoholic beverages, or anything else from the retailer for such an event. These events can now be advertised, identifying the time, date and location. Invites may also be sent to members of the general public, but the event cannot be restricted to people that received such invitations. There is no longer a need to submit statements after these events; a supplier must maintain a record of each event for two years that includes date, time, location and duration, brands that were purchased, and names of supplier reps or agents who conducted the event.

Promotional Events Open to the General Public – Invitation Required (“Brand Experience Events”)

This is a new category of events which will be extremely helpful for supplier marketing and promotions in New York. The advisory refers to these as “brand experience” events that are “much larger” than bar spend events. At a brand experience event, a supplier can spend up to $10,000 (plus 20% tip), and may purchase alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages and food. A supplier can also apply to the SLA for advance permission to spend more than $10,000 for an event. A supplier can have up to six such events per retailer per year (whether the event is at a retail premises or whether a retailer caters the event, as catering permits in New York are only held by on premise licensees). Attendees at these events must be invited and an event can be restricted to invitees only. A supplier can invite people individually (by phone, letter, e-mail, in person, etc.), or can also place media advertisements including invitations, generic communications inviting anyone who wishes to attend to register, and “mailing lists” of consumers. A supplier can advertise brand experience events, including date, time and location. Each person registered as an invitee may bring one guest. A supplier must maintain a record of each event for two years that includes date, time, location and duration, brands that were purchased, and names of supplier reps or agents who conducted the event.

Events Where the Supplier or Wholesaler Provides the Alcoholic Beverages

In a very helpful clarification, the new advisory notes that it is only intended to cover occasions where a supplier is purchasing alcoholic beverages from a retailer. It goes on to discuss the fact that a supplier may provide alcoholic beverages for an event without being bound to any of the above exceptions. Specifically:

- Not-for-profit organizations

A supplier may donate product to a not-for-profit organization for an event which the not-for-profit organization is conducting, either at licensed premises or at an unlicensed location with a permit from the SLA. A supplier can also receive promotional benefits in exchange for the donation to the organization. The only real restriction is that a supplier cannot choose the retailer for the event. The new advisory does not use the same restrictive “bona fide charitable organization” language used in the tasting advisory published in July, 2013. It appears that non-charitable not-for-profit organizations qualify for these events.

- Private/Brand Experience events at unlicensed locations

The new advisory allows a supplier to conduct a private invitation-only event or a brand experience event at an unlicensed location and to provide the alcoholic beverages for that event without having to fit into one of the four event types above. Note that any unused alcoholic beverages must be removed by a supplier after any event under this section.

An appropriate permit must be in place for these events. This means that a supplier should use a retail licensee caterer for such events at this stage. We anticipate a new supplier event permit will available in the future.

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