Association Profile

Association Profile

• The IVSA s a registered not-for-profit society in British Columbia and Alberta.  It is a trade association representing the interests of agents, importers, marketing groups, and trade offices of beverage alcohol products in both BC and Alberta.

• The IVSA Board of Directors is comprised of 10 persons, with representation from each province. All Board members operate businesses or work in the industry for Import Agencies

• The Directors may appoint up to eight (8) volunteers to an Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is in place to provide advice and guidance to the Directors, on questions referred to them by the Directors.

• IVSA staff is comprised of an Executive Director and an Executive Assistant

• Membership covers both BC an Alberta and is made up of more than 70 Import Agencies, 14 Consular & Hospitality Trade groups and 3 Warehouse & Distribution associate members
   

What does IVSA membership do?

• We are suppliers with a significant investment in inventory stored in BC & Alberta
  70% Buy-Sell; 30% Commissioned Agent
   
• Agent members source, import & market Beverage Alcohol products from around the world
   
• Our membership either purchases product from producers and resells it to the BC Market through the BCLDB System, the AB Market through AGLC system or we operate as a commissioned manufacturer's agent for off-shore producers.
  Some members, about 15%, do both.
   
• National and International Experience
  A large percentage of our membership has operations and employees in other provincial jurisdictions (in addition to BC & AB), and therefore have experience working with other provincial liquor boards and international liquor systems.

• Members businesses account for nearly 1,000 jobs

Size and Scope of the IVSA in British Columbia

• Membership accounted for $864 Million of the imported products sold in 12 months ending Sept 2013 (Source BCLDB SSDS Data, Sept 2013)
• 73.5% of the total import beverage alcohol category’s sales are represented by our membership
• IVSA Membership represents over 29.1% of all BCLDB Sales

Import Wine, Spirits and Beer represent 39.6% of products sold in BC by dollars.

BCLDB Sales (by major category $000s) for 12 months ending Sept 30/2013:

Source: BCLDB Annual Report 2012/2013