BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Thousands of liquor licensees, beer distributors, gas stations and grocery stores are gearing up to sell ready-to-drink cocktails throughout the state.
It comes after Pennsylvania officially updated its complex liquor laws in the 2024-25 state budget, letting specific businesses increase happy hours to 24 hours per week and sell ready-to-drink cocktails, or RTDC — drinks ranging from 0.5% alcohol beverage by volume to 12.5%.
Among those affected are The Giant Company.
"We began accepting applications just three weeks ago, and today we started issuing permits to hundreds of qualifying establishments, many of which already had stock of ready-to-drink cocktails and began selling them to-go today."PLCB Chairman Tim Holden, in a release
In a news release, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board got 1,556 RTDC applications, costing $2,500 each.
The annual renewal fee is 2% "of the cost of RTDC purchased for off-premises consumption."
Businesses that apply for an RTDC license must be certified in the Responsible Alcohol Management Program and can do so through PLCB+.
"Over the last 60 days the PLCB has worked to develop these new permits, applications and regulatory processes, as well as educate suppliers and licensees — hundreds of which, like beer distributors, are new to doing business with us — about the new opportunities these to-go permits present,” PLCB Chairman Tim Holden said in the release.
"We began accepting applications just three weeks ago, and today we started issuing permits to hundreds of qualifying establishments, many of which already had stock of ready-to-drink cocktails and began selling them to-go today."
Giant and Martin stores
The Giant Company announced in a release that it's among the businesses that got a permit to begin selling RTDC Monday.
The company said it would "make these products available at nearly all its GIANT and MARTIN’S stores with operating beer and wine departments throughout the Commonwealth this fall."
The Giant Company's website says it has 164 stores in Pennsylvania, and 138 of those are eligible to begin selling RTDC today. The grocery store chain has 17 stores in the Lehigh Valley.
"We’re excited to expand our offering to customers starting today, with canned cocktails rolling out to 138 stores across Pennsylvania."Rebecca Lupfer, senior vice president and chief merchant of Giant stores
Senior vice president and chief merchant of the company, Rebecca Lupfer, said the move comes after having heard "from our customers about the convenience," the cocktails would offer.
"We’re excited to expand our offering to customers starting today, with canned cocktails rolling out to 138 stores across Pennsylvania," Lupfer said.
As of Monday, a GIANT spokesperson confirmed via email the Trexlertown (7150 Hamilton Blvd.) and Bethlehem (2174 W. Union Blvd.) locations have ready-to-drink cocktails in stock to sell.
It's unclear whether any Lehigh Valley businesses have applied for or gotten an RTDC license.
