Wineries, Retailers, and Wine Industry Stakeholders Unite Against Corporate Greed
Spring, 2025
Wine industry leaders across New York are pushing back against what they say is a blatant disinformation campaign from the grocery lobby, which falsely claims that allowing wine sales in grocery stores (WIGS) is both beneficial and widely supported by NY consumers.
Wine industry leaders are now sending a clear message, urging NY lawmakers to reject the proposed WIGS bill, which would allow wine sales in grocery stores, prioritizing corporate profits over small businesses and NY wineries. They argue that the proposed NY legislation favors big corporations at the expense of the local wine market and the communities they serve.
“But how was that question asked? If the question was simply ‘Would you like to buy wine in grocery stores?’ with no context, that number might sound reasonable,” comments Rainey. “But what if the follow-up question was, ‘Even if that meant shuttering hundreds of independent businesses?’ The results would be dramatically different,” argues Rainey. “The reality is, very few people want to see small, family-run businesses wiped out in exchange for so-called ‘convenience’.”
Rick Rainey of Forge Cellars is among many winery owners sounding the alarm on WIGS
Rick Rainey of Forge Cellars on Seneca Lake, one of the vocal opponents of the proposed legislation, recently criticized a poll promoted and funded by the grocery lobby. The poll claims that 80% of New Yorkers support selling wine in grocery stores.
“But how was that question asked? If the question was simply ‘Would you like to buy wine in grocery stores?’ with no context, that number might sound reasonable,” comments Rainey. “But what if the follow-up question was, ‘Even if that meant shuttering hundreds of independent businesses?’ The results would be dramatically different,” argues Rainey. “The reality is, very few people want to see small, family-run businesses wiped out in exchange for so-called ‘convenience’.”
According to Rainey and many other wine industry leaders who oppose the legislation, WIGS’ passage would have serious consequences. If enacted, for example, many independent wine shops would be forced to close, taking jobs, local and investment with them.
THE DESTRUCTION OF INDEPENDENT RETAILERS
WIGS, if enacted, will lead to the closure of hundreds of family-owned wine and liquor stores across New York – many of which have been fixtures in their communities for decades.
These are not just businesses; they are generational establishments that support local economies, provide personalized customer service, and employ long-time staff members who rely on these jobs to support their families.
“Allowing wine in grocery stores isn’t about convenience – it’s about corporate giants squeezing out local family-owned businesses,” says Matt Yaeger, second-generation co-owner of Pinnacle Wine & Liquor in Brighton, NY. “Independent shops like mine offer hand-picked selections and support small producers, especially Finger Lakes wineries that rely on us to showcase their wines.”
According to Yaeger, if WIGS passes, “expect shelves stocked with mass-produced and private-label brands, fewer choices, and a blow to New York’s wine industry. We’ve seen it happen in states like Colorado – store closures, job losses, and a decline in quality.”
Most of New York’s wine retailers, like Yaeger’s store, are family-owned, with a significant portion being women- and minority-owned.
“Local businesses are the backbone of communities, creating connections and fostering support in meaningful ways,” says Yunis. “A family business running since 1968 speaks to its strong dedication to the community.”
“If large corporations and grocery chains dominate the industry, it could lead to job losses across the entire supply chain, affecting small wine makers, distributors and independent retailers like ours,” warns Yunis.
Pam Yunis, a co-owner of GCP Discount Liquors & Wines, shows wine to a customer
Pam Yunis and her two sisters operate GCP Discount Liquors & Wines in Horseheads, NY, a family business that has been operating since the 1960s. Yunis is concerned about the impact WIGS would have on hundreds of similar family-owned stores, including hers.
“Local businesses are the backbone of communities, creating connections and fostering support in meaningful ways,” says Yunis. “A family business running since 1968 speaks to its strong dedication to the community.”
“If large corporations and grocery chains dominate the industry, it could lead to job losses across the entire supply chain, affecting small wine makers, distributors and independent retailers like ours,” warns Yunis.
Yunis adds that large corporations and grocery chains would monopolize the industry, leading to job losses and damage to local economies. “The personal touch, expertise, and community support that local businesses provide would be difficult to replicate on a corporate scale,” Yunis says.
Unlike corporate chains focused on profit, independent wine shops like Pinnacle and GCP offer curated selections, expert advice, and strong ties to local wineries and small producers. The closure of these businesses, Yunis argues, would not only harm local economies but also eliminate vital jobs, disproportionately affecting workers who have spent years – sometimes decades – serving their communities.
Opponents like Rainey, Yaeger, and Yunis say that the result will effectively be a massive transfer of wealth from independent family-run businesses to corporations by NY politicians.
FALSE PROMISE OF CHOICE
Proponents argue that allowing wine sales in grocery stores will increase consumer choice. However, the reality is that mass retailers prioritize big-brand wines with high distribution capacity and private label knockoffs, leaving little room for New York’s boutique and family-owned wineries.
Opponents note that in states that already sell wine, corporate consolidation of buying power is the inevitable outcome: major distributors prioritize national and international brands while small wineries struggle to compete for shelf space and local businesses close.
Despite the narrative pushed by the big grocery stores, many wine consumers oppose the proposed law.
Just ask Eric Brandt, of Pittsford, NY, a fan of his local wine shops and the choices that the current marketplace offers. “These independent stores are of great value to our local economy,” says Brandt.
“They provide jobs and related benefits for thousands of people across the state,” adds Brandt. “Additionally, they provide tax revenue for New York State. And, as a consumer, they are the folks who are willing and able to find special wines for collectors such as myself. In addition, they know their customers, by name and taste and offer insights on wines and other beverages we may want try to expand our palate and our interest in wine.”
Instead of expanding selection, WIGS will concentrate purchasing power in the hands of a few major grocery chains, stripping thousands of independent retailers of their role in curating diverse, high-quality wines.
Grocery stores prioritize efficiency and high-turnover products, not the careful selection and education that independent wine shops provide. Their limited shelf space favors mass-produced, private-label wines over the unique, locally crafted options that define New York’s wine regions.
Rick Rainey of Forge Cellars explains why this shift is a major concern:
“Just walk into 95% of grocery stores in the U.S. – they’re dominated by a few big brands. Grocery stores rely on Nielsen data to decide what to stock, meaning only the largest brands with the most sales will make it to the shelves,” says Rainey. “Say goodbye to customer service and knowledgeable associates. When was the last time you needed help in a grocery store and could actually find it?”
According to experts, in states where grocery stores sell wine, a grocer may carry as few as 50 to 90 wines, compared to the thousands of labels offered by independent retailers in New York.
This drastic reduction in variety will leave consumers with fewer choices. At the same time, independent retailers and wineries will struggle to compete against private-label brands engineered by grocery chains for maximum profit.
Meaghan Frank of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery on Keuka Lake, says consumers, wineries, and retailers will all suffer. “In a fragmented market, there is choice. In a consolidated market there is no choice,” says Frank.
“Many of the grocery chains have a single buyer who is in charge of thousands of stores across the country. This buyer for these large chains will likely not live in our community. They likely will not be educated about NYS wines and therefore we will see our local industry suffer,” warns Frank.
Meaghan Frank highlights the looming risk for Finger Lakes wineries if WIGS passes: “I would expect we would see wineries in our region go out of business as well. Due to our small scale in the Finger Lakes, we have many producers that sell just in the tasting room and local retailers and restaurants,” says Frank. “These wineries would need to find a new market for their wines which could be nearly impossible with limited resources and options.”
Vineyards at Dr. Konstantin Frank, one of many wineries against WIGS
HARM TO NEW YORK WINERIES
New York is home to the thriving Finger Lakes region, with the Finger Lakes wine industry at its heart. These wineries have flourished alongside their independent retail partners, creating a symbiotic relationship that benefits both businesses and consumers.
Wine shops not only provide a marketplace for local wines but also serve as educators and advocates, helping customers discover and appreciate the diversity of New York’s wines. If grocery stores sell wine, these independent retailers – already operating on thin margins – could face closure, severing a crucial link between wineries and consumers.
Meaghan Frank highlights the looming risk for Finger Lakes wineries if WIGS passes: “I would expect we would see wineries in our region go out of business as well. Due to our small scale in the Finger Lakes, we have many producers that sell just in the tasting room and local retailers and restaurants,” says Frank. “These wineries would need to find a new market for their wines which could be nearly impossible with limited resources and options.”
As a result, several FLX wineries have launched a coalition to protect the integrity of the NY wine industry, including taking a public stance against WIGS. If even half of New York’s independent wine shops were to close due to WIGS, which is likely, many small wineries could face a significant sales drop. Frank urges lawmakers to grasp the profound impact WIGS could have on the industry, beginning with the closure of retail outlets. “The loss of these outlets would have major consequences for the state’s wine industry,” says Frank.
“The Finger Lakes is a very unique wine region…we are family-owned farms who have operated for generations. Our businesses were built in these ‘mom and pop’ wine/liquor stores. The storytelling and brand building that these local businesses have done has been revolutionary for our local industry,” adds Frank.
“If wine was able to be sold in grocery stores, many of these local small businesses would go out of business due to the competition. This would lead to less shelf space and storytelling of Finger Lakes wine, leading to lower sales and less market share,” says Frank.
Rick Rainey also warns about this shift: “You would have fewer options to sell your wines, and consolidation of purchasing is not in our interest. A community that used to support three stores could be consolidated into one large grocery store – and that grocery may have one purchaser for three or four stores. That’s not real growth; that’s market control.”
Colleen Hardy, co-founder of Living Roots Wine & Co. located on Keuka Lake, echoes these concerns: “I fear adding wine to grocery stores will be taking several steps backwards. The wines featured in grocery stores in other states are usually mass-produced and sold at low prices. It is treated as a commodity, and there are few, if any, Finger Lakes wineries who can compete on that level.”
The concerns of Frank, Hardy and Rainey are shared by many other wineries and vineyard owners across the region, as they organize against it.
The WIGS bill includes a superficial incentive for grocery stores to carry New York wines. However, this incentive is negligible and does nothing to offset the statewide economic devastation WIGS will cause. Opponents say no amount of incentive will reverse the ripple effect that will occur when small retailers close, jobs are lost, and independent wineries are pushed out of the market.
An employee participates in harvest at Dr. Konstantin Frank | Meaghan Frank, 4th Generation Owner at Dr. Frank
GROCERY LOBBY’S MISLEADING NARRATIVE
The grocery lobby cites a poll as justification for their campaign. The poll claims that 80% of New Yorkers support wine in grocery stores. But that number tells only part of the story. Many opponents of wine in grocery stores warn that these published polls are not credible.
They cite to published reports indicating that a major grocer funded last year’s poll, while this year, the grocery lobby has taken over as its financial backer.
Opponents argue this raises serious concerns about the poll’s objectivity, as the very entities advocating for WIGS are the ones funding the surveys used to justify their agenda. According to Rick Rainey, the truth is, New Yorkers overwhelmingly support local businesses, and they understand the importance of preserving the unique character of the state’s wine industry. This antiWIGS sentiment is actually shared by consumers, despite the narrative pushed by the grocery lobby.
In 2024, thousands of consumers joined an anti-WIGS write-in campaign led by saveNYwine.com, resulting in over 17,000 emails sent to New York lawmakers voicing consumer opposition to WIGS.
WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION
New York’s unions also stand firmly against WIGS, recognizing the harm it will cause to workers across the wine industry. In a February 2025 letter to NY lawmakers, 13 UFCW Local presidents firmly opposed the Wine in Grocery Stores bill.
Many labor and grassroots organizations – including those representing farm workers, distributors, delivery drivers, and sales representatives – oppose this legislation because it threatens their jobs and livelihoods.
As independent retailers are forced out of business, the demand for distribution and specialized sales expertise will shrink, leading to layoffs and reduced opportunities for workers in all tiers of the supply chain.
New York need only look to Colorado to see the financial consequences of similar legislation. After Colorado’s legislature passed a law in 2023 allowing grocery stores to sell wine, independent retailers began to shutter. According to published reports, hundreds of independent wine retailers have been forced to shut their doors so far, unable to compete with corporate chains. The impact has been so severe that Colorado lawmakers are now scrambling to mitigate the damage through corrective actions.
Rather than repeating this mistake, industry leaders are calling on NY legislators to recognize the longterm economic risks and support small businesses, wineries, and workers by rejecting WIGS before it’s too late.
Lawmakers must take a stand against corporate interests and
vote NO on WIGS.
Vineyards on Keuka Lake, at the heart of the Finger Lakes Wine Trail
INDUSTRY-WIDE CALL TO ACTION
Industry leaders who have organized against WIGS are mobilizing to try to stop NY lawmakers from passing this damaging legislation.
They argue WIGS is not a policy rooted in necessity; it is a manufactured push by the grocery lobby to increase corporate profits at the expense of small businesses. The alleged “convenience” of purchasing wine in grocery stores is not worth the irreversible damage this policy would cause.
WIGS will destroy independent wineries, shutter small retailers, and limit consumer choice, all while handing corporate grocery giants even more power. Lawmakers need to see the reality: WIGS is a corporate driven initiative that prioritizes profit over the livelihoods of New York’s winemakers and small business owners.
There is no legitimate reason to disrupt a system that has worked for decades – one that ensures fair competition, diversity of wine selection, and support for independent retailers. Lawmakers must reject WIGS and stand with local businesses, workers, and consumers – not corporate giants looking for yet another way to dominate the market.
There is no debate that New York’s wine industry is a national treasure, providing jobs, tourism, and economic benefits to communities across the state. But this industry will suffer if independent wineries lose their primary retail outlets.
Rather than implementing a policy that favors big-box stores and corporate distributors, lawmakers should focus on initiatives that genuinely support New York’s wine producers and small businesses – such as offering low-interest loans to vineyards and distillers, enhancing local retail partnerships, and investing in agritourism. The fight against WIGS is not just about wine – it’s about protecting small businesses and communities.
Lawmakers must take a stand against corporate interests and vote NO on WIGS.
This article was published by saveNYwine.com, a coalition dedicated to amplifying New York’s wine industry, supporting small businesses, promoting local wine and consumer choice, and preserving the independence of the NY wine market.
