An historic fine has been levied against the liquor distributor who caused a lot of headaches for local bar and restaurant owners over the past year. But, the $3 million fine will stay in the hands of the state.
Starting around this time last year, bar and restaurant owners were starting to have missing bottles in their orders and were not able to serve all of the cocktails on their menus. There was not an actual product shortage, but more a lack of organization from the supplier, Republic National Distributing Company, or RNDC.
Michigan’s Attorney General, Dana Nessel, said, “The State will not tolerate vendor mismanagement that results in financial hardship which impacts the livelihood of liquor retailers across Michigan.”
When asked where the $3 million fine will go, Jeannie Vogel, Public Information Officer for the Michigan Liquor Control Commission said that the money goes into the state’s General Fund and the remedial measures like audits and more accountability will help ensure adequate stock and timely delivery to retailers. The fine is intended to offset losses to the state due to the shortages and delivery issues, according to Vogel.
RNDC acknowledged all 88 violations of the Liquor Control Code in the settlement.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
