Ontario Premier Doug Ford has warned consumers to 'stock up' on Crown Royal whisky as he vows to remove the brand from provincial liquor store shelves. The move escalates a dispute with Diageo, the multinational spirits company, over its decision to close a plant in Ontario and shift operations to the United States.
Ford told reporters he is '100%' committed to pulling Crown Royal from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), one of the world's largest alcohol buyers. The feud began in September when Diageo announced plans to shutter its Ontario facility, resulting in the loss of roughly 200 jobs. Ford responded by ceremonially dumping a bottle of Crown Royal and calling the company's executives 'a few fries short of a Happy Meal'.
Diageo has stated that Crown Royal will continue to be mashed, distilled, and aged in Canada, with products sold in Canada and outside the US bottled domestically. However, Ford claims the company intends to move all production to a new plant in Alabama, dismissing Diageo's assurances as 'a bunch of BS'.
The whisky, first introduced in 1939 to mark a royal visit, has long been marketed as uniquely Canadian. It is made with Canadian grains and Manitoba water, and its Northern Harvest Rye was named World Whisky of the Year in 2016. Ford has also warned that other Diageo brands, including Guinness and Smirnoff, could face similar action if the company does not reconsider its plans.
