Having benefited from a quasi-monopoly during the tariff crisis, Quebec distilleries, which did not take advantage of the moment to innovate or improve their competitiveness, have no choice but to launch a media campaign and implore the people of Quebec to remain loyal to their products.
The executive director of the Union québécoise des microdistilleries, Paul Goulet, declared to the Journal de Montréal: “We fervently hope that those who had the opportunity to discover us in recent months will make the choice to adopt us forever. We’re crossing our fingers, while continuing to do everything possible to offer products of the highest quality.”
Meanwhile, the president of Distillerie des Marigots states that major American producers have considerable promotional and marketing resources that cannot compare to the means of smaller distilleries.
These statements reflect the Quebec—and more broadly, Canadian—mindset regarding competition. People prefer to complain rather than innovate. Small producers, busier fighting other small producers for their tiny market share, prefer internal competition over cooperation. Instead of aligning and helping one another to rival the largest alcohol producers, they prefer to fight for their small plot of land that belongs entirely to them.
It must be remembered that Quebec society is plagued by the “born for a small loaf of bread” mindset. Rather than betting on innovation, new technologies, social media, etc., small businesses prefer to complain to receive public money or sympathy rather than innovate.
This media outcry is yet another example of the Canadian entrepreneurial mindset. A mindset that will not survive the test of time, hopefully.