Salt Lake City, UT— The Utah Department of Alcohol Beverage Services (DABS) reports $579.05 million total sales in fiscal year 2023 (July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023). Of those sales, $236.13 million was sent to state and local programs including funds directed to public safety and alcohol education such as the underage drinking prevention campaign Parents Empowered. Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services Executive Director Tiffany Clason says the data is detailed in the just published DABS Annual Report for fiscal year 2023.
“The annual report is a good opportunity to crunch the numbers to see how the hard work of DABS employees results in millions of dollars contributed to state and local communities for services that we all use such as roads and transportation, public safety, public health, and education,” said Clason. “With this report, we break down the numbers for a transparent look at how DABS operations result in tangible services that benefit all Utahns, whether or not they drink alcohol.”
Clason says while the state liquor stores are the most visible part of the department’s work, the agency also prioritizes its role in reducing underage drinking and other alcohol safety education. During FY 2023, the DABS contributed $9.93 million toward alcohol safety and education efforts.
The department also supports Utah’s hospitality and tourism economies by overseeing the licensing and permitting of businesses and event organizers, says Clason. In this most recent fiscal year, the department processed over 4,000 license and permit renewals for businesses and others who legally and safely sell alcoholic products, plus 504 new licenses and permits.
Clason says the department is a partner to Utah businesses and entrepreneurs, including local distillers, brewers, wine and cider makers. According to the DABS Annual Report’s companion document, Year in Retail, local producers are top competitors in state liquor stores. Seven locally made beers are in the top 10 list of all beer sales in state stores. (State liquor stores only sell beer that is more than 5% ABV.) The Year in Retail also shows the highest selling state store, at $33 million in FY 2023, is the location dedicated to serving local restaurants and other hospitality entities that rely on the DABS for their business operations.
“The DABS is focused on our service-first mission where we consider all Utahns that we serve, including store customers, local businesses, and Utah families. We take seriously our responsibility to make available alcoholic beverages for responsible consumption so we can give back to the community through financial contributions, support for hospitality business partners, and working towards improved health and safety through our alcohol education and underage drinking prevention efforts,” said Clason. “I look forward to our continued work on projects that will advance our mission, improve department efficiencies, and provide better service to Utahns.”
The DABS Annual Report and Year In Retail are available at abs.utah.gov.
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