Report Shows Alcohol Industry Worth $6 Billion In Michigan

DETROIT (WWJ) -- The alcohol business is booming in Michigan, according to data from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.

MLive reported today that the alcohol industry in the state of Michigan is worth $6 billion and it is only growing. Those numbers were based on the Michigan Liquor Control Commission's most recent report, which is gathered from the state's wholesale distribution system. This doesn't include beer and wine, but those numbers can be compiled from the state's beer and wine tax.

The numbers may seem alarming but on average enough alcohol is sold in Michigan for every single resident -- regardless of age -- to consume eight drinks per week, the Michigan-based media service reported.

Of the three alcohol groups -- beer, wine and liquor -- beer made up for 82 percent of sales compared to 11 percent for wine and 7 percent for liquor. However, more money is spent on liquor. Beer and wine only account for 35 percent and 13 percent of alcohol money spent while liquor is 52 percent.

Another interesting component of the report was seeing how and where in the state people are buying their alcohol. Mackinac County was the top liquor consuming county based on 2016 per-capita wholesale liquor purchases by restaurants, bars and retailers, while Tuscola County was last.

When it comes to the most popular source of alcohol that goes to Meijer, which accounts for roughly 15 percent of all wholesale liquor purchases in Michigan. The top three sources all belong to northern parts of Michigan, but the Meijer on Ann Arbor-Saline Road in Ann Arbor ranked fourth for wholesale liquor purchases.