Liquid assets: when a gallon of beverage alcohol can represent $300 worth of sales, it pays to keep an eye peeled

Cheers, June, 2005 by Cheryl Ursin

Bar Vision: This new system, due to be launched in several months, was developed by a high-tech company, Nuvo Technologies, based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Using pour spouts that incorporate microchips, tilt sensors and the ability to communicate, via radio waves, to a receiver, this system can record all the liquor an establishment's bartenders free-pour, recording the brand, the amount poured and the time. A system for an establishment with one bar stocked with 50 to 100 bottles will cost in the neighborhood of $4,000 to $6,000 and will include the pour spouts, radio receiver and software. For more information, visit www.barvision.com or call 480-222-6000.

Berg: Berg is the largest and oldest supplier of portion-control systems for beverages. With its All Bottle System, every open bottle is fitted with a special pouring spout that must be passed through an activator ring before it will pour. Its Laser Liquor System uses liquor guns. Both kinds of devices dispense a measured amount of product. The two technologies can be combined in a single system, depending on an operation's needs. Likewise, an operation can use Berg's own software to keep track of what is poured or the Berg system can be interfaced with most restaurant POS systems, allowing the drink to be automatically rung up as it is poured. Systems start, for an All-Bottle system serving a small bar with one serving point, at $1,000. For more information, visit www.berg-controls.com or call 608-221-4281.

Bevinco: Originally, this company offered software to allow bar and restaurant operators to do their own beverage inventories. Then, in 1991, the company went one step further: its franchisees--over 270 of them in 25 countries--now come to their bar and restaurant clients and, using Bevinco's software, do the physical inventory for them. The average cost of having Bevinco do an operation's weekly physical inventory and generate reports comparing usage to sales is $200. On average, however, the company says its auditing service saves its clients $1,000 to $2,000 per week. The company will be launching a similar service for food inventories in restaurants in the fall. For more information, visit www.bevinco.com or call 416-490-6266, in Toronto.

iBarControl: This software can run on any handheld computer that uses the Microsoft Mobile operating system. The software can be used with barcode scanners and wireless scales. The amount of product in open bottles can be estimated to the tenth by the user, can be weighed on a regular scale and entered or it can be entered automatically using a wireless scale. iBarControl is planning to release a version of its software for desktop computers. Prices for a complete system, including training, start at $1,400. For more information, visit www.ibarcontrol.com or call, toll-free, 1-866-873-4227.

Scannabar: This system uses handheld devices, equipped with barcode scanners, its own bottle labels and scannable "ribbons" for measuring the amounts in open bottles. In an establishment using a Scannabar system, each bottle is given its own unique barcode label. An establishment can use the system as frequently as every shift change to track how much was poured from each individual bottle during a certain period of time. This information can then be compared to sales data, often automatically because the Scannabar system integrates with many point-of-sale systems, including Aloha, Intouch, Maitre D, Micros and Positouch. A Scannabar system, including software, hardware and online training and support can be leased at prices beginning at $179 per month. For more information, visit www.scannabar.com or call 1-888-666-0736.--CU