Hotel Cellar Liquidation: How to Sell Wine and Spirits Inventory
Practical steps for large, mixed inventories including case counts, storage notes, and approvals.
Quick Answer
Hotels accumulate 'dead stock' in F&B outlets easily. Converting this to cash improves the P&L immediately.
- Audit the main cellar and separate 'Active' lists from 'Deep Storage'.
- We buy high-end wines (Bordeaux, Cab), Scotch, and unopened back-bar spirits.
- We manage the logistics (palleting/shrink-wrapping) if needed.
- Payment can go to the property or the holding company.
When to Liquidate
Key trigger events:
- Renovation: Closing a restaurant concept? Sell the inventory that won't fit the new theme.
- Management Change: New F&B Director wants to clear old buys and start fresh.
- Cash Flow: Reduce holding costs on slow-moving inventory.
Handling F&B Inventory
Hotel inventory is often messy.
- Bin Cards: Often inaccurate. A physical count is mandatory.
- Condition: Check if wines were stored in the warm kitchen vs. the cool cellar.
- Open Bottles: We cannot buy open bottles. Staff them out or pour them.
Authorization Steps
Corporate approval is usually required.
- GM or Director of Finance must sign off.
- Check with legal regarding state laws on selling back to a license holder.
- We provide a detailed Purchase Agreement to satisfy auditors.
Common Mistakes
Fire sales.
- Selling to staff at cost (lose potential profit).
- Running a '50% off' special (devalues the brand image).
- Letting inventory walk out the back door.
What to Do Next
Get a valuation.
- Export your POS inventory report to Excel.
- Mark the items you want to sell.
- Email it to us for a line-item bid.
- Schedule a site visit if the collection is substantial.
What to Do Next
Ready to get an offer for your bottles? Submit photos and details through our form, or text photos directly if that is easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you buy banquet wine?
Usually no. High-volume, low-cost wines have little resale secondary value. We want the Reserve List.
Can you clear the room in 24 hours?
Yes, expedited removal is a specialty of ours.
Do you buy mini-bar minis?
No. Too small and low value.
What if labels have our sticker?
That's fine. We can remove stickers or sell as is.
Can we swap inventory?
We generally do cash buyouts, not trades, which keeps the accounting cleaner.