First certified Living Wage drinks maker in Metro-Vancouver!

MOD Beverage Ltd, owner of Spectrum Beer Co. and Getaway Hard Cider, is the first alcoholic beverage company in Metro Vancouver to certify as a Living Wage Employer.

“We’re excited that MOD Beverage is the first alcohol company in the Vancouver area to offer a living wage for its employees,” says Paul Mroczek, MOD Beverage founder and president. “For us, it’s simple – paying a living wage is the right thing to do, if it means our team is more content and secure financially. This way, everybody wins.”

The living wage is the hourly amount a family needs to cover basic expenses. The calculation is based on a two-parent family with two children – the most common family unit in BC – with each parent working full-time. The Living Wage for the Metro-Vancouver is $19.50 an hour.

“We’re delighted that MOD Beverage has certified as a Living Wage Employer. Paying a Living Wage is good for the employer, the employee and the local community. We invite other breweries to join the Living Wage movement,” said Anastasia French, Living Wage for Families BC Organizer.

Certifying as a Living Wage Employer is a voluntary commitment employers make to invest in their communities and local economies. There are 270 Living Wage Employers in BC, with over 30,000 employees who don’t need to worry about how they will afford rent, food and other essentials for their family because they are guaranteed to earn a Living Wage.

As a result of certifying as a Living Wage Employer, a quarter of MOD Beverage staff received a pay increased to be brought up to the Living Wage.

MOD Beverage joins several other businesses in the beverage industry, including Spinnakers Brewpub in Victoria and Wayward Distillery in the Comox Valley to signify their commitment to ending working poverty by becoming a certified Living Wage Employer.