The Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery (DLL) has entered a groundbreaking partnership with Provi, the leading business-to-business digital marketplace serving the beverage alcohol industry, to launch 802Spirits Connect, the state’s first-ever digital spirits ordering platform designed specifically for on-premise licensees. The initiative, which emerged from a competitive request-for-proposals process, marks a transformative milestone for Vermont: it is the first time a control state has established a direct digital ordering partnership with Provi, signaling a major shift in how regulated markets can modernize commerce while maintaining strict oversight.
Modernizing Vermont’s Alcohol Ordering System
For decades, Vermont’s hospitality operators have relied on dated, manual workflows to place spirits orders—often picking up the phone, leaving voicemails, or visiting agent stores in person. These fragmented processes created inefficiencies for both licensees and agency stores, from delays in communication to inconsistent inventory visibility. With the launch of 802Spirits Connect, these legacy challenges are replaced by a streamlined, fully digital environment that brings transparency, accuracy, and convenience into a system traditionally constrained by paper logs and phone calls.
The new platform allows on-premise licensees to browse up-to-date product inventories at 802Spirits agency stores, build and save order templates, consolidate purchasing lists, and submit orders online at any time. This level of digital access introduces a level of flexibility and operational control that Vermont operators have never had before. Instead of navigating multiple systems or juggling orders manually, licensees can now manage spirits, wine, and beer purchases within a single, cohesive digital workflow integrated through Provi’s industry-leading marketplace.
The platform also helps reduce administrative overhead by providing order confirmation, communication tools, and centralized visibility that supports more accurate fulfillment. For a hospitality sector facing persistent labor shortages, rising costs, and margin pressures, these efficiencies provide meaningful time savings and business stability.
Leadership Perspectives on Innovation
Wendy Knight, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery, emphasized the importance of the state’s careful approach in selecting a technology partner capable of supporting a heavily regulated system.
“After a highly competitive process, we were impressed with Provi’s approach to technology, particularly within the complex framework of our system,” Knight said. “Their expertise throughout this process has not only advanced innovation for the state but also helped meet the changing needs of Vermont’s hospitality industry.”
For Knight and the DLL, the launch of 802Spirits Connect is more than a technological upgrade—it is an investment in strengthening the agility and long-term health of the state’s beverage alcohol system.
Provi Founder and CEO Taylor Katzman echoed this sentiment, noting that the collaboration showcases how digital platforms can enhance both business and regulatory outcomes.
“We are honored to partner with the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery in setting a new standard for control-state innovation,” Katzman said. “802Spirits Connect shows how modern technology can enhance oversight and accountability while simplifying the business of beverage alcohol commerce.”
Digital Transformation in Control States
Vermont’s adoption of a comprehensive digital ordering system reflects a broader trend across control states, many of which are exploring ways to modernize operations without compromising compliance. As licensee expectations evolve and digital commerce becomes the norm, state agencies are increasingly seeking partners who can balance innovation with regulatory responsibility.
802Spirits Connect demonstrates how technology can be used to unify complex market structures and create efficiencies across the supply chain. By digitizing order submissions and confirmations, Vermont gains real-time visibility into sales patterns, inventory movement, and operator demand. This enhanced data reporting capability allows the DLL to make more informed regulatory and operational decisions while reducing the likelihood of errors associated with manual entry.
Additionally, Provi’s integration with eight of Vermont’s beer and wine distributors creates a cohesive environment where operators can manage all alcohol categories in one place. For bars, restaurants, hotels, and resorts, this consolidation provides a consistent, simplified purchasing experience—allowing operators to spend more time managing customer service and less time navigating administrative tasks.
A National Blueprint for Control-State Innovation
The partnership also positions Vermont as a national leader among control states looking to modernize their operations. By demonstrating that digitization can coexist harmoniously with regulatory safeguards, the state offers a model that is both scalable and adaptable.
“802Spirits Connect demonstrates that modernization and regulation can coexist,” Knight said. “We expect this model to benefit licensees, agency stores, and ultimately Vermont taxpayers through more efficient operations.”
Other control states—many of which still rely on manual order processes—are closely watching Vermont’s rollout. The platform’s ability to enhance compliance, improve inventory oversight, and foster communication between state agencies and licensees makes it an attractive model for replication.
Connecting Vermont to a Broader Digital Ecosystem
Through Provi’s extensive national network, the Vermont beverage alcohol system now becomes part of a larger, data-driven marketplace used by thousands of distributors and on-premise operators across the country. This integration ensures that the state benefits not only from enhanced ordering processes but also from the insights, analytics, and efficiencies that come from being part of a digitally connected ecosystem.
For Vermont’s hospitality operators, this means improved visibility into product availability, easier access to diverse portfolios, and the ability to make more strategic purchasing decisions. For the state, it offers improved reporting accuracy, more effective oversight, and a reduction in operational friction.
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