Bryn Mawr wine distributor, Jason Malumed took on the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board in a legal battle that exposed the inefficiencies and overreach of the agency writes Michele Garguilo for Main Line Tonight.

In 2016, Act 39 passed stating that the PLCB was supposed to modernize its operations and allow wine distributors to sell directly to restaurants. Despite the law, the PLCB never implemented the necessary system.

When COVID-19 hit in 2020 and closed PLCB stores, restaurants in Pennsylvania were left without access to wine. For Malumed and many like him, this situation was the final straw. While his company, MFW Wine Co., continued to serve restaurants in neighboring states like New York and New Jersey, Pennsylvania’s businesses struggled. Malumed reminded the PLCB that Act 39 required direct deliveries by 2017, but the agency refused to act. As a result, Malumed decided to sue.

His lawsuit, filed in 2020, argued that the PLCB’s failure to create the promised system caused significant harm to businesses. The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled in Malumed’s favor, but the PLCB appealed. 

Years of legal battles ensued, with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ultimately siding with Malumed, rejecting the PLCB’s claims of sovereign immunity. The result was a victory for Malumed, and the court awarded financial damages to his company. This set a precedent for other businesses similarly affected by the PLCB’s inaction.

Read more about Jason Malumed’s battle with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board at Main Line Tonight.