MONTREAL -- The Societe des alcools du Quebec (SAQ) posted a strong increase in both revenue and profit in its second quarter.

The provincial crown corporation turned a $297.3 million profit during the quarter, up 10.6 per cent year over year, on revenue of $807.2 million, up 7.9 per cent over the same quarter in 2018.

Wine sales were up six per cent to $573.7 million, while sales of spirits accounted for $203.4 million, up 12 per cent. Cooler-type drinks brought in $23.1 million in sales (up 22 per cent) while beers, ciders and other products brought in $23.1 million, up 4.5 per cent year over year.

In terms of volume, the SAQ sold 49.2 million litres of product in the quarter, up 5 per cent from the same quarter last year.

Sales in SAQ stores accounted for $730.8 million (a nine-per-cent increase) while wholesale and grocery-store sales slid to $76.4 million, down 2.3 per cent from the second quarter of 2018.

Halfway into its fiscal year, the SAQ has earned $558.1 million in profit, up 5.5 per cent from the same period last year on revenue of $1.57 billion, a 4.5-per-cent increase year over year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2019.