Last year closed with a strong growth for the Italian beer sector. According to AssoBirra’s Annual Report, for the third consecutive year it recorded an increase in production compared to 2018 (+5%), followed by a growth in domestic consumption (+2.6%) and a boom in exports (+13%).
The brewery sector is therefore reconfirmed as an increasingly valuable asset for Italy which, if adequately protected, can be a strategic ally in a post-pandemic recovery.
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ITALIAN BEER IN NUMBERS
In 2019, Italian beer production rose from 16,421,000 hectoliters to 17,247,000, in line with the positive trend of the last 10 years. Production has grown by 35% reaching 9th place in Europe with a share of 4.5%. This growth has positively affected the entire sector, including the small producers’ branch that can count on about 850 companies (for a total growth of +3.8% compared to 2018).
The real boom concerns exports. After the great leap in 2018, when sales value grew by +6.6% on 2017, the volumes exported in 2019 were close to 3.5 million hectoliters: +13% compared to 2018. Countries with a strong brewing tradition, such as the United Kingdom (46% of the total), the United States (9.7%), and Australia (8%) seem particularly thirsty for Italian beer.
Italian beer sector has also been investing in sustainability for years, achieving excellent results in water (-35%), carbon dioxide (-58%), and energy (-26%) reduction targets in the period 2010-2019.