Italian beer exports set a new historical record of 33% year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2019, according to a Coldiretti report based on Istat data.
Italian beer is popular in countries with a strong beer tradition, the study found.
Pubs in the UK account for almost half of Italy’s beer exports (+25% year on year).
In addition to Germany (113.5%), Ireland has also evolved into a big market for Italian beer, with purchases more than doubling (+114%).
Other important markets include the US, which is the second-largest importer after the UK (+36%), followed by Spain (+199.2%), the Netherlands (+412.2%) and Norway (+79.4%).
In 2018, total Italian beer exports exceeded 304 million litres, after uninterrupted growth in the past 20 years.
Beer Consumption
In Italy, per-capita beer consumption has also reached 33.6 litres, the highest ever, with growth of 14.3% in the last decade.
The Coldiretti report also reveals that 60% of beer consumption takes place at home.
The country is also witnessing a progressive change in seasonal consumption, with beer consumption trends extending beyond summer to autumn and winter.
The increasing popularity of beer in Italy is favoured by a strong diversification of the offer, particularly artisanal/craft beer.
According to Doxa research, 77% of Italian beer drinkers want to try out new ingredients and flavours.
Excise Duties
From 1 July, microbreweries will benefit from a 40% cut in excise duties.
The move will benefit nine out of ten microbreweries that produce up to 10,000 hectolitres of beer per year, Coldiretti estimates.
There are 862 craft breweries for producing more than 55 million litres of beer, and the sector has seen 330% growth in just a decade, generating 3,000 direct jobs.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
