Despite being traditional wine-growing country, Italian beer exports have grown by 27 per cent in 2015, according to a market analysis by Italian agricultural association Coldiretti, based on Istat data.
Almost half of the shipments are directed to the UK, where Italian craft beer is gaining in popularity in pubs.
Exports of Italian beer have tripled over the last decade despite the economic crisis, with the production of artisanal beer booming.
The varied range, which includes brewpub, specialty beers and bottles with particular shapes, appeals to over 30 million passionate beer drinkers in Italy, where annual consumption stands at 29 litres per capita. This consumption is very low compared to countries like the Czech Republic, with 144 litres per capita, Austria, with 107.8, Germany, with 105, Ireland, with 85.6, Luxembourg, with 85, and Spain, with 82.
The Italian beer production is supported by a national barley harvest of approximately 860,000 tonnes (in 2014) on a total area of approximately 226,000 hectares. Some 90,000 tonnes of the barley are used to make beer.
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
