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4w ago

Three Giants Produce Over Half of Global Beer as German Brewers Slide

Rising costs are squeezing German breweries, which now account for just five percent of global beer output.

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Bierflaschen mit Kronkorken laufen durch die Produktion einer Brauerei über die Förderbänder einer Befüllungsanlage.
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Overview

  • Three global conglomerates (AB InBev, Heineken and China Resources Snow Breweries) brewed 845 million hectoliters of beer in 2024, representing over half of worldwide production.
  • Global beer output fell by 0.6 percent to 1.64 billion hectoliters last year, according to data from hop supplier BarthHaas.
  • Germany’s six largest brewers produced only 42.5 million hectoliters, one-twentieth of the Big Three’s combined volume, with Radeberger Group ranking highest at 23rd.
  • Russian state takeovers of former foreign breweries returned Baltika to 12th place and introduced OPH United Breweries at 24th, pushing German brands further down the Top 40.
  • Small and mid-size breweries face closures, mergers and market exits under mounting raw material and energy cost pressures they cannot offset with price increases.