01 Industry overview
The brewery industry at a glance
Global beer production fell 0.7% to 1.896 billion hectoliters in 2025, while the industry continued shifting toward premium, no-alcohol and diversified beverage portfolios amid softer mature-market demand.
- 1.896B hl[75]
- Global beer production, 2025
- $839.31B[76]
- Global beer market, 2024
- 9,578[19]
- U.S. craft breweries, 2025
- 87.4%[21]
- Top 40 global share, 2024
- Market size
- The global beer market was valued at $839.31 billion in 2024, according to Grand View Research. The U.S. craft brewing segment generated $28.0 billion in retail sales in 2025, down 2.8% year over year.[76][19]
- Forecast & CAGR
- Grand View Research forecasts the global beer market to reach $1.2483 trillion by 2030, implying a 6.8% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. A separate 2026–2033 estimate places the market at $700 billion in 2026 and $1.020 trillion in 2033, equivalent to a 5.6% CAGR.[76][77]
- Market share & regions
- Asia accounted for 32.6% of global beer consumption in 2024, followed by Europe at 25.4%, Central and South America at 19.4%, North America at 12.4%, Africa at 8.3%, Oceania at 1.1% and the Middle East at 0.8%.[78]
- Segmentation
- The U.S. craft brewery base comprised 2,029 microbreweries, 3,552 brewpubs, 3,936 taproom breweries and 279 regional craft breweries in 2024. The broader beer market is commonly segmented by product into ale, lager and stout; by packaging into bottles, cans and draught; and by channel into on-trade and off-trade sales.[19][76]
- Key players & concentration
- The 40 largest global brewing groups represented 87.4% of worldwide beer production in 2024, indicating high concentration despite the large number of local and craft producers. In the United States, small and independent craft brewers held 13.4% of beer volume in 2025.[21][19]
- Pricing
- U.S. craft beer retail sales totaled $28.0 billion in 2025 and represented 24.8% of the total U.S. beer market by retail dollars, while craft volume declined 4.0%. The figures indicate continued price and mix support for premium and craft products despite lower physical volume.[19]
- Trends, drivers & challenges
- Global beer production declined 0.7% in 2025, reflecting pressure in mature markets, changing alcohol-consumption patterns and higher operating costs. Growth opportunities include premiumization, craft products, no- and low-alcohol beer and adjacent beverages, while U.S. craft brewery closures exceeded openings in 2025 and the number of operating breweries fell 2.9%.[75][19]
- Consumer behavior & competition
- Asia remained the largest beer-consumption region in 2024 with 32.6% of global consumption. In the United States, 60% of consumers aged 21–34 reported drinking craft beer several times a year or more in 2025, compared with 63% of consumers aged 35–44, while craft volume declined 4.0% during the year.[78][19]
- M&A
- Beer accounted for 10 of 31 significant beverage-alcohol transactions identified for the first half of 2025, with craft-brewery consolidation a primary theme. Notable 2025 transactions included the Fort Point–HenHouse merger, with the combined company expected to produce about 40,000 barrels, and multiple regional craft-brewery roll-ups.[79][23]
- Regulation
- In the United States, federal beer excise tax rates vary by brewer output: qualifying brewers producing no more than 2 million barrels pay $3.50 per barrel on the first 60,000 barrels removed for consumption or sale. Beer production and distribution are also governed by federal and state licensing, labeling and three-tier alcohol-distribution rules.[80][81]
- Latest news
- The Brewers Association’s 2025 data, released in 2026, showed U.S. craft production down 4% and the number of operating craft breweries down 2.9% to 9,578. Current industry developments include continued craft consolidation and expansion into no-alcohol, ready-to-drink and other beverage categories.[19]
02 Ranking
Top 10 Companies in the Brewery Industry
The leading companies in the brewery industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.
Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026
Carlsberg Group stands out for beer volume scale because it reported 99.0 million hectolitres of beer volume in 2025, while Kirin Holdings leads in beer-led alcoholic beverages in Japan and Asia since it recorded a 8.6% operating margin in 2025.
Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓
Editor's top 3 picks
Where to start, by need.
#1 Overall · Leader in beer brewing
Carlsberg Group
DK
Ranked #1 · 9.4 · Beer brewing
Why we picked it: Beer scale stays central to the portfolio, while low- and no-alcohol products accounted for 31% of 2025 volume below 3.5% ABV.
#2 overall
Kirin Holdings
JP
Ranked #2 · 9.1 · Beer brewing
Why we picked it: The company’s beer-led alcoholic beverages focus in Japan and Asia ties financial performance to alcohol demand shifts.
#3 overall
Heineken
NL
Ranked #3 · 8.7 · Beer brewing
Why we picked it: Global beer production and brand ownership show up directly in operating margin, even as global volumes declined 0.7% in 2025.
Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. No other segment places in the top 5, so picks 2 and 3 follow rank.
Full ranking
| # | Company | Overall ↓ | Impact | Company snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlsberg Group Beer brewing · DK | 9.4 | 9.3 | |
Company snapshot · Carlsberg Group · Data as of November 11, 2026 Carlsberg reported 99.0 million hectolitres of beer volume in 2025.[20]
| ||||
| 2 | Kirin Holdings Beer brewing · JP | 9.1 | 9.3 | |
Company snapshot · Kirin Holdings · Data as of November 11, 2026 Kirin's group history began with its founding beer business over a century ago.[78]
| ||||
| 3 | Heineken Beer brewing · NL | 8.7 | 9.9 | |
Company snapshot · Heineken · Data as of November 11, 2026 Heineken describes itself as the world's pioneering beer company.[12]
| ||||
| 4 | Suntory Holdings Beer brewing · JP | 8.6 | 9.3 | |
Company snapshot · Suntory Holdings · Data as of November 11, 2026 Suntory's alcoholic beverage business includes beer alongside spirits and wine.[82]
| ||||
| 5 | Asahi Group Holdings Beer brewing · JP | 8.5 | 8.8 | |
Company snapshot · Asahi Group Holdings · Data as of November 11, 2026 Asahi operates an alcohol beverage business centered on beer in over 100 markets.[83]
| ||||
| 6 | Royal Unibrew Beer and beverage production, Europe and international · DK | 8.3 | 7.9 | |
Company snapshot · Royal Unibrew · Data as of November 11, 2026 Royal Unibrew operates 20 production sites across 10 countries.[84]
| ||||
| 7 | Mahou San Miguel Beer production and brand ownership, Spain and global · ES | 8.0 | 7.4 | |
Company snapshot · Mahou San Miguel · Data as of November 11, 2026 Mahou San Miguel identifies itself as Spain's leading and most international brewer.[85]
| ||||
| 8 | San Miguel Brewery Beer production and brand ownership, Philippines · PH | 8.0 | 7.1 | |
Company snapshot · San Miguel Brewery · Data as of November 11, 2026 San Miguel Brewery reported PHP155.4 billion in consolidated 2025 revenue.[86]
| ||||
| 9 | The Boston Beer Company Craft beer and flavored alcoholic beverages, United States · US | 8.0 | 7.7 | |
Company snapshot · The Boston Beer Company · Data as of November 11, 2026 Boston Beer reported 2,736 coworkers and $1.96 billion in 2025 revenue.[87]
| ||||
| 10 | Molson Coors Beverage Company Global beer production and brand ownership · US | 7.7 | 9.1 | |
Company snapshot · Molson Coors Beverage Company · Data as of November 11, 2026 Molson Coors produces major brands including Coors, Miller, Molson and Carling.[88]
| ||||
How we score
- Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.
Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.
Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.
Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.
Cite this ranking
APA
Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the brewery industry. In Brewery Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brewery-industry-statistics/#top-companies
Revenue of the largest brewery companies
Heineken leads with $37.0B in annual revenue (group level, converted to USD).
03 Trends & forecasts
Top 10 Brewery Industry Trends & Forecasts 2027
What is changing in the brewery industry, with the evidence behind each trend and a forecast for 2027.
Forecasts were generated by an AI model from the cited evidence. They are estimates, not guarantees.
01Global beer volumes continue contracting
High confidenceGlobal beer production fell 0.7% to 1.896 billion hectoliters in 2025, marking a second consecutive annual decline. The contraction reflects weaker mature-market demand despite continued growth in selected emerging markets.[75][89]
Forecast 2027: Global production is likely to remain broadly flat to slightly lower in 2027, with volume growth in emerging markets offsetting declines in mature economies. Breweries will prioritize mix, pricing and portfolio expansion over volume alone.
02No-alcohol beer accelerates growth
High confidenceIWSR forecasts no-alcohol beer to grow at a 7% volume CAGR across 10 key markets from 2024 to 2028. In the United States, no-alcohol beer volumes rose 23% in 2024 while total beer volumes fell 3%.[90]
Forecast 2027: No-alcohol beer should be one of the fastest-growing brewery segments in 2027. Large brewers and craft producers will expand premium, flavor-led and occasion-specific alcohol-free ranges, although taste, availability and price will remain adoption barriers.
03Premium pricing offsets weaker volume
High confidenceThe Brewers Association reported that U.S. craft beer generated $28.0 billion in retail sales in 2025 even as craft volume declined 4%. Craft therefore retained a 24.8% share of U.S. beer retail dollars, indicating continued price and mix support.[19]
Forecast 2027: Premiumization is likely to continue in 2027, with breweries using higher-value ingredients, limited releases, specialty packaging and stronger brand positioning to protect revenue per hectoliter. Price increases will be more selective as consumers remain value-conscious.
04U.S. craft brewery base contracts
High confidenceThe number of operating U.S. craft breweries fell 2.9% to 9,578 in 2025. Microbreweries, taprooms and brewpubs all declined, showing that the correction extends beyond a single operating model.[19]
Forecast 2027: The U.S. craft base is likely to contract modestly again in 2027, though closures should increasingly be concentrated among highly leveraged or low-utilization breweries. Stronger operators will focus on taproom economics, core brands and diversified revenue streams.
05Breweries diversify beyond beer
High confidenceThe Brewers Association reported that craft producers highlighted cider, ready-to-drink cocktails, hard teas and, for the first time, spirits during its 2025 industry review. Separate association commentary said 52% of breweries producing non-beer beverages experienced volume growth in 2024.[19]
Forecast 2027: By 2027, more breweries will operate as broader beverage companies, using RTDs, hard tea, cider, spirits and non-alcoholic products to improve capacity utilization and attract consumers beyond traditional beer occasions. Execution and regulatory complexity will limit diversification for smaller producers.
06Large brewers retain market dominance
High confidenceThe world’s 40 largest brewing groups sold approximately 1.586 billion hectoliters in 2025, maintaining a very large share of global production despite the presence of thousands of local and craft breweries.[75]
Forecast 2027: Industry concentration is likely to remain high in 2027. Global groups will use scale in procurement, distribution, marketing and alcohol-free innovation, while local breweries will compete through authenticity, freshness and community-based occasions.
07Craft beer consolidation intensifies
Medium confidenceThe Brewers Association described continued contraction and innovation in U.S. craft brewing, while industry reporting identified brewery mergers and roll-ups as a primary transaction theme in 2025. The Fort Point–HenHouse combination was expected to produce about 40,000 barrels.[19][89]
Forecast 2027: M&A activity should remain elevated in 2027 as owners seek scale, capital and distribution access. The likely outcome is a smaller number of multi-brand regional platforms alongside a continuing niche of independent local breweries.
08On-premise beer demand remains pressured
High confidenceBrewers Association analysis reported that overall beer sales at eating establishments fell 8% by volume, while craft sales fell 10% in the cited dataset. The figures point to continued pressure on draught and restaurant-led occasions.[19]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, breweries will continue reallocating attention toward packaged retail, direct-to-consumer channels where permitted, taproom experiences and food-led venues. On-premise recovery is likely to be uneven and more favorable to recognizable brands and differentiated local concepts.
09Packaging shifts toward cans and reuse
High confidenceThe Beer Institute reported that 2025 imported beer volume was packaged 53% in glass bottles, 41% in aluminum cans and 6% in draft. In the European Union, Regulation 2025/40 establishes a requirement that, from January 1, 2030, at least 10% of certain alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages be made available in reusable packaging.[91][92]
Forecast 2027: Cans will continue gaining share in many retail beer segments because of transport and shelf-efficiency advantages, while European brewers will prepare for reuse and packaging-reporting requirements before 2030. Breweries will increasingly balance lightweighting with recyclability and refill systems.
10Input-cost management becomes strategic
Medium confidenceBrewers Association commentary identified aluminum costs among the operating issues affecting craft breweries. The decline in U.S. craft production and brewery count alongside continued sales-value resilience indicates that cost control and capacity utilization are becoming central competitive factors.[19]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, breweries will emphasize procurement discipline, SKU rationalization, contract production and energy efficiency. Smaller businesses with low utilization or weak purchasing power will remain particularly exposed to packaging, labor and logistics costs.
04 Statistics
Technology & Innovation
The research pipeline expanded alongside operational gaps: 72% of brewery and distillery companies faced compliance and reporting challenges from fragmented systems and manual processes in 2024.
AI in the brewery industry
- 122 AI-in-brewing publications, about two-thirds of the review corpus, were published from 2017 onward worldwide.[1]
- 22 publications on AI applications in beer brewing were published in 2024, the highest single-year total in the review corpus worldwide.[1]
- 39 countries contributed publications to the reviewed AI-in-beer-brewing research corpus worldwide.[1]
- 188 publications on artificial intelligence applications in beer brewing were identified in a 2026 review covering research through 2026 worldwide.[1]
Automation in the brewery industry
- 72% of surveyed brewery and distillery companies faced compliance and reporting challenges from fragmented systems and manual processes in 2024.[2]
- 47% of Ontario food-and-beverage processors surveyed said they had adopted automation or robotics within the previous year in 2021.[3]
- 87% of surveyed brewery and distillery companies could not track costs in real time in 2024.[2]
- 58% of surveyed brewery and distillery leaders identified growth as their number-one business challenge in 2024.[2]
Digital Transformation in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 34% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals said manufacturing process or assembly had been positively affected by digital transformation technologies in 2024.[4]
- 40% of 423 food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their organization’s biggest operational barrier in 2026.[5]
- 82% of food and beverage leaders said technology adoption was a strategic priority, while 6% reported fully integrated digital systems, in a 2025 survey.[5]
- 28% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals reported positive effects from digital transformation technologies on food-safety preventive controls in 2024.[4]
Technology Adoption in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 50% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in artificial intelligence as part of their 2025 digital-transformation strategies.[4]
- 23% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in mobile-app technologies in 2025.[4]
- 31% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in robotics or robotic process automation in 2025.[4]
- 22% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in machine-learning software in 2025.[4]
Cloud Computing in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 52% of food processors and manufacturers were considering cloud technology, while 45% reported no cloud use, in a 2023 industry survey.[6]
- 30% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in cloud computing or enterprise resource-planning software and systems in 2025.[4]
- 18% of food manufacturers were already using cloud-based manufacturing-execution systems, while 51% planned implementation, according to a 2025 industry survey.[7]
- 39.5% of EU enterprises in accommodation and food-service activities used paid cloud-computing services in 2025.[8]
Big Data in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 24% of food-manufacturing respondents were very familiar with advanced analytics, while 34% were moderately familiar, in CRB’s 2025 survey.[9]
- 35% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in big data and real-time analytics in 2025.[4]
- 13% of food manufacturers were already using advanced-analytics or big-data platforms, while 44% planned implementation, in a 2025 industry survey.[7]
- 47% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals identified gathering, analyzing, and leveraging data for data-driven decisions as a digital-transformation investment driver in 2024.[4]
IoT in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 16% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in Internet-of-Things devices or sensors in 2025.[4]
- 33% of UK manufacturing companies had adopted IoT technologies in a 2024 national survey, with manufacturing among the sectors reporting comparatively high adoption.[10]
- 26% of food manufacturers were already using IoT sensors or equipment monitoring, while 37% planned implementation, in a 2025 industry survey.[7]
- 31% of food-manufacturing respondents were very familiar with the Internet of Things, while 35% were moderately familiar, in CRB’s 2025 survey.[9]
05 Statistics
Data & Analytics
Operational data connectivity is moving from programs to production coverage, including Smart Brewery in 2025 connecting about 900 work centres and 7,000 pieces of equipment.
Business intelligence in the brewery industry
- 3% was the sales uplift identified in HEINEKEN’s UK AIDDA pilot through lower tap churn and fewer missed orders.[11]
- 75 billion-plus data points were connected through HEINEKEN’s Smart Brewery programme in 2025.[12]
- Almost 100 HEINEKEN breweries had Smart Brewery deployed in 2025, connecting about 900 work centres and 7,000 pieces of equipment.[12]
- 88 HEINEKEN breweries were connected through the Connected Brewery programme in 2024, covering 700 production lines and 5,200 pieces of equipment.[11]
Data analytics in the brewery industry
- 5,691 journal articles and reviews indexed from 1936 to 2025 were included in a review of analytics in alcoholic-beverage production.[13]
- 141 batches were analysed in Societe Brewing’s finishing-pH dashboard, with 86% within the stated target range in 2025.[14]
- 141 batches were analysed in Societe Brewing’s kettle-full-pH dashboard, with 87% within the stated target range in 2025.[14]
- 5,722 records were screened in a 2026 review of data analytics and AI research in beverage and brewing production.[13]
Data Quality in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 77% of retail and consumer-products companies identified improving data quality as a priority in 2023.[15]
- 6.6 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data consistency as important in 2018.[16]
- 7.0 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data completeness as important in 2018.[16]
- 6.4 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data timeliness as important in 2018.[16]
- 22% of consumer-products companies reported that businesses lacked trust in data quality and validity in 2024.[17]
- 6.4 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data accuracy as important in 2018.[16]
Data Governance in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 81% of supply-management organizations found their data-governance program useful in 2024.[18]
- 90% of supply-management organizations agreed or strongly agreed that data governance was necessary in 2024.[18]
- 43% of consumer-products companies reported struggling to establish the right level of data governance in 2024.[17]
- 22% of consumer-products companies planned to increase investment in data infrastructure and governance over the following 12 months in 2024.[17]
- 47% of supply-management data-governance functions were housed in a center of excellence in 2024.[18]
- 61% of supply-management organizations had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024.[18]
KPIs in the brewery industry
- 4.0% was the decline in U.S. craft-beer production in 2025, with 60% of breweries reporting declines, 39% growth and 1% unchanged output.[19]
- 9,796 operating craft breweries were recorded in the United States in 2024.[19]
- 197,112 people were employed by the U.S. craft-brewing sector in 2024, up 3.0% from 2023.[19]
- 23.1 million barrels was U.S. craft brewing output in 2024, while craft beer held 13.3% of national beer volume.[19]
06 Statistics
Strategy & Growth
Moderation and portfolio coverage show up in volume mix, with 31% of Carlsberg’s 2025 beer volume coming from low- and no-alcohol products below 3.5% ABV.
Growth in the brewery industry
- 35% is Carlsberg’s 2030 target for the global portfolio share of low-alcohol and alcohol-free brews.[20]
- 1.875 billion hectolitres was global beer production in 2024 according to BarthHaas industry reporting.[21]
- 23.1 million barrels was U.S. craft-beer production in 2024, down 4% from 2023 as brewers pursued portfolio and market strategies in a contracting segment.[19]
Differentiation in the brewery industry
- 11% of Royal Swinkels’ 2024 production consisted of alcohol-free and low-alcohol beer below 3.5% ABV.[22]
- 50 original craft beers had been launched by Asian-influenced brewery Dokkaebier by March 2024, including kimchi sour and rice kölsch styles.[23]
- 35% of Carlsberg’s global portfolio is targeted to comprise low-alcohol and alcohol-free brews by 2030, positioning moderation as a product differentiator.[20]
- 17 brand families generated more than $100 million in annual net sales revenue for Molson Coors in 2023.[24]
Mergers and acquisitions in the brewery industry
- 75.5% was Carlsberg’s ownership of China’s Jing-A Group after acquiring an additional 26.5% in 2023.[25]
- 99.94% was Carlsberg’s ownership of Nepal’s Gorkha Brewery after acquiring an additional 9.94% stake in November 2024.[25]
- 1 brewery was acquired by Tilray from Molson Coors when Atwater Brewery joined Tilray’s beverage portfolio in September 2024.[26]
- 4 craft brands were acquired by Tilray from Molson Coors in 2024 as part of Tilray’s expansion of its U.S. craft-beer portfolio.[23]
Strategic partnerships in the brewery industry
- 3 Massachusetts breweries were united under Triton Beverage Group after Cape Cod Beer joined Hog Island Beer Company and Mayflower Brewing Company in 2025.[27]
- 4 wetland-restoration projects were developed by Carlsberg and WWF in China and Laos to protect water resources serving four breweries.[20]
- 1 distribution agreement gave Cape Cod Beer access to The Sheehan Family Companies’ distribution network across Massachusetts in 2025.[27]
07 Statistics
People & Workforce
Workforce scaling remains concentrated among independent operators, with 4 employees as the median workforce size among European independent brewery businesses in the 2026 survey.
Hiring in the brewery industry
- 9 employees was the average workforce size among 482 European independent brewery businesses responding to the 2026 survey.[28]
- 4,313 employees were reported across 482 European independent brewery businesses responding to a 2026 workforce survey.[28]
- More than 90% of surveyed craft-brewery owners and managers listed hiring and employee retention among their most significant challenges in 2021.[29]
- 4 employees was the median workforce size among European independent brewery businesses in the 2026 survey.[28]
Remote Work in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- Among food-sector career starters globally, 36% were fully site-based during their first two years of work, according to a 2024 survey.[30]
- Across U.S. food and beverage businesses, 26% let employees choose to work in-person or remotely in 2025, while 73% require in-person work.[31]
- In U.S. accommodation and food services, 1.7% of employees were able to work fully remotely in 2024.[32]
- U.S. accommodation and food-services firms averaged 0.1 work-from-home days per week from November 2024 through January 2025.[33]
Hybrid Work in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- In 2025, 80% of hospitality and food-services employers said they were still struggling to get the balance right with hybrid working.[34]
- In U.S. restaurant and bar businesses, 12% offered employees a choice between in-person and remote work in 2025.[31]
- Across U.S. food and beverage businesses, 26% offered employees the option to work in-person or remotely in 2025.[31]
- Among food-sector career starters globally, 27% worked in a hybrid arrangement during their first two years, according to a 2024 survey.[30]
Employee Engagement in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- Food-service employees recorded 72.6% engagement in 2026, up 9.1 percentage points from the prior measurement.[35]
- Food-and-beverage organizations scored 7.91 out of 10 for employee engagement in the latest 2026 benchmark dataset.[36]
- Among U.S. and Canadian frontline employees surveyed in 2024, 52% worked in foodservice, in a sample of 46,250 employees used to assess workplace engagement.[37]
- Globally, 21% of employees were engaged in 2025, providing an economy-wide benchmark relevant where food-and-beverage-specific engagement data are limited.[38]
DEI in the brewery industry
- 30% of employees in the UK independent craft-beer workforce identified as female in 2022, up from 25% in 2019.[39]
- 7.5% of reporting U.S. craft breweries employed a woman in a brewer role in 2019.[40]
- 4% of employees in brewery service staffs were Black in the Brewers Association’s 2019 U.S. diversity data.[41]
- 37% of employees in non-production, non-service roles at reporting U.S. craft breweries were female in 2019.[40]
- 11% of female employees in the UK independent craft-beer workforce worked in brewing roles in 2019.[39]
Change Management in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- In a 2024 survey of foodservice organizations, 49% ranked resistance to change as a top barrier to evolving menu strategy.[42]
- In the 2024–2025 HR Systems Survey, 28% of organizations used adaptive or agile change management, while 24% used a project-based approach.[43]
- In the 2024–2025 HR Systems Survey, 39% of organizations applied change management sporadically and 9% reported using no change management.[43]
- Among CPG executives, 5% said their companies decreased resources devoted to change-management initiatives during the prior 12 months.[44]
- Among foodservice organizations surveyed in 2024, 44% cited a lack of internal expertise to execute analyses as a menu-optimization barrier.[42]
08 Statistics
Customer & Sales
Taproom repeat behavior is measurable: 83.7% of guests at 25 U.S. brewery and taproom locations visited once during the 90-day period ending September 21, 2026.
Customer experience in the brewery industry
- 26 minutes was the average time spent by one-time visitors at 25 U.S. brewery, brewpub, and taproom locations during June–September 2026.[45]
- 95 minutes was the average time spent by weekly-or-more visitors at 25 U.S. brewery, brewpub, and taproom locations during June–September 2026.[45]
- $36.38 was the average spend of highly satisfied customers in New York craft-brewery taprooms, compared with $31.07 for regular customers, in 2023.[46]
- 6 percentage points was the increase in the probability that a New York brewery tasting-room visitor rated the experience highly satisfied for each one-unit increase in beer-tasting execution in 2023.[47]
Customer retention in the brewery industry
- 5.5% of guests visiting 25 U.S. brewery and taproom locations four or more times generated 39.1% of visits during June–September 2026.[45]
- 83.7% of guests at 25 U.S. brewery and taproom locations visited once during the 90-day period ending September 21, 2026.[45]
- 10.7% of guests at 25 U.S. brewery and taproom locations visited two or three times during the 90-day period ending September 21, 2026.[45]
- 1.5% of guests visiting 25 U.S. brewery and taproom locations weekly or more generated 25.0% of visits during June–September 2026.[45]
Customer acquisition in the brewery industry
- 51% of U.S. craft drinkers said they purchased more of a brewery’s product after visiting its taproom in 2025.[19]
- 58% of U.S. craft drinkers said they purchased more of a brewery’s product after visiting its taproom in 2026.[19]
- 9% of taproom visitors made a to-go purchase without a staff suggestion in 2018, compared with 19% of visits where staff encouraged a to-go purchase.[48]
- 55% of craft-brewery visitors said they purchased more beer from that brewery after visiting in a 2017 U.S. survey.[49]
Customer loyalty in the brewery industry
- 50% of U.S. craft drinkers purchased three or more craft-beer brands monthly in 2026.[19]
- 51% of craft-beer consumers said they were not particularly loyal to one or more craft-beer brands in the 2019 U.S. Craft Beer Insights Panel Survey.[40]
- 51% of U.S. beer purchasers were loyal to the last beer brand they purchased in a 2023 survey.[50]
- 45% of U.S. craft drinkers purchased three or more craft-beer brands monthly in 2025.[19]
Lead generation in the brewery industry
- 5.5 visits was the average number of craft-brewery visits reported by U.S. craft drinkers during the 12 months preceding the 2026 survey.[19]
- 5.1 visits was the average number of craft-brewery visits reported by U.S. craft drinkers during the 12 months preceding the 2025 survey.[19]
- 30% of brewery taproom trips replaced a trip to a bar in a 2017 U.S. craft-beer consumer study.[51]
09 Statistics
Marketing & Brand
Beer-brand engagement is tracked through social formats, including 24.5% of beer-brand Instagram posts as carousels in Q3 2026 worldwide.
Marketing in the brewery industry
- 16.4% was the year-over-year increase in Boston Beer’s advertising, promotion and selling expenses in Q2 2026.[52]
- $609.953 million was spent on advertising, promotional and selling expenses by Boston Beer in the United States and selected international markets in 2025.[53]
- 120% was Athletic Brewing’s expected increase in national media spending announced in May 2026.[52]
- $26.2 million was Boston Beer’s advertising, promotion and selling expense total in Q2 2026.[52]
Digital marketing in the brewery industry
Branding in the brewery industry
- 7.1 million barrels were shipped by Boston Beer across its Samuel Adams, Truly, Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard and other brands in 2025.[53]
- 20.7% was Athletic Brewing’s off-premise nonalcoholic beer market share reported in 2026.[52]
- 4.7% was Boston Beer’s year-over-year decline in shipments in 2025, reflecting changes across its brand portfolio.[53]
- 59% of craft breweries producing more than 10,000 barrels reported volume growth in the first half of 2026.[52]
Influencer Marketing in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 63% of U.S. food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a prepackaged product based on an online influencer’s recommendation in the previous year, according to a June 2025 survey.[55]
- 49% of U.S. millennial food and beverage shoppers said they purchased from an influencer-founded or influencer-led brand in the previous year, according to a 2025 survey.[55]
- 47.6% of TikTok videos featuring food products from top influencers included a branded product, based on an analysis of 1,360 videos published in 2025.[56]
- 33% of U.S. food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a product from an influencer-founded or influencer-led brand such as Prime or Feastables in the previous year, in 2025.[55]
- 82% of U.S. Gen Z food and beverage shoppers said they purchased a prepackaged product based on an online influencer’s recommendation in the previous year, according to a June 2025 survey.[55]
10 Statistics
Operations & Execution
Energy and process change rates are high in surveyed breweries, with 58% of Western Australian brewery respondents reporting operational or process changes to improve energy performance.
Process optimization in the brewery industry
Operational efficiency in the brewery industry
- 67.76 grams of CO2e per litre of beer was the 2022 global average emissions intensity for beer-only breweries.[58]
- 0.87 MJ of energy per litre of beer was the 2022 global average for beer-only breweries.[58]
- 3.11 litres of water per litre of beer was the 2022 global average for beer-only breweries.[58]
- 62% of facilities reporting energy data for all three years decreased their energy-use ratio between 2017 and 2022.[58]
Supply chain in the brewery industry
- $19.1 million was the favorable product-mix contribution to Boston Beer’s 2025 net revenue.[53]
- $27.1 million was the favorable pricing contribution to Boston Beer’s 2025 net revenue, partially offsetting lower sales volume.[53]
- $23.8 million, or $6.23 per barrel, was Boston Beer’s reported cost reduction from improved brewery efficiencies in the first half of 2025.[53]
- Approximately four weeks was Boston Beer’s average distributor inventory level at December 27, 2025.[53]
Outsourcing / Offshoring in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 75% used at least some co-manufacturing resources in 2023.[59]
- Among food and beverage CPG companies globally, 36% used co-manufacturers for finished-product manufacturing in 2023.[59]
- Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 55% outsourced more manufacturing in 2023 than three years earlier, according to a survey of 287 industry leaders.[59]
- Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 52% planned to expand their international footprint in 2023, including North America, EMEA and APAC expansion.[60]
- Among United States and European food-services and facility-management buyers, 91% expected outsourcing budgets to increase over the five years following 2024.[61]
11 Statistics
Finance & Pricing
Pricing and product mix help absorb weaker volume; Boston Beer’s 2025 increase in net revenue per barrel was $6.57, driven partly by pricing and product mix.
Pricing strategy in the brewery industry
- 30.3% of IPA brands with price changes from a 1% cut to less than a 6% increase grew in 2022.[19]
- 50.6% of IPA brands that cut prices by more than 1% grew in 2022, according to Brewers Association analysis.[19]
- 12.1% of IPA brands with price increases of 6% or more grew in 2022.[19]
- $6.57 per barrel was Boston Beer’s 2025 increase in net revenue per barrel, driven partly by pricing and product mix.[53]
Cost reduction in the brewery industry
- $4.0 million, or $1.06 per barrel, was Boston Beer’s reduction in third-party production costs in the first half of 2025.[53]
- $106.78 million was Boston Beer’s year-over-year reduction in cost of goods sold in 2025.[53]
- 9.5% was Boston Beer’s year-over-year reduction in cost of goods sold in 2025.[53]
- $20.4 million, or $5.34 per barrel, was Boston Beer’s reported saving from contract renegotiations and recipe optimization in the first half of 2025.[53]
Profitability in the brewery industry
Financial planning in the brewery industry
- $223.4 million was Boston Beer’s cash balance at the end of 2025, with no debt reported.[53]
- 2.87 times was AB InBev’s net-debt-to-normalized-EBITDA ratio at December 31, 2025.[62]
- $270.2 million was Boston Beer’s operating cash flow in 2025.[53]
- $200 million was the approximate amount Boston Beer spent repurchasing shares in 2025.[53]
12 Statistics
Product & Service
Packaging and moderation continue to be tracked through adoption measures, with 99.7% of Molson Coors packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable in 2023.
Product development in the brewery industry
- 60% of U.S. adults viewed low- and no-alcohol beer as a viable long-term moderation alternative in 2025.[48]
- 2% of AB InBev’s 2024 revenue came from its Beyond Beer business, which grew by low single digits, led by double-digit growth in Cutwater, Nütrl and Brutal Fruit.[63]
- 23.1 million barrels of beer were produced by U.S. craft brewers in 2024, a 3.9% decline from 2023 amid changing product and consumer demand.[19]
- 31% of Carlsberg’s 2025 beer volume came from low- and no-alcohol products below 3.5% ABV.[20]
Product lifecycle in the brewery industry
Value proposition in the brewery industry
- 4% was the increase in the U.S. luxury beer segment during the first half of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023.[23]
- 40.5% of U.S. on-premise beverage-alcohol sales were beer in early 2025, making beer the largest category by sales share.[48]
- 28.9 billion dollars was the estimated U.S. craft beer retail value in 2024, up 3% from 2023 despite lower volume.[19]
- 13.3% was U.S. craft beer’s market share by volume in 2024.[19]
13 Statistics
Sustainability & Ethics
Water stewardship and reporting targets are explicit, with 100% of water consumed at Carlsberg breweries in high-risk areas targeted for replenishment by 2030.
Sustainability in the brewery industry
- 17 large Molson Coors manufacturing facilities had obtained Zero Waste to Landfill certification by 2024.[24]
- 2.8% was Molson Coors’ reduction in water use at large breweries since 2016, reported through 2025.[24]
- 3.7 billion gallons of water had been restored by Molson Coors since 2014, reported through 2025.[24]
- 15.5% was Molson Coors’ reduction in water used to grow barley in the United States, reported through 2025.[24]
ESG in the brewery industry
Ethics in the brewery industry
- 86% of Boston Beer coworkers were trained on the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics within their first 30 days in 2024.[64]
- 21 complaints or concerns about business conduct and ethics were reported to Boston Beer in 2024.[64]
- 98% of Boston Beer coworkers participated in optional Code of Business Conduct and Ethics training in 2024.[64]
CSR in the brewery industry
- 100% of HEINEKEN operating companies in scope had a partnership addressing alcohol-related harm in 2024.[65]
- 15% of HEINEKEN media spend was invested in responsible-consumption campaigns in 2024.[65]
- 1.1 billion unique consumers were reached by HEINEKEN responsible-consumption campaigns in 2024.[65]
- 100% of AB InBev’s direct farmers were skilled, connected and financially empowered in 2024 under its Smart Agriculture programme.[53]
Circular economy in the brewery industry
Carbon footprint in the brewery industry
- 28.0% was Molson Coors’ reduction in Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions versus its 2016 baseline, reported for 2023.[24]
- 59% was Carlsberg’s reduction in brewery emissions per hectolitre of beer since 2015, reported in 2023.[20]
- 34.2% was Molson Coors’ reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse-gas emissions versus its 2016 baseline, reported for 2023.[24]
- 38.3% of Molson Coors’ total carbon footprint came from packaging materials in 2023.[24]
14 Statistics
Risk, Compliance & Legal
Cyber risk appears as a material cost category in the wider food sector, with 36% of global food and beverage respondents reporting organisations paid at least $1 million in ransomware demands in 2024.
Compliance in the brewery industry
- 14 Carlsberg sites were certified to ISO 50001 in 2024, covering energy-management systems relevant to brewery compliance and operational controls.[20]
- 72 of Carlsberg Group’s 82 sites were certified to ISO 14001 in 2024, supporting environmental-management and regulatory-compliance controls across brewery operations.[20]
- 100% of water consumed at Carlsberg breweries in high-risk areas is targeted for replenishment by 2030, addressing local water stewardship and regulatory risks.[20]
Risk Management in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 44% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations were concerned about supply-chain vulnerabilities in 2026.[66]
- 62% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations felt in control of their key risks in 2026, down from 75% in 2024.[66]
- 84% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations said managing environmental, social and governance risks would be a priority over the next two years in 2026.[66]
- 45% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations cited food safety and health as a top risk in 2026.[66]
Cybersecurity in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- Nearly 30% of global food and beverage respondents reported cyberattack-related financial losses of at least $1 million in 2024.[67]
- 41% of global food and beverage respondents identified legal fees as a cyberattack-related cost in 2024.[67]
- More than 70% of global food and beverage respondents reported cyberattack-related financial losses of at least $100,000 in 2024.[67]
- 50% of global food and beverage respondents reported greater confidence in their organisations’ ability to withstand cyberattacks than 12 months earlier in 2024.[67]
- 36% of global food and beverage respondents said their organisations paid at least $1 million in ransomware demands in 2024.[67]
Data Privacy in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 21.0% of food and beverage app users surveyed globally in 2025 were willing to share their mobile number, down from 24.2% in 2024.[68]
- 45% of European food-data consumers surveyed across five countries in 2024 were classified as optimists who were open to data sharing.[69]
- 33.1% of food and beverage app users surveyed globally in 2025 said they were unwilling to share any personal data, up from 32.0% in 2024.[68]
- 34.6% of food and beverage app users surveyed globally in 2025 were willing to share their email address, down from 39.8% in 2024.[68]
- 32.6% of food and beverage app users surveyed globally in 2025 were willing to share their name, down from 40.0% in 2024.[68]
Crisis Management in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 31% of global food and beverage companies reviewed business continuity plans quarterly in 2024.[70]
- 75% of U.S. consumers surveyed in 2025 had recently heard about a food recall, indicating broad crisis-information reach.[71]
- 59% of U.S. consumers surveyed in 2025 were hesitant to purchase the same food product or brand again after a recall.[72]
- More than 60% of U.S. consumers surveyed in 2025 first heard about a recent food recall through traditional or social media.[71]
- 47% of global food and beverage companies reviewed business continuity plans every six months in 2024.[70]
Governance in the brewery industry
- 5 ESG measures—diversity, carbon emissions, water usage, alongside shareholder return, earnings growth and ROIC—were included in Carlsberg’s 2025–2027 long-term incentive-plan framework.[20]
- 16,500 employees and more than 40 beverage-production facilities were covered by Molson Coors’ 2024 governance and sustainability reporting.[24]
15 Statistics
Globalization & Expansion
Cross-border scale remains central, with the global beer sector supporting 33.0 million jobs across 185 countries in 2023.
Globalization in the brewery industry
- $878 billion was the estimated global GDP contribution of the beer sector in 2023 across 185 countries.[73]
- 33.0 million jobs were supported by the global beer sector across 185 countries in 2023, including direct, indirect and induced employment.[73]
- 87.4% of global beer-market volume was represented by the 40 largest brewing groups in 2024.[21]
- 34.7 billion litres of beer were produced in the European Union in 2024, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer.[8]
Cultural adaptation in the brewery industry
- 7,500 cubic metres of treated wastewater per year were supplied from Carlsberg’s Xixia brewery to the local municipality for street cleaning.[20]
- 50,000 cubic metres of wastewater were treated annually at Carlsberg’s Xixia brewery in China for reuse in cleaning, flushing and grounds maintenance.[20]
- 4 wetland-restoration projects in China and Laos were developed by Carlsberg and WWF to address local water conditions around four breweries.[20]
Distribution channels in the brewery industry
- 100 countries were served by Molson Coors products in 2023 through its production and distribution network.[24]
- 1.5 billion litres of beer were exported by the Netherlands in 2024, the highest total among EU countries for alcoholic beer exports.[8]
- $324.6 billion in global beer sales came through off-trade retail channels in 2022, compared with $387.0 billion through on-trade and foodservice channels.[74]
- 23% of Carlsberg Group volumes were sold through the on-trade channel in 2025, with the remainder sold through off-trade channels.[20]
Key questions about the Brewery Industry
What was the global beer market size and production in 2024 and 2025?
How is the brewery industry growing or contracting around 2025–2030?
Which companies lead the brewery industry?
Where are breweries seeing practical technology and data shifts in 2024–2026?
What does market concentration look like for global brewing groups?
What is changing in the U.S. craft brewery base and volumes?
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Marcus Afolabi. (2026, February 13). Brewery Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brewery-industry-statistics
Marcus Afolabi. "Brewery Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/brewery-industry-statistics.
Marcus Afolabi. 2026. "Brewery Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brewery-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
92 sources cited across this report
mdpi.com
info.craftederp.com
- foodandbeverageontario.ca
ift.org
tracegains.com
foodindustryexecutive.com
ec.europa.eu
go.crbgroup.com
productivity.ac.uk
theheinekencompany.com
heinekenholding.com
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
- datocms-assets.com
informatica.com
scm.ncsu.edu
kpmg.com
utah.ismworld.org
brewersassociation.org
carlsberggroup.com
usahops.org
en.wikipedia.org
brewbound.com
molsoncoors.com
- northeurope.cdn.euroland.com
tilray.gcs-web.com
- capecodbeer.com
- toolbox-siba.co.uk
- ralionline.com
bsigroup.com
verizon.com
www-statista-com.libproxy.pcc.edu
siepr.stanford.edu
newsroom.cisco.com
- gohappyhub.com
culturemonkey.io
nrn.com
gallup.com
bii.org
craftbeer.com
ajc.com
mastercard.com
sapientinsights.com
manufacturing.net
bloomintelligence.com
news.cornell.edu
cambridge.org
craftbrewingbusiness.com
provokeinsights.com
time.com
marketingdive.com
sec.gov
emplifi.io
tinuiti.com
jmir.org
- dpird.wa.gov.au
- bieroundtable.com
prnewswire.com
foodlogistics.com
oliverwyman.com
bmv.com.mx
- financialfilings.com
esgdistrict.lecho.be
wtwco.com
foodprocessing.com
verve.com
scribd.com
ific.org
gs1us.org
worldbrewingalliance.org
agriculture.canada.ca
- barthhaasx.com
grandviewresearch.com
coherentmarketinsights.com
kirinholdings.com
stgwp.parkstreet.com
uscode.house.gov
govinfo.gov
suntory.com
s3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com
- cms.unibrew.com
annualreport.mahou-sanmiguel.com
- sanmiguel.com.ph
investors.bostonbeer.com
- inside.beer
theiwsr.com
beerinstitute.org
Social media in the brewery industry