01 Industry overview
The drinks industry at a glance
The drinks industry spans alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; in the United States, beverage companies generated $324 billion in direct economic impact and supported 4.5 million jobs in 2024.
- $324B[97]
- U.S. direct impact, 2024
- 4.5M[97]
- U.S. jobs supported, 2024
- 333,000[98]
- U.S. beverage manufacturing jobs, 2024
- -2%[1]
- Global alcohol volume change, 2025
- Market size
- There is no single official global market-size measure covering both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. In the United States, beverage companies reported $324 billion in direct annual economic impact in 2024, alongside more than $70 billion in state and federal taxes.[97]
- Forecast & CAGR
- A reliable, comparable CAGR for the entire global drinks industry was not identified. IWSR expects no-alcohol beer to increase its share of global beer volume from 2% in 2025 to 4% by 2033, indicating faster growth in this subcategory than in the wider beverage-alcohol market.[1]
- Market share & regions
- IWSR’s 2025 global beverage-alcohol estimate covers 22 markets representing roughly 75% of the global market. The source reports a 2% volume decline across those markets in 2025, but does not provide a consistent regional share breakdown for the full drinks industry.[1]
- Segmentation
- The U.S. beverage-manufacturing segment employed 333,000 people in 2024, equal to 16% of food and beverage manufacturing employment. Beverage manufacturing includes non-alcoholic drinks, alcoholic drinks and ice manufacturing, while the wider drinks market is commonly segmented into beer, wine, spirits, ready-to-drink products, soft drinks, water, energy drinks, coffee and tea.[98]
- Pricing
- Pricing pressure increased in the U.S. beverage-alcohol market in late 2025: the share of off-premise operators reporting increased consumer price sensitivity rose from 36% to 52%, while the comparable on-premise measure increased from 38% to 41%. NIQ also reported that growth increasingly depended on trusted brands, smaller formats and occasion-based purchases rather than broad price increases.[99]
- Trends, drivers & challenges
- The main growth pockets are ready-to-drink beverages, non-alcoholic products, functional drinks and premium formats. In 2025, RTDs represented more than 12% of total U.S. beverage-alcohol dollar sales, while total beverage-alcohol volume across 22 major markets fell 2%, reflecting weaker consumer confidence, moderation and economic pressure.[99][1]
- Consumer behavior & competition
- Consumer competition is increasingly organized around convenience, wellness, flavor and flexibility rather than only traditional categories. NIQ reported that non-alcohol beer, wine and spirits exceeded $1 billion in U.S. sales in 2025, while RTDs remained the most reliable beverage-alcohol growth engine despite slower growth.[99]
- M&A
- Beverage M&A rebounded strongly in 2025: McKinsey reported beverage deal value of $43 billion, more than double the $20 billion recorded in 2024. The increase was heavily influenced by Keurig Dr Pepper’s approximately $23 billion acquisition of JDE Peet’s.[100]
- Regulation
- U.S. beverage regulation continues to focus on labeling, ingredients and alcohol controls. The FDA’s 2026 Human Foods Program guidance agenda includes draft guidance on labeling caffeine content in foods and beverages, while alcoholic beverages remain subject to separate federal labeling and tax rules administered by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.[101]
- Latest news
- The latest industry direction is mixed: global beverage-alcohol volume declined 2% in 2025, but RTDs and no-alcohol products continued to gain share. In the U.S., NIQ reported that non-alcohol categories exceeded $1 billion in 2025 sales and that RTDs accounted for more than 12% of beverage-alcohol dollar sales.[1][99]
02 Ranking
Top 10 Companies in the Drinks Industry
The leading companies in the drinks industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.
Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026
AB InBev leads Gitnux's 2026 drinks ranking with an Overall score of 9.1, with 561.1 million hectoliters of consolidated beverage volume in 2025. Carlsberg Group is the runner-up at 9.0, with 148.0 million hectoliters of total beer, soft-drinks and other beverage volume in 2025.
Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓
Editor's top 3 picks
Where to start, by need.
#1 Overall · Leader in beer and alcoholic beverages
AB InBev
BE
Ranked #1 · 9.1 · Beer and alcoholic beverages
Why we picked it: Its global beer and alcoholic beverages scale is reflected in 2025 consolidated volume and margin.
Leader in non-alcohol beverages
The Coca-Cola Company
US
Ranked #3 · 9.0 · Non-alcohol beverages
Why we picked it: Its non-alcohol footprint is measured by country and territory coverage, alongside operating margin.
Leader in soft drinks, coffee & refreshments
Keurig Dr Pepper
US
Ranked #4 · 8.9 · Soft drinks, coffee & refreshments
Why we picked it: Its segment breadth spans multiple beverage occasions under one soft drinks, coffee and refreshment grouping.
Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.
Full ranking
| # | Company | Overall ↓ | Impact | Performance | Momentum | Innovation | Company snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AB InBev Beer and alcoholic beverages · BE | 9.1 | 9.6 | 8.4 | 8.7 | 9.9 | |
Company snapshot · AB InBev · Data as of November 11, 2026 AB InBev reported 561.1 million hectoliters of consolidated beverage volume in 2025.[102]
| |||||||
| 2 | Carlsberg Group Beer and alcoholic beverages · DK | 9.0 | 8.6 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 8.7 | |
Company snapshot · Carlsberg Group · Data as of November 11, 2026 Carlsberg reported 148.0 million hectoliters of total beer, soft-drinks and other beverage volume in 2025.[103]
| |||||||
| 3 | The Coca-Cola Company Non-alcohol beverages · US | 9.0 | 9.4 | 8.7 | 8.5 | 9.3 | |
Company snapshot · The Coca-Cola Company · Data as of November 11, 2026 Coca-Cola markets beverages in more than 200 countries and territories.[104]
| |||||||
| 4 | Keurig Dr Pepper Soft drinks, coffee & refreshments · US | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 9.3 | |
Company snapshot · Keurig Dr Pepper · Data as of November 11, 2026 KDP holds leadership positions in soft drinks, coffee, tea, water, juice and mixers.[77]
| |||||||
| 5 | Monster Beverage Energy drinks · US | 8.9 | 8.5 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.7 | |
Company snapshot · Monster Beverage · Data as of November 11, 2026 Monster Energy Drinks segment net sales reached $7.67 billion in 2025.[105]
| |||||||
| 6 | Heineken Global beer and cider · NL | 8.5 | 9.4 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 9.3 | |
Company snapshot · Heineken · Data as of November 11, 2026 HEINEKEN operates breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries.[106]
| |||||||
| 7 | Suntory Holdings Spirits, beer and soft drinks · JP | 8.5 | 9.1 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 8.7 | |
Company snapshot · Suntory Holdings · Data as of November 11, 2026 Suntory Group operates across spirits, beer, soft drinks, wellness and related beverage categories worldwide.[107]
| |||||||
| 8 | Nongfu Spring Bottled water and non-alcoholic beverages · CN | 8.4 | 7.0 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 7.0 | |
Company snapshot · Nongfu Spring · Data as of November 11, 2026
| |||||||
| 9 | Diageo Global spirits and alcoholic beverages · GB | 8.2 | 9.0 | 7.8 | 7.3 | 8.7 | |
Company snapshot · Diageo · Data as of November 11, 2026 Diageo reported more than 200 brands sold across approximately 180 countries and territories.[64]
| |||||||
| 10 | Coca-Cola FEMSA Coca-Cola bottling and beverages · MX | 7.9 | 7.0 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 8.7 | |
Company snapshot · Coca-Cola FEMSA · Data as of November 11, 2026
| |||||||
How we score
- Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
- Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
- Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
- Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.
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
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the drinks industry. In Drinks Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/drinks-industry-statistics/#top-companies
Revenue of the largest drinks companies
AB InBev leads with $59.3B in annual revenue (group level, converted to USD).
03 Trends & forecasts
Top 10 Drinks Industry Trends & Forecasts 2027
What is changing in the drinks 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.
01Alcohol volumes continue declining
High confidenceTotal beverage-alcohol volume declined 2% across 22 major markets in 2025, equivalent to about 500 million nine-litre cases. Beer, wine and spirits all contracted, while the overall decline marked a third successive year of volume reduction.[1]
Forecast 2027: Global beverage-alcohol volume is likely to decline again in 2027, although the rate should moderate as companies expand no- and low-alcohol alternatives and growth markets offset weakness in mature markets.
02RTDs maintain category leadership
High confidenceReady-to-drink products accounted for more than 12% of U.S. beverage-alcohol dollar sales in 2025. IWSR reported that RTD volume grew 3% globally in 2025, making it the only major beverage-alcohol category to expand.[99][1]
Forecast 2027: RTDs should remain the strongest beverage-alcohol growth platform in 2027, but growth will increasingly depend on spirits-based cocktails, differentiated flavors, moderate alcohol levels and distribution expansion rather than broad-based category novelty.
03No-alcohol beer gains share
High confidenceIWSR expects no-alcohol beer to double its share of global beer volume from 2% in 2025 to 4% by 2033. In 2025, non-alcohol beer, wine and spirits together exceeded $1 billion in U.S. sales.[1][99]
Forecast 2027: No-alcohol beer should continue gaining U.S. and European shelf space in 2027, with mainstream brewers using improved taste, brand extensions and wider food-service distribution to convert moderation occasions into repeat purchases.
04Functional drinks expand rapidly
Medium confidenceU.S. functional-beverage sales reached $31.3 billion over the latest year measured and increased nearly 11% year over year, according to NielsenIQ data reported in 2026. The category includes drinks positioned around benefits such as energy, hydration, focus and mood.[108]
Forecast 2027: Functional beverages should continue growing faster than conventional soft drinks in 2027, particularly in energy, hydration, focus and mood segments, while scrutiny of health claims and ingredient substantiation is likely to increase.
05Consumers trade down and reformat
High confidenceNIQ reported that consumer price sensitivity increased from 36% to 52% among U.S. off-premise beverage-alcohol operators in late 2025; the on-premise measure rose from 38% to 41%. The same research pointed to smaller formats, trusted brands and occasion-based purchases as important responses.[99]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, value packs, smaller servings, promotions and familiar brands should outperform less differentiated premium products, while consumers continue switching between at-home, on-premise and convenience occasions.
06Premiumization becomes more selective
Medium confidenceBeverage-alcohol dollar declines in 2025 were driven primarily by sustained volume softness, while RTDs and trusted brands remained comparatively resilient. This indicates that consumers are not abandoning premium products uniformly but are concentrating spending on brands and occasions they consider worthwhile.[99]
Forecast 2027: Premium growth in 2027 should be concentrated in credible provenance, distinctive flavor, craft quality and experiential products; undifferentiated luxury extensions are likely to face greater resistance from price-sensitive shoppers.
07India gains global beverage importance
High confidenceIndia recorded 4% beverage-alcohol volume growth in 2025, the strongest performance among the major markets cited by IWSR. IWSR expects India to rise from the world’s eighth-largest beverage-alcohol market to fifth by 2035.[1]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, multinational and regional drinks companies should increase investment in India through local production, affordable premium products, spirits innovation and modern retail, making the country a more important source of incremental volume.
08Beverage M&A remains concentrated
Medium confidenceGlobal beverage deal value reached $43 billion in 2025, more than double the $20 billion recorded in 2024. Keurig Dr Pepper’s approximately $23 billion acquisition of JDE Peet’s accounted for a substantial share of the increase.[100]
Forecast 2027: Beverage M&A should remain active in 2027, but capital is likely to favor scaled platforms in coffee, RTDs, functional drinks and international distribution rather than a broad return to high-volume acquisitions across every category.
09Recycled-content requirements tighten
High confidenceCalifornia requires beverage manufacturers to use at least 25% postconsumer recycled plastic in covered beverage containers from January 1, 2025, and 50% from January 1, 2030. Washington requires at least 25% postconsumer recycled plastic for most beverage containers from January 1, 2026 through 2030.[109][110]
Forecast 2027: By 2027, beverage producers should face higher demand and potentially tighter supply for food-grade recycled PET, encouraging lightweighting, greater use of aluminum and glass, packaging redesign and long-term recycling contracts.
10Caffeine and health labels face scrutiny
High confidenceThe FDA’s 2026 Human Foods Program guidance agenda includes draft guidance on labeling caffeine content in foods and beverages. The agency also identified added-sugar reduction, front-of-package nutrition information and greater transparency around food ingredients as 2026 priorities.[101]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, beverage companies should prepare for more prominent caffeine, sugar and functional-claim communication, with energy and wellness brands likely to bear the greatest compliance and reformulation costs.
04 Statistics
Technology & Innovation
We see frequent investment intent paired with data barriers. Nearly 60% of consumer packaged goods companies expect hiring issues to become more demanding, increasing pressure to use automation in beverage operations.
AI in the drinks industry
- 1,200 product formulations and 700 raw materials from 170 existing products were analyzed by AI to create a Japanese canned chuhai launched in 2023.[1]
- 12 bottles were included in The Glenlivet’s AI-designed luxury whisky label collection marking the distillery’s bicentenary in 2024.[1]
- 40% of North American food and beverage organizations were already implementing or using artificial intelligence in 2023.[2]
Automation in the drinks industry
- 14% of consumer packaged goods respondents ranked printed standard operating procedures or manuals as the most effective method for onboarding or upskilling operators in 2025.[3]
- Nearly 60% of consumer packaged goods companies expect hiring issues to become more demanding, increasing pressure to use automation in beverage operations, according to 2025 research.[3]
Digital Transformation in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 82% of food and beverage leaders said technology adoption was a strategic priority, while 6% reported fully integrated digital systems, in a 2025 survey.[4]
- 28% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals reported positive effects from digital transformation technologies on food-safety preventive controls in 2024.[5]
- 40% of 423 food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their organization’s biggest operational barrier in 2026.[4]
- 34% of food, beverage, and ingredient professionals said manufacturing process or assembly had been positively affected by digital transformation technologies in 2024.[5]
Technology Adoption in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 31% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in robotics or robotic process automation in 2025.[5]
- 22% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in machine-learning software in 2025.[5]
- 50% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in artificial intelligence as part of their 2025 digital-transformation strategies.[5]
- 23% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in mobile-app technologies in 2025.[5]
Cloud Computing in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 30% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in cloud computing or enterprise resource-planning software and systems in 2025.[5]
- 18% of food manufacturers were already using cloud-based manufacturing-execution systems, while 51% planned implementation, according to a 2025 industry survey.[6]
- 52% of food processors and manufacturers were considering cloud technology, while 45% reported no cloud use, in a 2023 industry survey.[2]
- 39.5% of EU enterprises in accommodation and food-service activities used paid cloud-computing services in 2025.[7]
Big Data in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 35% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in big data and real-time analytics in 2025.[5]
- 24% of food-manufacturing respondents were very familiar with advanced analytics, while 34% were moderately familiar, in CRB’s 2025 survey.[8]
- 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.[5]
- 13% of food manufacturers were already using advanced-analytics or big-data platforms, while 44% planned implementation, in a 2025 industry survey.[6]
Blockchain in the drinks industry
- 240 bottles per release were individually attested in a blockchain-based spirits provenance case study.[9]
- 5,000 wine bottles were linked to the Cardano blockchain in Baia’s Wine traceability project.[10]
- 9% to below 1% was the estimated decline in counterfeit incidence at auction after 18 months of blockchain-linked bottle attestation.[9]
IoT in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 26% of food manufacturers were already using IoT sensors or equipment monitoring, while 37% planned implementation, in a 2025 industry survey.[6]
- 16% of food, beverage, and ingredient companies anticipated investing in Internet-of-Things devices or sensors in 2025.[5]
- 31% of food-manufacturing respondents were very familiar with the Internet of Things, while 35% were moderately familiar, in CRB’s 2025 survey.[8]
- 33% of UK manufacturing companies had adopted IoT technologies in a 2024 national survey, with manufacturing among the sectors reporting comparatively high adoption.[11]
05 Statistics
Data & Analytics
We track analytics as a performance and data-governance constraint. One-third of organizations cited quick analysis gaps: 25% of food and beverage organizations struggled to obtain and analyze business-performance data quickly in 2024.
Business intelligence in the drinks industry
- 25% of food and beverage organizations said they struggled to obtain and analyze business-performance data quickly in 2024.[2]
- 41% of food and beverage companies planned to invest in business-intelligence tools during the 12 months following the 2024 survey.[2]
- 200-plus beverage brands in more than 200 countries were represented by the global beverage company in an NTT DATA analytics case study.[14]
- Nearly 8 million Coca-Cola customers were connected to B2B platforms in the first quarter of 2024.[15]
- 66% higher revenue growth was reported for food and beverage companies using industry-specific BI software than for companies without BI software.[2]
- More than 3 million outlets in Latin America benefited from Coca-Cola AI-enabled suggested orders in the first quarter of 2024.[15]
Data analytics in the drinks industry
- 13% was the sales growth reported for a food and beverage company using competitive-pricing analytics.[16]
- 50 million-plus downloads were recorded for Coca-Cola Japan’s Coke On app, which generated more than 1 million transactions per day.[15]
- 10%–15% was the reported inaccuracy in sales and unit data before analytics integration at hydration brand Greater Than.[17]
- 30% was the inventory-management improvement reported by hydration brand Greater Than after analytics implementation.[17]
- 12 months of sales transactions before and after cooler installation were analyzed in the Central American beverage-company machine-learning study.[18]
- 3,119 B2B traditional-trade clients were included in a machine-learning study of commercial-cooler allocation for a Central American beverage company.[18]
Data Quality in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 6.4 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data accuracy as important in 2018.[19]
- 77% of retail and consumer-products companies identified improving data quality as a priority in 2023.[20]
- 6.6 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data consistency as important in 2018.[19]
- 7.0 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data completeness as important in 2018.[19]
- 6.4 out of 10: Food, beverage and agriculture respondents rated data timeliness as important in 2018.[19]
- 22% of consumer-products companies reported that businesses lacked trust in data quality and validity in 2024.[21]
Data Governance in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 22% of consumer-products companies planned to increase investment in data infrastructure and governance over the following 12 months in 2024.[21]
- 43% of consumer-products companies reported struggling to establish the right level of data governance in 2024.[21]
- 47% of supply-management data-governance functions were housed in a center of excellence in 2024.[22]
- 61% of supply-management organizations had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024.[22]
- 90% of supply-management organizations agreed or strongly agreed that data governance was necessary in 2024.[22]
- 81% of supply-management organizations found their data-governance program useful in 2024.[22]
KPIs in the drinks industry
- 13% was the year-over-year growth in Starbucks U.S. 90-day-active Rewards members in the first quarter of fiscal 2024.[23]
- 75% of Starbucks U.S. beverage sales came from cold beverages in the final quarter of fiscal 2021.[23]
- 43% of U.S. company-operated Starbucks transactions used Starbucks Card payment in the first quarter of fiscal 2025.[23]
- 5% was Starbucks global comparable-store-sales growth in the first quarter of fiscal 2024.[23]
- 34.6 million U.S. 90-day-active Starbucks Rewards members were recorded in the first quarter of fiscal 2025.[23]
- $3.523 billion was loaded onto Starbucks Cards in the United States in the first quarter of fiscal 2025.[23]
06 Statistics
Strategy & Growth
We see category growth concentrated in no-alcohol and RTD formats, even as broader alcohol volumes decline. No-alcohol drinks across 10 key markets are forecast to grow at a 4% volume CAGR through 2028.
Growth in the drinks industry
- No-alcohol products added 61 million buyers across 10 key markets between 2022 and 2024.[1]
- No-alcohol drinks across 10 key markets are forecast to grow at a 7% volume CAGR through 2028.[1]
- The global no- and low-alcohol market across 10 key markets is forecast to grow at a 4% volume CAGR through 2028.[1]
- The no-alcohol category is expected to generate more than US$4 billion in incremental growth by 2028.[1]
- RTD cocktails and long drinks are forecast to reach a 25% share of RTD volume across key markets by 2027.[1]
- India’s beverage-alcohol value increased 9% in 2024.[1]
Differentiation in the drinks industry
- No-alcohol beer volume increased 8% globally from 2024 to 2025.[1]
- Spirit-based RTD volume increased 5% in 2022, while malt-based RTD volume declined 4%.[1]
- Indian whisky volume increased 4% globally in 2025.[1]
- No-alcohol beer value increased 12% globally from 2024 to 2025.[1]
- Up to 25% of RTD drinkers were willing to pay more for spirit-based RTDs than malt-based RTDs in 2022 research.[1]
- Stout volume increased 4% globally in 2025.[1]
Mergers and acquisitions in the drinks industry
- Beverage-sector M&A declined 18.3% year on year to 178 transactions in 2025.[24]
- Mars’s acquisition of Kellanova was valued at approximately US$36.1 billion in 2024.[25]
- Private strategic beverage acquisitions declined 10.7% year on year to 133 deals in 2025.[24]
- Beverage-sector M&A increased 21.7% year on year to 219 transactions in 2024.[24]
- Private-equity beverage deals declined 30% year on year to 28 transactions in 2025.[24]
- Coffee and tea M&A activity increased 50% year on year in 2024.[24]
Strategic partnerships in the drinks industry
- Molson Coors expanded its US non-alcohol portfolio through a strategic partnership with Fever-Tree in 2025.[26]
- RTD products were forecast to represent 20% of US alcohol ecommerce value by 2024, creating an incentive for channel partnerships.[1]
- Prime became the official sports drink of UFC through a multiyear global marketing partnership announced in January 2023.[27]
- Molson Coors acquired a majority stake in ZOA Energy in November 2024 before expanding its distribution into new accounts and channels.[26]
- Prime’s partnership with WWE placed the beverage brand’s logo at the center of the wrestling ring mat in 2024.[27]
- RTD cocktails and long drinks were forecast to gain 4 percentage points of RTD volume share by 2027.[1]
07 Statistics
People & Workforce
We capture hiring and skills constraints tied to workplace changes. Only 14% of consumer packaged goods respondents rated printed SOPs or manuals as the most effective method for onboarding or upskilling operators in 2025.
Hiring in the drinks industry
- More than 1,100 beverage-alcohol professionals participated in the 2025 Beverage Industry Career & Salary Report survey.[28]
- 23% of respondents associated the alcoholic beverage industry with being inclusive in Heineken USA’s 2024 survey.[29]
- 137,000 people were employed by U.S. beer distributors in 2024, down from 142,000 in 2020.[30]
- 23% of women surveyed cited the alcoholic beverage industry’s poor perception as a reason not to apply for a job.[29]
Employee retention in the drinks industry
Remote Work in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 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]
- Among food-sector career starters globally, 36% were fully site-based during their first two years of work, according to a 2024 survey.[34]
- 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.[35]
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.[36]
- Across U.S. food and beverage businesses, 26% offered employees the option to work in-person or remotely in 2025.[35]
- Among food-sector career starters globally, 27% worked in a hybrid arrangement during their first two years, according to a 2024 survey.[34]
- In U.S. restaurant and bar businesses, 12% offered employees a choice between in-person and remote work in 2025.[35]
Upskilling in the drinks industry
- 44% of beverage employers reportedly struggled to fill roles because of insufficient job-specific skills in 2024.[37]
- 71% of North American food and beverage companies upskilled existing employees to reduce recruitment burdens in 2023.[2]
- Only 14% of consumer packaged goods respondents rated printed SOPs or manuals as the most effective operator-upskilling method in 2025.[3]
Employee Engagement in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- Food-and-beverage organizations scored 7.91 out of 10 for employee engagement in the latest 2026 benchmark dataset.[38]
- 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.[39]
- Food-service employees recorded 72.6% engagement in 2026, up 9.1 percentage points from the prior measurement.[40]
- Globally, 21% of employees were engaged in 2025, providing an economy-wide benchmark relevant where food-and-beverage-specific engagement data are limited.[41]
DEI in the drinks industry
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.[43]
- In the 2024–2025 HR Systems Survey, 28% of organizations used adaptive or agile change management, while 24% used a project-based approach.[44]
- Among CPG executives, 5% said their companies decreased resources devoted to change-management initiatives during the prior 12 months.[45]
- In the 2024–2025 HR Systems Survey, 39% of organizations applied change management sporadically and 9% reported using no change management.[44]
- Among foodservice organizations surveyed in 2024, 46% identified siloed data and inaccessible specialists as barriers to systematic menu optimization.[43]
08 Statistics
Customer & Sales
We monitor shopper engagement and loyalty mechanics across channels. In the U.S., 68% of beverage leaders plan to target shoppers with personalized in-app messages.
Customer experience in the drinks industry
- 68% of beverage leaders plan to target shoppers with personalized in-app messages, while 64% plan to use personalized email.[46]
- 45% of U.S. Gen Z consumers say a beverage becomes more appealing when they learn about it from a creator or influencer.[47]
- 61% of U.S. beverage shoppers define good value primarily as low price, followed by taste at 46%, trusted quality at 40% and a trusted brand at 39%.[47]
- 48% of beverage leaders plan to emphasize convenience, including online shopping, ready-to-drink products and targeted baskets, in the U.S.[46]
- 19% of U.S. consumers use online grocery recommendations to explore functional beverages, ahead of fitness and health apps at 17%.[48]
Customer retention in the drinks industry
- 54% of U.S. CPG shoppers expect great customer service in exchange for loyalty.[49]
- 44% of RTD consumers are brand-loyal when their preferred RTD is unavailable, seeking the same choice elsewhere or another product in the brand range.[1]
- 46% of U.S. CPG shoppers say they demonstrate loyalty by using a brand’s loyalty card or scheme.[49]
- 50% of RTD consumers in the ten largest markets drink RTDs at least weekly, a frequency level that remained stable despite declines in other beverage-alcohol categories.[1]
- 39% of U.S. CPG shoppers say they demonstrate loyalty by using a brand’s app on their phone.[49]
Customer acquisition in the drinks industry
- 35.6% of U.S. adults would consider purchasing Coca-Cola the next time they buy a drink.[50]
- 46% of U.S. consumers are willing to pay more for beverages they consider premium.[51]
- 41.0% of U.S. adults would consider purchasing Gatorade the next time they buy a drink, the highest score among beverage brands in YouGov’s 2026 ranking.[50]
- 28.6% of U.S. adults would consider purchasing Starbucks the next time they buy a drink.[50]
- 32.3% of U.S. adults would consider purchasing Lipton the next time they buy a drink.[50]
Customer loyalty in the drinks industry
- 9.3% was the average brand-love score for beer brands in a 2025 U.S. consumer study.[52]
- 43% of U.S. beer buyers loved at least one beer brand in a 2025 consumer study.[52]
- 58% of surveyed consumers in the covered beverage market usually or always buy the same RTD tea brand.[53]
- 38% of surveyed consumers in the covered beverage market usually or always buy the same juice-drink brand.[53]
- 65% of surveyed consumers in the covered beverage market usually or always buy the same carbonated soft-drink brand.[53]
Lead generation in the drinks industry
- 72% of U.S. Gen Z consumers try new beverages monthly, providing a large recurring trial audience for new beverage launches.[51]
- Ads and sponsorships accounted for nearly 80% of recorded digital alcohol-marketing activity in four monitored countries during March 2025.[54]
- Nearly 4,000 alcohol-marketing posts monitored across Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines and South Africa generated an estimated 2 billion impressions in March 2025.[54]
- 26% of U.S. Gen Z consumers use loyalty apps to explore functional beverages.[48]
- 17% of U.S. consumers use fitness and health apps to explore functional beverages.[48]
09 Statistics
Marketing & Brand
We see performance gaps and disclosure issues alongside high brand dependence. In a 2024 study, 53% of sampled alcohol video ads failed industry guidelines.
Marketing in the drinks industry
- 68% of beverage leaders plan personalized in-app messages as a shopper-engagement tactic.[46]
- 45% of beverage leaders plan to use promotions to engage shoppers more directly.[46]
- 48% of beverage leaders plan to use loyalty programs to engage shoppers more directly.[46]
- 59% of beverage leaders plan to emphasize innovative and unique products as a response to changing shopper behavior.[46]
- 41% of beverage leaders plan to use exclusive offers to engage shoppers more directly.[46]
Digital marketing in the drinks industry
- 89% of sampled alcohol ads contained corporate branding in a 2024 study of 20 major alcohol brands.[55]
- 2 billion estimated impressions were generated by alcohol-marketing posts monitored across four countries during March 2025.[54]
- 53% of sampled alcohol video ads failed industry guidelines in a 2024 study of major beer, spirits, seltzer and RTD brands.[55]
- 44% of RTD consumers were brand-loyal when their preferred RTD was unavailable, according to IWSR consumer research.[1]
- 79.5 was the median number of likes, shares and comments per sampled alcohol ad in a 2024 digital-marketing study.[55]
Branding in the drinks industry
- 96% awareness, 78% consideration and 55% usage were recorded for Pepsi among surveyed carbonated-soft-drink consumers in the covered market.[53]
- 41.0% of U.S. adults considered Gatorade for their next beverage purchase in YouGov’s 2026 ranking.[50]
- 98% awareness, 85% consideration and 68% usage were recorded for Coca-Cola among surveyed carbonated-soft-drink consumers in the covered market.[53]
- 35.6% of U.S. adults considered Coca-Cola for their next beverage purchase in YouGov’s 2026 ranking.[50]
- 39% of U.S. beverage shoppers say a brand they trust is a key definition of good value.[47]
Influencer Marketing in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 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.[57]
- 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.[57]
- 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.[57]
- 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.[58]
- 69.3% of TikTok videos featuring branded food or beverage products had no brand-relationship disclosure, based on an analysis of 648 videos published in 2025.[58]
10 Statistics
Operations & Execution
We track execution via productivity, recalls, and supply-chain savings. In 2024, 40% of Heineken’s gross savings came from digitally enabled supply-chain productivity and transport-network optimization.
Process optimization in the drinks industry
- 80.732 index points measured U.S. beverage-manufacturing labor productivity in 2022, using 2017 as the base year.[59]
- 120.002 index points measured U.S. beverage-manufacturing labor productivity in 2003, using 2017 as the base year.[59]
- 89.878 index points measured U.S. beverage-manufacturing labor productivity in 2021, using 2017 as the base year.[59]
- 124.861 index points measured U.S. beverage-manufacturing labor productivity in 2004, using 2017 as the base year.[59]
- 131.935 index points measured U.S. beverage-manufacturing labor productivity in 2005, using 2017 as the base year.[59]
Operational efficiency in the drinks industry
- 10.3% was Coca-Cola Consolidated’s full-year increase in income from operations in 2024.[60]
- 22.6% was Coca-Cola Consolidated’s fourth-quarter increase in income from operations in 2024.[60]
- 0.6% was the decrease in Coca-Cola Consolidated full-year beverage volume in 2024.[60]
- 5.5% was Coca-Cola Consolidated’s 2024 full-year sales growth for sparkling bottles and cans.[60]
- 3.6% was Coca-Cola Consolidated’s 2024 full-year sales growth for still bottles and cans.[60]
Quality management in the drinks industry
- 9% of U.S. food-and-beverage recalls from 2002–2023 involved processing issues.[61]
- 1% of U.S. food-and-beverage recalls from 2002–2023 involved under-processing.[62]
- 2% of U.S. food-and-beverage recalls from 2002–2023 involved refrigeration issues.[62]
- 7% of U.S. food-and-beverage recalls from 2002–2023 involved foreign objects.[62]
- 3% of U.S. food-and-beverage recalls from 2002–2023 involved current good manufacturing practice issues.[62]
Supply chain in the drinks industry
- 40% of Heineken’s gross savings in 2024 came from digitally enabled supply-chain productivity and transport-network optimization.[63]
- 40% of Heineken’s gross savings in 2024 came from supplier collaboration and new procurement initiatives.[63]
- $1.7 billion was Diageo’s cumulative productivity benefit over fiscal 2022–2024.[64]
- 6% was the increase in the average bottle price for U.S. direct-to-consumer wine shipments in 2024.[65]
- $51.20 was the record average bottle price for U.S. direct-to-consumer wine shipments in 2024.[65]
Outsourcing / Offshoring in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 52% planned to expand their international footprint in 2023, including North America, EMEA and APAC expansion.[66]
- Among food and beverage CPG companies globally, 36% used co-manufacturers for finished-product manufacturing in 2023.[67]
- Among food and beverage CPG companies globally, 47% worked with up to 10 co-manufacturers in 2023.[67]
- Among United States and European food-services and facility-management buyers, 91% expected outsourcing budgets to increase over the five years following 2024.[68]
- Across food and beverage CPG companies globally, 75% used at least some co-manufacturing resources in 2023.[67]
11 Statistics
Finance & Pricing
We monitor price sensitivity and operating margins as performance signals. In late 2025 in the U.S., off-premise operators reporting increased consumer price sensitivity rose from 36% to 52%.
Pricing strategy in the drinks industry
- 6% was the 2024 increase in the average bottle price for U.S. direct-to-consumer wine shipments.[65]
- 1.6% was 2024 price/mix growth across the food-and-beverage industry measured by Circana.[3]
- 2.6% was 2024 dollar-sales growth across the food-and-beverage industry measured by Circana.[3]
- 2.5% was the year-over-year December 2024 increase in U.S. beer-at-home consumer prices.[29]
- 4% was PepsiCo’s global price increase in 2024.[27]
Cost reduction in the drinks industry
- $2 billion was Diageo’s productivity-savings target for fiscal 2025–2027.[64]
- $250 million was Campbell’s planned cost-savings program through fiscal 2028.[69]
- $1.7 billion was Diageo’s cumulative productivity saving delivered during fiscal 2022–2024.[64]
- $60 million was Campbell’s fiscal-2024 realized cost savings across procurement, manufacturing, logistics and transportation.[69]
- $70 million was Campbell’s expected fiscal-2025 saving from Meals & Beverages network optimization.[69]
Profitability in the drinks industry
- 39.9% was Coca-Cola Consolidated’s full-year 2024 gross margin.[60]
- 10.3% was Coca-Cola Consolidated’s 2024 increase in income from operations.[60]
- $6.8997 billion was Coca-Cola Consolidated’s 2024 net sales.[60]
- 40.0% was Coca-Cola Consolidated’s fourth-quarter 2024 gross margin.[60]
- 12.5% was Coca-Cola Consolidated’s fourth-quarter 2024 operating margin.[60]
Financial planning in the drinks industry
- $1.2 billion was the portion of Constellation Brands’ fiscal-2025 capital-expenditure plan associated primarily with Mexico beer projects.[70]
- $19.8 billion was the 2024 capital-spending budget of 31 large publicly traded food-and-beverage companies.[71]
- $6.8997 billion was Coca-Cola Consolidated’s 2024 net sales used to support capital-allocation planning.[60]
- $1.4 billion to $1.5 billion was Constellation Brands’ fiscal-2025 capital-expenditure plan.[70]
- $2 billion was Diageo’s committed productivity target for fiscal 2025–2027, a core financial-planning assumption.[64]
12 Statistics
Product & Service
We track innovation volume and line extensions as the main build pattern. In the 52 weeks ending November 29, 2025, 72% of beverage-alcohol innovation items were line extensions.
Product development in the drinks industry
- 39% of food and beverage companies cited competitive pressure as a top innovation driver in 2025.[4]
- 45% of food and beverage companies cited reducing ingredient and manufacturing costs as a top innovation driver in 2025.[4]
- 4,205 beverage-alcohol innovation items were launched in the United States in the 52 weeks ending November 29, 2025.[13]
- 45% of food and beverage companies cited healthier-product demand as a top innovation driver in 2025.[4]
- More than 70% of food and beverage manufacturers handled concept ideation, ingredient selection and recipe formulation in-house in 2024.[4]
Product lifecycle in the drinks industry
- 14% of coffee machines were only partially repaired in 2025 across repair cafés in eight countries.[72]
- 33% of surveyed coffee-machine users identified mechanical parts as the failure area that prevented continued use.[72]
- 60% of coffee machines were successfully repaired in 2025 across repair cafés in eight countries.[72]
- 26% of coffee machines could not be repaired in 2025 across repair cafés in eight countries.[72]
- 9,191 coffee-machine repairs were registered by participating repair cafés from 2015 to 2025.[72]
After-sales in the drinks industry
- 34.7% of more than 12,000 commercial espresso machines required at least one service visit during a typical year.[73]
- 3,000-plus bean-to-cup installations were managed by Vixxo in 2026.[74]
- 38,900 annual coffee-equipment repairs were managed by Vixxo in 2026.[74]
- 70% of diagnosed commercial espresso machines had more than one simultaneous fault in 2026.[75]
- 50% of diagnosed commercial espresso machines had a failed seal, gasket or O-ring in 2026.[75]
Value proposition in the drinks industry
- 46% of U.S. beverage shoppers identified taste as a key component of good value in 2026.[47]
- 48% of beverage-industry leaders planned to place greater emphasis on convenience in 2024.[46]
- 39% of U.S. beverage shoppers identified a trusted brand as a key component of good value in 2026.[47]
- 16% was the increase in U.S. consumer spending on seltzers and sparkling non-alcoholic beverages reported for 2024.[46]
- 61% of U.S. beverage shoppers defined good value primarily as low price in 2026.[47]
13 Statistics
Sustainability & Ethics
We track packaging circularity metrics and emissions disclosure. In 2024, 96% of Keurig Dr Pepper’s packaging was recyclable or compostable across its portfolio.
Sustainability in the drinks industry
- 3.3 billion gallons of water had been restored by Molson Coors between 2014 and 2023 across its operating regions.[76]
- 99.7% of Molson Coors packaging was reusable, recyclable or compostable in 2023 globally.[76]
- 96% of Keurig Dr Pepper’s packaging was recyclable or compostable in 2024 across its portfolio.[77]
- 17 large Molson Coors manufacturing facilities had obtained zero-waste-to-landfill certification by 2024.[76]
ESG in the drinks industry
- 11,286,588 metric tonnes of Scope 3 emissions were reported by Keurig Dr Pepper in 2024 globally.[77]
- 15,429 megalitres of water were withdrawn by Diageo in the year ended 30 June 2024 globally.[64]
- 295,720 metric tonnes of Scope 1 emissions were reported by Keurig Dr Pepper in 2024 globally.[77]
- 96 gCO₂e per litre was Diageo’s 2024 market-based Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity globally.[64]
- 38.3% of Molson Coors’ total carbon footprint came from packaging materials in 2023 globally.[76]
Ethics in the drinks industry
- $990.5 million was spent with diverse suppliers by Molson Coors in the Americas between 2021 and 2023.[76]
- 28.6% of Molson Coors’ board directors were women in 2023.[76]
- 20.5% of Molson Coors’ U.S. senior managers and above were people of colour in 2023.[76]
- 29.9% of Molson Coors’ U.S. workforce identified as people of colour in 2023.[76]
- 21.4% of Molson Coors’ board directors were people of colour in 2023.[76]
CSR in the drinks industry
- 70 million litres of water were returned to Spain’s Segura River by a PepsiCo project in 2023.[78]
- More than 96 million people had gained access to safe water through PepsiCo programmes since 2006 by 2024 globally.[78]
- $272 million of PepsiCo green-bond proceeds were allocated to climate-focused projects completed between 2020 and 2023.[78]
- 10% of PepsiCo beverage servings were sold through reusable models in 2023 globally.[78]
- $9.5 million was invested in community impact by Molson Coors in the Americas in 2023.[76]
Circular economy in the drinks industry
- 51% of glass beverage bottles were recycled globally in the 2026 dataset.[79]
- 9.4% was the average post-consumer recycled content in beverage signatories’ plastic packaging in 2020.[80]
- 76% of aluminium beverage cans were recycled globally in the 2026 dataset.[79]
- 54% of PET beverage bottles were recycled globally in the 2026 dataset.[79]
- 75% was the average reusable, recyclable or compostable share of beverage signatories’ plastic packaging in 2020.[80]
Carbon footprint in the drinks industry
- 160 gCO₂e per litre was Diageo’s 2024 location-based Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity globally.[64]
- 28% was Molson Coors’ reduction in Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse-gas emissions from its 2016 baseline in 2023.[76]
- 37.1% was Molson Coors’ reduction in absolute value-chain carbon emissions from its 2016 baseline by 2025.[76]
- 354,000 tonnes of direct greenhouse-gas emissions were reported by Diageo for the year ended 30 June 2024.[64]
- 46.1% was Molson Coors’ reduction in absolute direct-operation carbon emissions from its 2016 baseline by 2025.[76]
14 Statistics
Risk, Compliance & Legal
We track cyber risk and data-sharing constraints alongside packaging regulation. Nearly 30% of global food and beverage respondents reported cyberattack-related financial losses of at least $1 million in 2024.
Compliance in the drinks industry
- 94% of Keurig Dr Pepper’s plastic packaging was recyclable or compostable in 2024.[77]
- 21% was Keurig Dr Pepper’s reduction in virgin plastic across its packaging portfolio since 2019, reported in 2025.[77]
- 90% is the EU collection-for-recycling target for single-use plastic beverage bottles by 2029.[81]
- 3% of Keurig Dr Pepper’s plastic packaging was reusable or refillable in 2024.[77]
- 96% of Keurig Dr Pepper packaging was recyclable or compostable in 2024 while the company reported against packaging regulations across North America.[77]
Risk Management in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 62% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations felt in control of their key risks in 2026, down from 75% in 2024.[82]
- 44% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations were concerned about supply-chain vulnerabilities in 2026.[82]
- 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.[82]
- 45% of global food, beverage and agriculture organisations cited food safety and health as a top risk in 2026.[82]
Cybersecurity in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 36% of global food and beverage respondents said their organisations paid at least $1 million in ransomware demands in 2024.[71]
- Nearly 30% of global food and beverage respondents reported cyberattack-related financial losses of at least $1 million in 2024.[71]
- 50% of global food and beverage respondents reported greater confidence in their organisations’ ability to withstand cyberattacks than 12 months earlier in 2024.[71]
- More than 70% of global food and beverage respondents reported cyberattack-related financial losses of at least $100,000 in 2024.[71]
- 41% of global food and beverage respondents identified legal fees as a cyberattack-related cost in 2024.[71]
Data Privacy in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 45% of European food-data consumers surveyed across five countries in 2024 were classified as optimists who were open to data sharing.[83]
- 32.6% of food and beverage app users surveyed globally in 2025 were willing to share their name, down from 40.0% in 2024.[84]
- 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.[84]
- 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.[84]
- 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.[84]
Crisis Management in the food and beverage sector (sector benchmark)
- 59% of U.S. consumers surveyed in 2025 were hesitant to purchase the same food product or brand again after a recall.[85]
- 47% of global food and beverage companies reviewed business continuity plans every six months in 2024.[86]
- 75% of U.S. consumers surveyed in 2025 had recently heard about a food recall, indicating broad crisis-information reach.[87]
- More than 60% of U.S. consumers surveyed in 2025 first heard about a recent food recall through traditional or social media.[87]
- 31% of global food and beverage companies reviewed business continuity plans quarterly in 2024.[86]
Governance in the drinks industry
- 96% of Keurig Dr Pepper packaging was recyclable or compostable in 2024 under its reported impact metrics.[77]
- 20.5% of Molson Coors U.S. senior-manager-and-above roles were held by people of colour in 2023.[76]
- 17 large Molson Coors manufacturing facilities had zero-waste-to-landfill certification by 2024.[76]
- $51 million or more had been committed by Keurig Dr Pepper to circular-economy support since 2014 by 2025.[77]
- 36.3% of Molson Coors global senior-manager-and-above roles were held by women in 2023.[76]
15 Statistics
Globalization & Expansion
We track global consumption mix and the boundary between on-trade locality and platform growth. Global RTD consumption reached 1 billion nine-litre cases for the first time in 2025.
Globalization in the drinks industry
- India, China and the United States are expected to add a combined US$30 billion in beverage-alcohol value by 2028 at 2023 prices.[1]
- 2025 global beverage-alcohol volume declined 2% across 22 markets representing roughly 75% of the global market.[1]
- Global RTD consumption reached 1 billion nine-litre cases for the first time in 2025.[1]
- 66 of 165 beverage-alcohol markets recorded growth in servings in 2025, while 83 markets declined and 12 were flat.[1]
- 2025 global beer volume declined 2%, while global RTD volume increased 3%.[1]
Cultural adaptation in the drinks industry
- 67% of out-of-home consumers typically choose local brands rather than global brands when drinking in bars and restaurants.[88]
- 24% of consumers say it has become more important that their drink comes from their own country.[88]
- 36% of consumers try local drinks when they are on holiday.[88]
- 36% of bartenders ranked local brands among the offerings best placed to thrive in the year ahead.[88]
Supplier management in the drinks industry
- 149 beverage-sector transactions involving private business owners were recorded in 2024, up 13.7% year on year.[24]
- 21.7% of beverage-sector M&A transactions in 2024 were completed in the distribution and wholesale segment, according to Capstone’s segment analysis.[24]
- Beverage-sector M&A activity increased 21.7% year on year to 219 transactions in 2024.[24]
- 83.3% of North American food-and-beverage transactions in fourth-quarter 2024 were led by strategic acquirers seeking operational synergies.[25]
- Deals exceeding US$500 million represented 21.7% of disclosed beverage-sector transactions in 2025.[24]
Stakeholder management in the drinks industry
- 36% of bartenders considered local brands best placed to thrive in the coming year.[88]
- 83.3% of North American food-and-beverage transactions in fourth-quarter 2024 were strategic deals, reflecting corporate stakeholder-led consolidation.[25]
- 58% of surveyed Chinese consumers reported an on-trade last-consumption occasion in September 2023.[1]
- Private-equity beverage deals fell 30% year on year to 28 transactions in 2025.[24]
- 64% of surveyed Chinese consumers reported that their last beverage-alcohol occasion occurred in the on-trade in September 2024.[1]
Distribution channels in the drinks industry
- 19% of US alcohol ecommerce shoppers had only started buying alcohol online in 2019.[1]
- Chinese beverage-alcohol ecommerce was forecast to represent 6% of total off-trade volume by 2024.[1]
- RTDs were forecast to represent 20% of US alcohol ecommerce value by 2024.[1]
- 58% of surveyed Chinese consumers said their last beverage-alcohol consumption occasion was in the on-trade in September 2023.[1]
- RTDs were forecast to represent 10% of alcohol ecommerce value across 10 core markets by 2024.[1]
16 Statistics
Regional markets
We track country-level employment, trade, and duty receipts as local demand proxies. In 2024, Ireland supported more than 14,000 jobs in its alcohol drinks sector across the island.
The drinks industry in Ireland
- More than 14,000 jobs were supported by Ireland’s alcohol drinks sector across the island in 2025.[89]
- 43.3% was beer’s share of Ireland’s alcohol drinks market in 2024, making it the country’s most popular alcoholic beverage category.[89]
- €1.03 billion was the value of Irish whiskey exports in 2024, after exports increased 13% year on year.[90]
- 519 million litres of non-alcoholic beverages were imported into Ireland in 2024, valued at €484 million.[91]
- €2.7 billion in annual exports came from Ireland’s drinks sector in 2025, with products sold in more than 120 international markets.[89]
The drinks industry in United Kingdom
- 3.694 billion litres of beer were produced in the United Kingdom in 2024.[92]
- USD37.4 billion was the United Kingdom’s beer-market demand in 2024, the largest market size regionally.[93]
- 56,000 people were employed in Great Britain’s beverage-manufacturing industry in 2024.[94]
- £41.8 billion was the gross value added of UK food and drink manufacturing in 2025, while the sector employed 489,333 people and comprised 12,130 businesses.[95]
- £2.936 billion in UK Alcohol Duty receipts was recorded in April–June 2026, including £876 million from beer.[96]
Key questions about the Drinks Industry
How big is the drinks industry market by official global measure?
Is the drinks market growing globally?
Which companies lead the drinks industry?
What technology shifts are shaping beverage operations?
How is the market structured in terms of coverage and regional reporting?
Where is beverage innovation contributing to sales in the U.S.?
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.
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Drinks Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/drinks-industry-statistics
Ryan Townsend. "Drinks Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/drinks-industry-statistics.
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Drinks Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/drinks-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
110 sources cited across this report
theiwsr.com
foodindustryexecutive.com
bevindustry.com
tracegains.com
ift.org
marketing.foodindustryexecutive.com
ec.europa.eu
go.crbgroup.com
- kineticwebbuilders.com
- proofoforigin.app
productivity.ac.uk
balchem.com
industry.oregonwine.org
nttdata.com
coca-colacompany.com
casestudies.com
- sarasanalytics.com
arxiv.org
scm.ncsu.edu
informatica.com
kpmg.com
utah.ismworld.org
investor.starbucks.com
capstonepartners.com
mnp.ca
ir.molsoncoors.com
apnews.com
provi.com
brewbound.com
beerandbrewing.com
- ralionline.com
www-statista-com.libproxy.pcc.edu
siepr.stanford.edu
bsigroup.com
verizon.com
newsroom.cisco.com
gaugius.com
culturemonkey.io
nrn.com
- gohappyhub.com
gallup.com
fsg.org
mastercard.com
sapientinsights.com
manufacturing.net
simon-kucher.com
fmi.org
ey.com
- emarsystest.com
yougov.com
news.keurigdrpepper.com
journals.sagepub.com
- insightasia.com
- alertsbycanary.org
doi.org
emplifi.io
tinuiti.com
jmir.org
fred.stlouisfed.org
sec.gov
sciencedirect.com
repository.library.noaa.gov
heinekenholding.com
diageo.com
sovos.com
foodlogistics.com
prnewswire.com
oliverwyman.com
investor.thecampbellscompany.com
- financialfilings.com
foodprocessing.com
susproc.jrc.ec.europa.eu
- yuanmhe.com
vixxo.com
- socalcoffee.repair
molsoncoors.com
keurigdrpepper.com
pepsico.com
international-aluminium.org
content.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
unesda.eu
wtwco.com
eu-cap-network.ec.europa.eu
verve.com
gs1us.org
scribd.com
ific.org
- join-sip.com
ibec.ie
bordbia.ie
www-cloud.cso.ie
- madeinengland.com
euromonitor.com
- stateintegrity.org.uk
fdf.org.uk
gov.uk
americanbeverage.org
bls.gov
nielseniq.com
mckinsey.com
fda.gov
otcmarkets.com
carlsberggroup.com
investors.coca-colacompany.com
investors.monsterbevcorp.com
theheinekencompany.com
suntory.com
axios.com
calrecycle.ca.gov
apps.leg.wa.gov

Social media in the drinks industry