Beer, an age-old drink, is a unifying force among cultures, a bridge between countries, and a source of pleasure for billions. Beyond its centuries-long history, beer symbolizes progress, a testament to humanity’s drive to create great quality and flavor. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, beer is consumed everywhere, with production spanning 160 nations. All 195 countries likely drink beer, except 14 nations where alcohol consumption isn’t allowed. The Sumerians first enjoyed this ancient alcoholic beverage, considered the oldest in the world, around 4,000 B.C. It remains popular, ranking third in global beverage consumption after water and tea.
China is the number one beer manufacturer in the world, with an annual production amount that’s almost twice as much as the United States, the second-highest beer producer. Brazil is in third place. This isn’t unexpected, considering China’s massive population. The Czech Republic is the leader in per-capita beer consumption. Asia has a significant impact on beer production, with 11 of the 25 greatest beer companies based there, four of them located in China (or 12 if Turkey is excluded, which is situated between Asia and Europe).
In addition to Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, other countries are also featured on the list. Anheuser-Busch InBev, a Belgium-based business, is number one, producing double the amount of beer annually compared to Heineken, in second place. Notable American brands, such as Budweiser, Michelob, and Busch, are all associated with Anheuser-Busch InBev. Germany is the most represented country, with six businesses making the list, although just one of them ranks in the top 25.
It should be mentioned that the list of brands owned by each company is usually not complete. The complicated web of alliances, minority investments, and local agreements often means that companies associated with beer have connections with each other. As an example, San Miguel of the Philippines has an arrangement with a Spanish business to make beer under its brand name, leading to both San Miguels being on the list as separate entities. Additionally, Compañía de las Cervecerías Unidas in Chile produces Heineken in South America and imports and makes available different well-known beer labels.
Investigating the top 25 leading beer companies is of utmost importance. These are the companies that have been at the forefront of the industry, combining traditional methods with the most modern brewing techniques. As we take a closer look at their practices, we can see the way the history of beer and its future have intertwined, and how these giants of the industry are actively influencing the present. They are preserving the classic beer taste while also pushing the limits of quality, flavor, and expertise.
- Anheuser-Busch InBev
> Headquarters: Belgium
> Annual output: 13.7 billion gallons
> Major brands: Budweiser, Michelob, Rolling Rock, Busch, Stella Artois, Pacifico
> Market statistics: Anheuser-Busch InBev is the world’s largest brewer and one of the world’s top five consumer products companies by revenue. Anheuser-Busch revenue for the twelve months ending June 30, 2023 was $59.091B, a 4.59% increase year-over-year. Anheuser-Busch annual revenue for 2022 was $57.786B, a 6.41% increase from 2021. Anheuser-Busch annual revenue for 2021 was $54.304B, a 15.83% increase from 2020. - Heineken
> Headquarters: Netherlands
> Annual output: 6.8 billion gallons
> Major brands: Heineken, Amstel, Moretti, Cruz Campo
> Market statistics: Heineken is one of the world’s leading brewers, with a prominent international presence through a global network of distributors and breweries. Revenue for the first quarter of 2023 was €7,632 million (2022: €6,989 million). - China Resources Snow Breweries
> Headquarters: China
> Annual output: 3.3 billion gallons
> Major brands: Snow
> Market statistics: China Resources Snow Breweries is the largest beer producer in China and one of the largest in the world. As per reports, in 2022, the most profitable company in the Chinese beer market was CR, the producer of the famous Snow beer (雪花啤酒), with RMB 35 billion (USD 4.9 billion) generated revenue, followed by Tsingtao Brewery and Chongqing Beer. - Carlsberg Group
> Headquarters: Denmark
> Annual output: 2.7 billion gallons
> Major brands: Carlsberg, Tuborg, Kronenbourg
> Market statistics: Carlsberg Group is one of the leading brewery groups in the world, with a significant portfolio of beer and other beverage brands. In 2023, the company expects a translation impact on operating profit of around DKK -900m for 2023. However, it also anticipates organic growth in operating profit of +4% to +7%. - Molson Coors
> Headquarters: USA/Canada
> Annual output: 2.2 billion gallons
> Major brands: Coors, Molson, Miller, Yuengling, Blue Moon
> Market statistics: Molson Coors is a leading global brewer with a diverse portfolio of owned and partner brands. Molson Coors Beverage revenue for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $3.267B, an 11.8% increase year-over-year. Molson Coors Beverage’s revenue for the twelve months ending June 30, 2023, was $11.178B, a 5.67% increase year-over-year. - Tsingtao Brewery Group
> Headquarters: China
> Annual output: 2.1 billion gallons
> Major brands: Tsingtao
> Market statistics: In 2022, the company generated approximately 32.2 billion yuan in revenue. That year, Tsingtao Brewery sold around 8.07 million kiloliters of beer. - Asahi Group
> Headquarters: Japan
> Annual output: 1.6 billion gallons
> Major brands: Asahi, Grolsch, Peroni, Pilsner Urquell
> Market statistics: Asahi is among the leading beer manufacturers worldwide, accounting for about three percent of global beer volume sales. In fiscal year 2022, Asahi Group Holdings generated over 39 percent of its revenue through its overseas business. - BGI/Group Castel
> Headquarters: France
> Annual output: 1.2 billion gallons
> Major brands: Flag, Castel
> Market statistics: BGI/Groupe Castel is the leading brewer in France and is taking advantage of the growing popularity of beer in France. The group claims to have a 25 percent share of profits from the African beer market. - Yanjing
> Headquarters: China
> Annual output: 996 million gallons
> Major brands: Yanjing
> Market statistics: According to a 2022 report, Yanjing Beer is one of the major domestic beer market shareholders in China, accounting for more than half of the total beer market along with Snow Beer, Tsingtao Beer, Harbin Beer, and Budweiser. - Efes Group
> Headquarters: Turkey
> Annual output: 34.0/898 million gallons
> Major brands: Efes
> Market statistics: Efes Market statistics: Efes Group is a global company that exports three-quarters of its production. It is the 6th largest brewer in Europe in terms of sales volume. Efes is also the 11th largest brewer in the world. In 2023, Efes Beverage Group’s revenue was $5.55 billion. - Constellation Brands
> Headquarters: USA
> Annual output: 877 million gallons
> Major brands: Corona, Modelo
> Major statistics: Constellation Brands was able to grow its net sales in 2022 by seven percent to 9.5 billion U.S. dollars. Nearly all of the company’s sales were generated in the United States
Constellation Brands produces some of the world’s most iconic beer, wine and spirits brands. The company’s portfolio includes Corona Extra (the #1 imported beer in the U.S. and #5 beer overall), Modelo Especial (the #2 imported beer in the U.S.), Robert Mondavi Winery (the #1 wine brand in the U.S.), Kim Crawford (the #1 New Zealand wine brand in the U.S.), SVEDKA Vodka (the #1 imported vodka brand in the U.S.), Casa Noble Tequila and High West Whiskey. - Group Pétropolis
> Headquarters: Brazil
> Annual output: 687 million gallons
> Major brands: Itaipava, Crystal
> Market statistics: Before the pandemic hit the country in 2020, Grupo Petrópolis had 14.5% of the beer market by volume. But Petrópolis recently filed for bankruptcy protection. The brewery claims it had revenues of R$13 billion in 2022, a 4.4% drop, and a debt of R$4.4 billion. - Kirin
> Headquarters: Japan
> Annual output: 645 million gallons
> Major brands: Kirin
> Market statistics: The brewery is a major beer manufacturer in Japan and has expanded its branding towards the global market. Even after the expansion into the non-alcoholic beverages and pharmaceutical businesses, the company’s domestic alcoholic beverages segment remained a significant revenue source.
In 2017, Kirin Brewery held a 27.6 percent market share within the beer market in Japan. In fiscal year 2022, Kirin Beverage Company, Limited generated revenue of less than 246 billion Japanese yen, a slight decrease from 246.6 billion yen in the previous year. - Guinness (Diageo)
> Headquarters: Ireland
> Annual output: 631 million gallons
> Major brands: Guinness, Kaliber, Harp, Smithwick’s
> Market statistics: Guinness is an Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James’s Gate, Dublin, Ireland, in 1759. It is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost 50 countries and available in over 120. Sales in 2011 amounted to 850 million litres (220,000,000 US gal). In 2023, Guinness – a beer brand owned by Diageo – had a brand value of 2.51 billion U.S. dollars and was the most valuable Irish brand. - Compañía de las Cervecerías Unidas
> Headquarters: Chile
> Annual output: 465
> Major brands: Cristal, Heineken, plus Budweiser, Tecate, Blue Moon, etc. as a distributor
> Market statistics: Compañía de las Cervecerías Unidas, also known as CCU, is a diversified beverage company operating principally in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. CCU is the largest Chilean brewer, the second-largest Argentine brewer and soft drink producer, and the second-largest Chilean wine producer. According to Yahoo Finance, the market capitalization - San Miguel Corporation
> Headquarters: Philippines
> Annual output: 460 million gallons
> Major brands: San Miguel
> Market statistics: San Miguel Corporation reported earnings of P1.5 trillion in 2022, up 60 percent from the P941 billion it brought in in 2021 and even outperforming the 2019 record of P1 trillion. - Sabeco (Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp.)
> Headquarters: Vietnam
> Annual output: 404 million gallons
> Major brands: Saigon, 333
> Market statistics: Sabeco (Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp.): Sabeco (Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp.) has 26 plants with a total capacity of over 1.8 billion liters of beer per year. - Grupo Mahou – San Miguel
> Headquarters: Spain
> Annual output: 404 million gallons
> Major brands: Mahou, San Miguel (Spain)
> Market statistics: In 2022, Grupo Mahou – San Miguel achieved a turnover of 1,743.32 million euros. Innovation drove over 3% of their total sales, reaffirming their leadership in delivering value to consumers, distributors, and customers. - Singha Corporation
> Headquarters: Thailand
> Annual output: 386 million gallons
> Major brands: Singha
> Market statistics: Singha Corporation generates approximately $81.7 million in annual revenue, resulting in an estimated revenue per employee of $394,565. - Pearl River (Zhujiang)
> Headquarters: China
> Annual output: 354 million gallons
> Major brands: Pearl River
> Market statistics: In February 2021, Zhujiang Beer reported operating revenue of 4.249 billion yuan in 2020, marking a 0.13% year-on-year increase. The company’s net profit for shareholders reached 569 million yuan, with a 14.43% year-on-year increase.
In February 2022, Zhujiang Beer announced a projected net profit of 612 million yuan for 2021, marking a year-on-year increase of 7.42%. The annual beer sales volume reached 1,276,300 tons, reflecting a 6.41% year-on-year increase. - S.A. Damm
> Headquarters: Spain
> Annual output: 336 million gallons
> Major brands: Estrella Damm, Vol-Damm
> Market statistics: S.A. Damm is one of the most significant breweries in Spain and one of the leaders in the beer sector in Europe. The company has a strong presence in the Spanish market, with its flagship brand, Estrella Damm, being one of the most popular beers in the country. In 2021, the turnover of Damm exceeded 1.488 million euros, with an increase of 21.5% compared to 2020 and 7.5% compared to 2019, and obtaining a net profit of 121.3 million euros. In 2022, S.A. Damm had a turnover of 1.27 billion euros. - Radeberger Gruppe
> Headquarters: Germany
> Annual output: 291 million gallons
> Major brands: Dortmunder, Berliner Pilsener
> Market statistics: Radeberger Gruppe is Germany’s largest brewery group, with a market share of around 15%. The company has a diverse portfolio of beers and is particularly strong in the premium and super-premium segments. In 2022, Radeberger Gruppe generated a turnover of around 2 billion euros. - Chang (ThaiBev)
> Headquarters: Thailand
> Annual output: 230 million gallons
> Major brands: Chang
> Market statistics: Chang Beer, which started production in March 1995 at a brewery in the Bang Ban District of Ayutthaya Province, is the top-selling brand in Thailand.
It managed to win a 60 percent market share in Thailand after a hard market fight with the previous leading brand, Singha.
In FY22 (Full Year ended 30 September 2022), Thai Beverage Public Company Limited (ThaiBev), which brews Chang Beer, saw its net profit rise substantially by 26.2% to Baht 34,505 million YoY.
The beer business registered a considerable 143.6% growth in net profit, driven by the reopening of Thailand and Vietnam. - Suntory
> Headquarters: Japan
> Annual output: 214 million gallons
> Major brands: Jun-nama
> Market statistics: Suntory is a brewing and distilling company headquartered in Osaka and operates as one of the four major beer breweries on the Japanese market, along with Asahi, Kirin, and Sapporo.
In 2022, Suntory Holdings Limited generated the highest share of its revenue within its home market, Japan, with around 49 percent.
In 2023, forecasts indicated that Suntory Holdings Limited would achieve a revenue of 3.1 trillion Japanese yen, an increase from the slightly under three trillion yen recorded in the previous year. As of September 2023, Suntory has a market cap of $9.99 Billion. - Swinkels Family Brewers
> Headquarters: Netherlands
> Annual output: 211 million gallons
> Major brands: Bavaria, La Trappe, Palm, Claro
> Market statistics: Swinkels Family Brewers is the second-largest brewery company in the Netherlands after Heineken and one of the largest malt producers in Europe.
The business has a turnover of more than 835 million euros per year. Out of this profit, two-thirds come from more than 130 countries outside the Netherlands.
In 2022, their sales rose from EUR 835 million in 2021 to EUR 1,032 million, an increase of 23%.
A salute to the top 25 international beer companies! They have persevered in the pursuit of brewing excellence, striking a balance between traditional methods and pioneering new techniques, thus ensuring beer’s presence in the world of drinks. Here’s to beer and the people behind it who make it so special.
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