Italian beer production in 2021 surpasses pre-pandemic levels

By: Trademagazin Date: 2022. 08. 05. 12:00

Italian beer production reached 17.6 million hectolitres (hl) in 2021, surpassing both 2019’s (17.3 million hl) and 2020’s (15.8 million hl) figures. The figures come from the 2021 Annual Report of Assobirra, the association of Italian beer and malt makers.

Exports, amounting to 3.8 million hl, were also higher than in 2019 (3.5 million) and 2020 (3.3 million). Italian beer confirmed its popularity even in countries with a strong brewing tradition such as the UK, which accounted for 46.9% of Italian beer exports.

However, significant price increases in raw materials and utilities threatens to jeopardise the recovery of the brewing industry. According to Assobirra, the goal is to return to growth and ‘preserve the shared value generated by beer in Italy’, which in 2019, prior to the pandemic, amounted to €9.5 billion per year and employed 108,000 families, contributing €4.5 billion per year to the state coffers.

ESM