The global market for premium beer is set for further strong growth

According to forecasts in the report Global market review of premium beer – forecasts to 2013, the global premium beer market will reach 655m hls in 2013, representing an increase of 74.7% from 2006.

 Asia Pacific and Eastern Europe are seen as the principal
growth engines of the global market for premium beers with growth also coming
from Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East and
Australasia," the report states.
While volumes in Western Europe will grow by a respectable
42.2% to 202m hls, volumes in Eastern Europe will increase by 90.5% to 120m
hls, with Russia and Poland spearheading the growth. This would mean that
Eastern Europe will be a larger regional market than North America by 2013,
taking over as the second largest region in volume terms. Nevertheless, premium
beer volumes in North America are expected to increase by 50% over this period
to 105m hls in 2013. Volumes in Asia Pacific are expected to rise by 125% to
135m hls by 2013, with growth being fuelled by rising demand in China.