World Beer Day will be held on August 3, a worthy date to celebrate in Mexico for being the number one country in beer exports and the fourth producer internationally, exceeding the brewing powers of Germany.
With friends, as a couple, or with the family, it is important to remember on this special date that the beer industry has put Mexico in the lead because one of every five beers exported in the world is Mexican.
Maribel Quiroga, Director General of Cerveceros de México, shared some information that will lead the inhabitants of this country to feel proud of this product of great importance for economic development.
“We celebrate that Mexico is the first exporter of beer in the world and has been in a sustained manner in the last five years, last year there was an export of around 33 million hectoliters, which represented a growth of 2.8 percent in 2016 “.
It also represents 23 percent of the country’s agroindustrial exports, “it should be noted that these 33 million hectoliters represent 21 percent of total beer exports in the world, a value much higher than the exports of the Netherlands (14.4 percent ), Belgium (11 percent), and Germany with around 10 “.
These figures show that in addition to Mexico, there are hundreds of countries, 180 in particular, that can enjoy the beers that are exported here, mainly the United States, (where 81 percent of the export arrive). It is followed by the United Kingdom, with three percent; China, 2.3, and Canada, 1.4.
The production is also worth celebrating that in 2017, the country became the fourth producer of beer worldwide. Currently, 110 million hectoliters are produced, while last year there was 105 million. China is in the lead with the production of 449 million hectoliters; United States, 219 million, and Brazil in the third position with 129.
Mexico has 31 active breweries throughout the country, distributed in Aguascalientes, Coahuila, Baja California, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Queretaro, Nuevo Leon, Puebla, Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Sonora, Veracruz and Zacatecas.
“In Zacatecas, we have the largest plant in the world, of the model group, so we can say that it is the state, in terms of hectoliters, that produces the most beer.” Crafts in the industry there has been a “boom” in the production, which are increasingly positioned nationally and internationally.
In the country, there are around 600 projects of microbreweries or craft breweries, including those that are made at home. Baja California is the state with the highest number of craft breweries or microbreweries, followed by Mexico City, Michoacán, Jalisco and Nuevo León.
“However, Jalisco is the entity with the highest production of craft beer, thanks to the presence of brands that have gained strength in recent years such as Minerva, Loba and Fortuna”.
The consumption, contrary to what you might think and unlike other products, “the Mexican consumes the Mexican brands” when it comes to beer, because more than half of the production of this beverage stays in the country. Meanwhile, imports are minimal (2.6 million hectoliters) and come mainly from the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom.
The annual per capita consumption is 65 liters of beer in Mexico. In this sense, Mexico still has a way to go, since it is in position 32 globally, while there are other nations such as the Czech Republic with a per capita consumption of 143 liters of beer; Germany, with 110, or the United States, with 90.
The value chain of the beer industry contributes one percent to the National GDP, and generates 55 thousand direct jobs and more than 600 thousand indirect jobs. In addition, according to a study carried out last year with INEGI, the production of beer, according to gross production, is among the 14 most important activities of the country’s manufacturing production.
Where to celebrate World Beer Day in Puerto Vallarta:
Los Muertos Brewing
losmuertosbrewing.com
Monzón Brewery
monzonbrewing.com
La Cervecería Unión
lacerveceriaunion.com.mx
