Heineken has surpassed Corona Extra to claim the title of the globe's most valuable beer brand. With a valuation of USD 7.6 billion, the Dutch brewery witnessed a 10 percent increase in value year-over-year in 2023. This achievement displaced Corona, which led the ranking for the past four years, from its previous position, despite the latter's commendable 6 percent growth. The Mexican lager remains a formidable contender, closely trailing with a valuation of USD 7.4 billion.
Being the best-selling beer brand in Europe, Heineken has achieved better revenues and organic growth due to price increases last year. Consumption habits are changing, and consumers are willing to spend more on products considered of superior quality, favoring Heineken, which is positioned in this premium category.
Following Heineken and Corona, the list is followed by Budweiser at $6.6 billion, Bud Light at $5.9 billion, and Modelo Especial at $4.2 billion, completing the top five most valuable brands.
Brand Finance, the leading brand evaluation consultancy based in London/UK, assesses every year 5,000 of the largest brands across various sectors and publishes over 100 reports, ranking brands in all industries and countries based on a methodology that combines brand recognition by the public, level of investment, and revenue projection.
In Brand Finance's methodology, a brand is defined as an intangible asset related to marketing, including names, terms, signs, symbols, logos, and designs intended to identify goods, services, or entities, creating distinct images and associations in the minds of stakeholders, thus generating economic benefits.
For large breweries, a brand can be one of the most valuable assets of a company. Despite inflationary pressures and recent controversies, the beer industry has shown healthy and stable growth as it continues to recover from the impacts of the pandemic. Consumers' preference for higher-quality beers with sensory differentiators over more economical options has favored Heineken.
"It seems that beer drinkers are not necessarily drinking more, but instead, they are drinking better. Visits to bars and restaurants are becoming less regular and spontaneous, which means many consumers are looking to switch to their preferred beer, prioritizing flavor and quality over price," said Henry Farr, associate director of Brand Finance.
