In 2023, the global beer market experienced a slight contraction, with the total output volume of the 40 largest brewers worldwide decreasing by 2.2 percent to approximately 1.62 billion hectoliters, according to a press release by BarthHass. Notably, the top three brewers—AB InBev, Heineken, and China Res. Snow Breweries—together produced more than half of the total output of the top 40 brewers.
The rankings of the 40 largest brewing groups remained relatively stable in 2023. A new entrant at 37th place is the French group Financière ACP, which combines the output of Brasserie St. Omer and Goudale, replacing the Vietnamese group Habeco, whose output declined significantly in a challenging market.
In 2023, mergers and acquisitions focused on regional breweries. The Danish group Royal Unibrew acquired a brewery in San Giorgio di Nogaro, Italy, from Birra Castelo (inside.beer, 21.7.2023), and the microbrewery Nørrebro Bryghus in Denmark (inside.beer, 6.1.2023). Carlsberg purchased the Waterloo Brewing Company in Canada (inside.beer, 15.12.2022), and Heineken took over the Distell Group in South Africa and Namibia (inside.beer, 9.3.2023).
Brewing groups also withdrew from the Russian market, some through forced nationalization, like Baltika (inside.beer, 16.7.2023), or through sales at token prices, such as Heineken (inside.beer, 22.4.2023). AB InBev sold its stake in its Russian joint venture to its Turkish partner Efes (inside.beer, 22.4.2022)
In the USA, AB InBev sold eight craft breweries and their respective brand rights to Tilray, a company previously focused on cannabis marketing now diversifying into alcoholic beverages (inside.beer, 7.8.2023). Interest from major brewers in the craft segment decreased noticeably, with several disposing of or closing recently acquired breweries to refocus on premium and mass-market brands.
