Who is the Biggest?

BarthHaas, one of the world's leading hop suppliers based in Nuremberg, Germany, has compiled a new ranking of the “Top 40 Breweries”. 

Three brewing groups dominate the global market 

Overall, the output volume of the 40 largest breweries worldwide fell by 2.2 percent to around 1.62 billion hectoliters in 2023. Particularly striking is the high weight of the groups that top the list: The top 3 alone - AB InBev, Heineken and China Res. Snow Breweries - together account for more than half of the beer output of the top 40 breweries.

There was not much movement in the list of the 40 largest brewery groups in 2023. The French group Financière ACP, which combines the output of Brasserie St. Omer and Goudale, is a newcomer in 37th place. It replaces the Vietnamese group Habeco, Hanoi, whose output declined sharply in a difficult environment.

The buying and selling activities in 2023 took place in the area of regional breweries. The Danish Royal Unibrew acquired a brewery in San Giorgio di Nogaro, Italy, from Birra Castelo and the microbrewery Nørrebro Bryghus from Denmark. Carlsberg bought the Waterloo Brewing Company in Canada and Heineken took over the Distell Group (South Africa/Namibia).

The brewing groups left the Russian market more or less voluntarily, either through forced nationalization, as in the case of Baltika, or by selling for a symbolic value (Heineken). AB InBev transferred its shares in the Russian business to its Turkish partner Efes.

In the USA, AB InBev sold eight (craft beer) breweries, including all brand rights, to Tilray, a company that had previously been involved in the marketing of cannabis and is diversifying into alcoholic beverages. The interest of large breweries in the craft segment has waned noticeably; several have sold off or closed breweries acquired in the past and are once again focusing on premium and mass brands.

The top 10

1st place 
AB Inbev, Belgium, 505.9 million hectoliters
2nd place
Heineken, Netherlands, 242.6 million hectoliters
3rd place
China Res. Snow Breweries, China, 122.2 million hl
4th place
Carlsberg, Denmark, 101 million hl
5th place
Molson Coors, USA/Canada, 83.8 million hl
6th place
Tsingtao Brewery Group, China, 74.1 million hl
7th place
Asahi Group, Japan, 65 million hl
8th place
BGI/Groupe Castel, France, 42.7 million hl
9th place
Yanjing, China, 39.4 million hl
10th place
Efes Group, Turkey, 35.7 million hl

About BarthHaas

BarthHaas is a leading global supplier of hop products and hop-related services. The family business, now in its eighth generation, specializes in the creative and efficient use of hops and hop products. As a visionary, driving force and implementer of ideas, BarthHaas has been shaping the market for a unique raw material for enjoyment for over 225 years.

Source: BarthHaas
Foto: © AdobeStock - Parilov