VAB – Association of Export Breweries in North, West and Southwest Germany

Industry

The export of German beer has increased significantly in the last three decades. The export quota has now reached 17 %. Thirty years ago, the sales markets were mainly in Europe with focus on the German holiday regions in the Mediterranean, but today the industry’s exports are much more diversified and more geared toward third countries outside the EU. China is now the second largest sales market after Italy. Exports to Russia and South Korea have also developed very dynamically in recent years. In the past ten years, the share of third country deliveries in total exports has more than doubled to over 52 %. The German brewing industry has benefited decisively from the EU’s free trade agreements and has proven to be an extremely competitive sector on international markets.