Eloise Trenda
Research Expert covering global food topics with a focus on the French, Spanish, and LATAM markets
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With these two nations among the leading beer-producing countries worldwide, and despite the seemingly large local demand, beer exports in Latin America and the Caribbean have exceeded its imports in recent years. Overall, the region experienced a trade surplus of more than three billion U.S. dollars in 2019, slightly below a year earlier, but more than two billion dollars higher than in 2016. When considering the most recent period, the beer trade surplus registered in the region is comparable with the value of Latin American beer exported solely to the United States, accounting for around 90 percent of the industry’s total exports, and making it its most important beer export partner. As a comparison, its second destination of beer exports - China - accounted for roughly two percent of the total.Anheuser-Busch InBev, Ambev, and Grupo Modelo
As a result of the region's international presence, Latin American beer brands are among the mayor players in the industry. Anheuser-Busch InBev - one of the main beer corporations - for instance, is a parent company to the Brazilian Ambev, and the Mexican beer producer Grupo Modelo. Some of Anheuser-Busch InBev Latin American labels, including Grupo Modelo’s Corona and Ambev’s Brahma, are among the world’s most valued beer brands. In the region, some other top brands, such as Skol and Aguila, are also produced by the multinational. More locally consumed favorites include the Brazilian Antartica, the Colombian Poker, and the Peruvian beer Cristal – produced by a local firm.
