A BUMPER YEAR FOR CRAFT EXPORTS

It’s hardly news that craft beer sales in the US are on fire. For the last few years the craft industry has been the lone bright star for the entire beer industry. And their reputations are traveling far and wide – it appears that other nations are developing an appreciation for American-made craft beers. The Brewers Association (BA) reports estimated international sales by independent craft brewers up 28 percent by volume for 2O1O, with some regions seeing export increases of more than 9O percent. The Association’s recently-concluded annual export survey revealed that for the eighth consecutive year (representing all years for which data has been collected), US craft beer exports increased substantially. In 2O1O, BA Export Development Program (EDP) subscribers exported more than 1.8 million gallons of beer, representing a 28 percent increase over total export volumes in 2OO9. The increase in international sales is impressive, especially given the lingering global economic recession. Interestingly, despite decreasing purchasing power, consumer demand for American craft beers has remained strong and importers have continued to expand their portfolios of American craft beer brands. Canada, Sweden and the UK represent the largest markets for American craft beer.