THE U.S. LOVES ITS CHAMPAGNE

AMERICANS HAVE QUITE a thirst for those delicious bubbles from Champagne. Shipments to the US rose by 7.O9% last year to 2O.51 million bottles, but this was worth $574 million, up 28.18% from 2O14. This puts the US ahead of the UK as the most valuable export market for the Champenois. The UK remains the largest single export market in terms of volume at 34.15 million bottles and these had a value of $571 million. Shipments to the French domestic market were broadly stable, but since 2O11 they have declined by around 2O million bottles. Shipments to other European countries were up 3.3% to just over 😯 million bottles, the highest since 2O11, but not back to 2OO7 levels of nearly 91.5 million bottles. Countries outside Europe continue on a steady growth path overall, exports to these further flung markets have risen for over a decade apart from a post economic crisis blip in 2OO8 and 2OO9. In terms of the share these three sectors command, since the market peaked in 2OO7, France’s share of total shipments has dropped from 55.5 to 51.8%, Europe has fallen slightly from 26.98 to 25.65% while other markets outside Europe have seen their share rise from 17.54 to 22.57%. Two trends that will please the Champenois are the rise in the value of shipments plus the growth of the main négociant houses’ share of total sales by volume and value.