Belgian beer exports way up on previous years

Belgian beer exports were up again last year, with 70% of production being sent out of the country. The biggest drinkers of Belgian beer are France, the United States and the Netherlands, respectively.

Belgium’s 261 brewers produced nearly 16 million hectolitres of beer last year, 8.7% more than in 2016. The increase is all thanks to exports because domestic beer sales actually fell by 1.6%.

Small brewers, however, are still focused on breaking into new markets as there is a trend in the top three export countries towards making more beer themselves. In the US, for instance, many small brewers are producing what they call ‘Belgian-style ales’.

Belgian brewers are looking in particular at China and other Asian markets, which have been more difficult to break into, but where potential sales are huge.

Photo: Lander Loeckx/Belgian Brewers