Bulgaria: Bulgarian brewers increase nine-month production volume

Breweries in Bulgaria produced 5.3 million litres of beer more in the first nine months of 2022 than they did in the same period of 2021, the Union of Brewers in Bulgaria (UBB) said on December 15.

There were 25 new product brands launched on the market in the January-September period of this year, the Union said in a press release.

The Bulgarian beer market is ranked 12th among the 27 EU member states, with consumption per capita amounting to 77 litres, or eighth-highest in the EU.

Beer sales generate added value of close to 530 million levs ($287.8 million/271 million euro) and contribute over 335 million levs to state budget revenues, the association said.

Next year, the EU-wide beer market is expected to gradually catch up to peak pre-pandemic levels reached in 2019, the Union said citing data from the beer industry's recent annual gathering in Brussels. Beer consumption across the bloc in 2021 rose by close to 2 billion litres to over 30 billion litres. The output of the EU's 9,500-plus breweries generates a combined tax revenue of more than 40 billion euro.

The Union of Brewers in Bulgaria comprises Bolyarka, Britos, Zagorka, Kanenitza, Carlsberg Bulgaria, Lomsko Pivo, Dorovski Invest, and their suppliers of raw materials and equipment.

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