“OK, fellow beer buffs and curious drinkers, let’s descend into something common beer! Throughout the world and across continents, it’s not just a drink. To many, it’s history, tradition, and community all served up in a glass. The business is huge, with millions of cans and bottles circulating around the globe each and every day.”
Each nation and community produces its own beer culture, so it is one of the most diverse beverages in the world. And with sales setting new records year after year, beer’s position at the heart of social life is not slowing down. Though individual favorites differ, there are a few brands that stand out from the rest when it comes to sheer volume sold and global recognition.
So who’s actually in charge? Let’s tally down the world’s top 10 best-sellers based on sales volume and international market penetration. You might find your new favorite brew in the process.
1. Snow
The world’s best-selling beer might surprise you it’s not Heineken or Budweiser but Snow, a lager that was conceived in Shenyang, China. Outside of China, few have heard of it, but within its domestic market it’s a behemoth.
Snow alone sold more than 101 million hectoliters in 2017, almost twice that of Budweiser globally. It currently occupies nearly 30% of China’s market share, having been introduced in 1993. It is so popular due to its affordability, lightness, and ease of consumption since it has only 120 calories per serving. Globally, it occupies 5.4% market share, hence making it affordable its most attractive selling factor.
2. Budweiser
Dominated by the “King of Beers” nickname, Budweiser began way back in the 1870s. Although US sales have declined, the brand has managed to remain a global powerhouse courtesy of parent AB InBEV.
Budweiser has grown well in China, South Africa, and Australia, with sales fueled by big-name advertising such as its 2018 FIFA World Cup tie-up. In 2017, global sales reached 29.2 million hectoliters, a 2.3% global market share. Though overthrown by Bud Light in the US, Budweiser is expanding globally.
3. Tsingtao
Another Chinese giant, Tsingtao controls 15% of China’s beer market and had sold 49 million hectoliters by 2017. Its history began as an outgrowth of the German occupation of Qingdao, when German brewing techniques mixed with local mineral water produced a pilsner that could last.
Today available in more than 70 nations, Tsingtao is China’s best-loved beer outside the mainland. It even organizes the annual Qingdao International Beer Festival, solidifying its position as a cultural and commercial symbol.
4. Bud Light
Bud Light, launched in 1982, is the number-one-selling American beer. Its popularity is due to being low-calorie, refreshing, and easy to consume.
It sold 44.8 million hectoliters in 2017, accounting for 2.5% of the world market. Outside the US, Bud Light is popular in Ireland, Canada, and Mexico, showing that lighter beers appeal all over the world.
5. Skol
Though bearing a Scandinavian name, Skol’s most powerful market is Brazil, where it has the majority of consumption. Brewed in Scotland at first, it’s now manufactured and exported worldwide by various firms Carlsberg worldwide, and Unibra in Africa.
With 35.1 million hectoliters sold in 2017, Skol has a 2.1% global share. Its global distribution illustrates how eclectic origins can fuel global dominance.
6. Heineken
Perhaps the world’s most ubiquitous beer brand, Heineken is the quintessential Dutch beer. Originally brewed in Amsterdam in the 19th century, it has become a global giant, now available in more than 170 countries.
Its constant use of a distinct “Yeast A” strain, consistent quality, and astute marketing has made it a premium lager. It clocked 34.3 million hectoliters in sales in 2017, and by 2021 its revenue had hit $26.5 billion. From UEFA Champions League sponsorship to legendary adverts, Heineken is as much a marketing lesson as a drink.
7. Harbin
Harbin is China’s oldest beer brand, dating back to the early 1900s. It is now part of AB InBEV, but the brand continues to mix history with contemporary charm in this pale lager with 4.8% ABV.
Harbin has recently been promoted in China as a “millennial beer,” sponsoring e-sports events and appealing to younger buyers. That has paid off with sales of 29.9 million hectoliters in 2017, providing it with a 1.5% share globally.
8. Yanjing
Made by the state-owned Beijing Yanjing Brewery, this is the third-largest in China. It debuted in 1980 and grew quickly to a production volume of 57.1 million hectoliters in 2013. Yanjing is a household name throughout Beijing, Inner Mongolia, and Guangxi, and in 1995 it became China’s official beer for state affairs. Nowadays, its international sales amount to approximately 35.3 million hectoliters, and its national treasure status makes it one of the most important brews in China.
9. Corona
Few beers are more inextricably linked to visions of beaches and limes than Corona. Made by Mexico’s Cerveceria Modelo, Corona Extra is its best-known, light, crisp-flavored beer that has made it an international sensation.
In 2017, Corona sold 28.8 million hectoliters worldwide. In the United States, it is the leading imported beer with 12.2% of the market in America. Its popularity and light-drinking image have created it an international brand.
10. Coors Light
Introduced in 1978, Coors Light is characterized by its mountain theme and crisp and refreshing reputation. It is still the second-highest-selling beer in the US and is brewed in multiple states, such as Colorado and Virginia.
Internationally, it commands a 1.3% market share, with more than 26.5 million hectoliters sold. With its lightweight ABV of 4.2%, Coors Light has established itself firmly both at home and abroad as a light lager go-to choice.
Raising a Glass to Global Beers
From Snow’s surprising domination in China to Corona’s seaside appeal, the world’s top 10 beers show that achievement relies on more than taste. Marketing, cultural identity, cost, and availability all contribute enormous impacts in determining global champions.
Each of these brands has a story to tell about heritage, adaptation, and the changing ways people consume beer across the globe. So the next time you pop open a cold one, you’re not just drinking you’re participating in a tradition that transcends continents. Cheers to that!”
