Good afternoon,

Linked below is the Beer Institute’s December 2017 Import-Export Report, which is based on information reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Below is some analysis of the report:

• U.S. beer-import volume increased by 1.9% in December and finished the year up 3.2% versus calendar year 2016.
• Imports from the top-two import-source countries, Mexico and the Netherlands, each grew volume well above the beer category’s average rate, as did the combination of imports from Belgium and Germany, which are combined due to transshipping between these countries.
• Imports from other major-source countries were down for the year. Canadian imports, the majority of which tend to track with mainstream segment performance, mirrored total beer category trends more closely. Declines in imports from Britain and Ireland, which are also combined due to transshipping, were down 8.8 % for the year.
• In general, imported beer performance in 2017 was softer than during 2016, and the change in performance is closely correlated with the decreased strength of the U.S. dollar, particularly vis-à-vis the Euro and the Mexican Peso.

If you have any questions, please contact me at either muhrich@beerinstitute.org or 202-737-2337.

Cheers,

Michael Uhrich
Chief Economist

Please remember to follow us on Twitter @beerinstitute and like us on Facebook and Instagram!