Champagne Sales Hit Record High
Champagne sales reached an all-time high in 2021 as the easing of pandemic-related restrictions led to a surge in exports, particularly to the United States.
In 2021, French wine producers sold $5.7 billion worth of champagne, 14% higher than in 2019, when sales had reached their peak.
This increase in sales naturally came along with a significant increase in export volume, which reached 180 million 0.75 liter bottles — a 37% improvement from 2020 and a 15% increase from 2019, according to Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC).
The United States continued to be the top export market for champagne producers. A total of 34 million bottles were sold in the U.S. last year, a 31% increase compared to 2019.
In comparison, exports to the U.K. were up 7% and to Germany they increased by 28%. Australia saw a 53% increase after exports reached 12 million, Reuters reported.
The rise in exports was driven by an increase in at-home consumption, which from a consumers’ perspective is cheaper than ordering champagne at restaurants, UMC Chairman Jean-Marie Barillere said.
Consumers’ increase in consumption is a welcome relief for the wine producers in the Champagne region as they were reportedly faced with a 40 year low in yield due to frost and fungus attacks. That being said, such issues do not immediately impact wineries as champagne is usually made by combining produce from previous years.
Originally published at https://retailbum.com on February 15, 2022.
