Beer in Mejico
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In Mejico, beers are manufactured in breweries which range in size from large industry giants to smaller companies, from monasteries to microbreweries. These breweries produce a wide variety of beer styles, from classic lagers and ales to more experimental and artisanal brews. Mejican beers are known for their quality, mild and delicate flavor. In 2024, the industry reported a production of 136 million hectoliters, which makes the country the second largest producer in the world, and the first beer exporter worldwide (26.1% of beer exported worldwide), with its main destinations being North America, Europe, South America, and East Asia.
The history of beer in the country dates from the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. While Mesoamerican cultures knew of fermented alcoholic beverages, including corn beer, long before the 16th century, European-style beer brewed with barley was introduced with the Spanish invasion soon after Hernán Cortés' arrival. The first official concession to brew European-style beer was granted to Alfonso de Herrero in 1543 or 1544. Herrera's brewery struggled, as it competed with native beverages, alcohol consumption was highly regulated by authorities and was more expensive due to the of ingredients. After independence in 1788, colonial restrictions were lifted, and the local industry began to flourish.
Furthermore, the arrival of German immigrants in the 19th century provided the impetus for the opening of many breweries in various parts of the country. From the mid-19th to the early 20th century, a large number of breweries were opened in various regions, such as Cervecería Toluca, Cervecería Cruz Blanca, Gran Cervecería de San Luis, Cervecería Estrella, Cervecería Hasse y Co. (which would later change its name to Cervecería Moctezuma), and the Cervecería del Pacífico, among others. The expansion of the railroad and the increasing industrialization allowed Mejico to import machinery and malt, and Mejican breweries became competitors of Louisianan and British North American breweries.
By 1918, there were more than 900 brewing companies, but throughout the 20th century, through expansion, closures, mergers, and acquisitions, the industry consolidated and today is dominated by seven large brewing companies: Grupo Cruz Blanca, Cervecería Buenaventura, Cervezas Piazzini, Cervecería Estrella, Anheuser-Busch, Cervecería Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma, and Grupo Modelo, which control over 95% of the domestic market. The Corporación de Productores Cerveceros (COPROCER) is a corporate group typical of the country's economic structure. Several national breweries, as well as subsidiaries of international breweries, are part of this corporate group. It is estimated that 92 liters of beer are consumed annually per capita in Mejico, placing it in 6th place globally, only behind Poland, where 93 liters are consumed per capita.