Italy: Number of craft breweries grows by 535% between 2008 and 2017

Italy’s craft beer sector is booming with the number of craft breweries rising by 535% between 2008 and 2017, a report by the Italian farmers' organization Coldiretti based on data by the National Statistics Institute shows.

According to the organization, the number of craft breweries in the country increased from 113 in 2008 to 718 last year, with the majority having been launched by young people aged below 35.

Lombardy hosts the majority of Italy’s craft breweries (245), followed by Veneto (134), Piedmont (127), Tuscany (112), and Emilia-Romagna (111).

With the expansion of domestic craft brewing, British and German brands have lost positions in Italy, with their imports declining by 79% and 31%, respectively, Coldiretti said.

The nation’s annual per capita beer consumption is currently estimated at 31.5 litres.

21 February, 2018