Brazil’s beer market not expected to see the level of growth over the next five years that it saw in 2013 and 2014. The country’s political and economic uncertainties, the high levels of unemployment and the consumers’ concerns towards their health are the main reasons for that – as had already been observed by Mintel’s Beer – Brazil, August 2017 Report.

Mintel expects Brazil’s beer market to grow 3.3% in value and 1% in volume in 2018, stimulated by the World Cup (see Market Size and Forecast). The growth in value can be explained by the fact that, according to the survey conducted for this Report, 57% of consumers prefer to drink small amounts of expensive beer rather than large amounts of cheap beer. This is an opportunity for brands to invest in premium products with higher added value or options that require a smaller single disbursement and can be adapted to different consumption occasions (see The Consumer).

This Report looks at the Brazil market for beer sold in both the on-premise, such as out-of-home outlets such as bars, pubs, restaurants and clubs where the drink is consumed on the premises, and the off-premise (retail) market, such as supermarkets and convenience stores.

The main style of beer consumed in Brazil is lager, largely produced by the major breweries. This report also covers ale, which is a style often produced by craft breweries.

Lager can broadly be described as a light/amber, clear, carbonated beer brewed with pale kilned malts which, after fermentation, is filtered, pasteurized and conditioned before being packaged in cans, bottles or kegs for sale.

Ale refers to top-fermented beers including bitter and mild, pale, export and brown ales, stout, porter, barley wine and strong ales, as well as Indian and American pale ales, among others. These beers are so called because the yeast floats to the surface during fermentation, as opposed to lagers, which are bottom-fermented. Barley wine is simply a beer with a very high ABV (alcohol by volume).

The main two segments analyzed in the market size based on their ABV are:

• Light/no/low: 0%-4.3%

• Standard: 4.4%-5.0%

Strong and extra strong beers in Brazil are part of the premium segment, which represents around 6% of total beer volume and is included in the standard segment. Hence, the isolated involvement of higher alcohol content beers is not significant because it represents a slice of an already small niche market. The market size in value and volume is based on the off-premise (retail) market.

The following are excluded from the market size:

• Cider

• Fruit beer

Products excluded from the market size are selectively commented on in other sections of the Report.

The correct spelling of the most common type of cask-conditioned beer in Brazil is “chope,” but there are variations, such as Brahma Chopp.