Alcoholic Drinks 2023

The annual report on the most valuable and strongest alcoholic drinks brands

Brand Finance Alcoholic Drinks 2023

Beer we go: Heineken claims title of world’s most valuable beer brand

  • Heineken overtakes the competition to become the world’s most valuable beer brand, valued at US$7.6 billion
  • Asahi isn’t bitter, earning world’s strongest beer brand title with a AAA+ rating and highest Sustainability Perceptions Score
  • Tsingtao and Zhujiang from China giving the buzz with two fastest brand value growth around global beer market

Heineken overtakes the competition to become the world’s most valuable beer brand, valued at US$7.6 billion

Heineken (brand value up 10% to USD7.6 billion) has overtaken Corona Extra (brand value up 6% to USD7.4 billion) to become the world’s most valuable beer brand. Despite the inflationary pressures being faced by consumers, beer brands continue to see brand value growth. Further, Heineken also ranked second in terms of brand strength.

Henry Farr, Associate Director, Brand Finance said:

“It seems like beer drinkers are not necessarily drinking more, but instead, are drinking better. Visits to bars and restaurants are becoming less regular and less spontaneous, meaning many consumers are looking to trade-up on their beer of choice, prioritising taste and quality over price. Beer brands that are delivering on high quality premium lagers seem to be doing well.”

Asahi isn’t bitter, earning world’s strongest beer brand title with a AAA+ rating and highest Sustainability Perceptions Score

In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Compliant with ISO 20671, Brand Finance’s assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from over 100,000 respondents in 38 countries and across 31 sectors.

Asahi (brand value up 11% to USD2.8 billion) is the world’s strongest beer brand, earning a brand strength index score of 92.6 out of 100, and a corresponding AAA+ rating. As Japan’s most popular beer brand, regional support has been a key driver in developing brand strength.

Further, as part of its analysis, Brand Finance assesses the role that specific brand attributes play in driving overall brand value. One such attribute is sustainability. Brand Finance assesses how sustainable specific brands are perceived to be, represented by a ‘Sustainability Perceptions Score’. The value that is linked to sustainability perceptions, the ‘Sustainability Perceptions Value’, is then calculated for each brand.

Asahi has the highest Sustainability Perceptions Score, at 5.65 out of 10, of any brand included in the Beers 50 2023 ranking. Closely behind was another Japan-based brand, Kirin (ranked 7th with a brand value USD3.2 billion).

Tsingtao and Zhujiang from China giving the buzz with two fastest brand value growth around global beer market

Zhujiang (brand value up 44% to US$680 million) claims the title of beer’s fasted-growing brand, followed by Tsingtao (up 39% to US$2.1 billion).

Zhujiang grew this past year, in part, thanks to its improved standing with younger, more price-sensitive consumers. While competitors have opted for price hikes, Zhujiang has maintained stable beer prices, offering a quality, mid-price alternative. Tsingtao’s impressive brand value growth links directly to the brand’s revitalised business model. In 2022, Tsingtao launched over 250 taverns and introduced the brand’s new and immersive customer-centric strategy.

Sips not shots: Premium tequila category continues to grow

  • Tequila is on the rise with 1800 and Casamigos as fastest-growing Spirit brands, more than doubling in value
  • Moutai retains title as most valuable Spirit brand, valued at USD49.7 billion
  • Moutai also becomes world’s strongest Spirits brand; Both Moutai and Wuliangye boast a prestigious AAA+ rating with the latter improving in brand rating

Tequila is on the rise with 1800 and Casamigos as fastest-growing Spirit brands, more than doubling in value

1800 (brand value up 111.5% to USD424 million) claims the title of the fastest-growing Spirit brand, more than doubling since last year. In connection with tequila’s category growth and the brands improved standing among next-generation tequila drinkers, 1800 grew very quickly.

Closely behind, Casamigos (brand value up 108.5% to USD934 million) also more than doubles its brand value. Since its inception, Casamigos has seen significant growth by following an organic word-of-mouth marketing strategy, Sales have continued to grow exponentially, with organic net sales for 2022 almost doubling, up 90%. Casamigos’ growth is a direct result of improved market share, highlighting brand quality, authenticity, and innovation.

Henry Farr, Associate Director at Brand Finance said:

“The tequila sector has really grown in recent years. It is outpacing other spirits, leaving tequila brands well-positioned to capture evolving preferences of consumers, where many are opting for higher quality, premium-branded product and this is what Casamigos, especially, has done so well, given that its entire inception was based on creating a product they wanted to drink and enjoy.”

Moutai retains title as most valuable Spirit brand, valued at USD49.7 billion

Elite baijiu brand Moutai (brand value up 16% to USD49.7 billion) is the world’s most valuable spirit brand for the eighth consecutive year. Hailed as China’s national liquor, Moutai’s deep heritage and association with Chinese tradition has led to its market dominance. Moutai has continued to prioritise innovation within its home market. In 2022, ahead of Chinese New Year, Moutai hosted its first online sale, auctioning some of the brand’s rarest Chinese baijiu. The auction was exclusive to China-based consumers, aligning with the brand’s perceptions of scarcity and exclusivity.

Moutai also becomes world’s strongest Spirits brand; Both Moutai and Wuliangye boast a prestigious AAA+ rating with the latter improving in brand rating

In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Compliant with ISO 20671, Brand Finance’s assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from over 100,000 respondents in 38 countries and across 31 sectors.

In addition to being the most valuable brand, Moutai is now also the world’s strongest Spirits brand. It boasts a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 90.8 out of 100 with a corresponding brand rating of AAA+. With a highly respectable BSI of 89.8 out of 100, Wuliangye’s (brand value up 5% to USD30.3 billion) score sees the brand promoted to the maximum AAA+ rating alongside Moutai. Following COVID-19, China’s baijiu brands have experienced increased competition as production rates have reduced significantly. Although baijiu remains China’s dominant spirit, brands must consider consumer perceptions and maintain brand equity and as a result, market share.

Chinese wine? Changyu brand challenges Moët & Chandon for world’s most valuable wine brand

  • Moët & Chandon maintains title as most valuable Wine & Champagne brand, valued at USD1.3 billion despite fall in Champagne brands
  • Changyu is the world’s strongest Wine & Champagne brand, rated AAA-
  • Penfolds is the fastest-growing Wine & Champagne brand, up 48%

Moët & Chandon maintains title as most valuable Wine & Champagne brand, valued at USD1.3 billion despite fall in Champagne brand values

Maintaining the number one spot for the third consecutive year, Moët & Chandon (brand value down 10% to USD1.3 billion) tops the ranking as the world’s most valuable wine brand. Despite a slight decline in brand value, the Champagne champion stays just ahead of the ranking’s second most valuable brand Changyu (brand value up 33% to USD1.2 billion), which climbed two positions in this year’s ranking.

Changyu – little known amongst western wine connoisseurs – will be a shock challenger at the top of the wine brand rankings. However, the massive and growing size of the Chinese wine market means that the brand is extremely valuable. Every year, leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance puts 5,000 of the biggest brands to the test, and publishes over 100 reports, ranking brands across all sectors and countries. The world’s top 15 most valuable and strongest Champagne & Wine brands are included in the annual Brand Finance Champagne & Wine 15 2023 ranking.

Henry Farr, Associate Director at Brand Finance said:

“Within the Wine & Champagnes sector, Wines have performed better in terms of brand value growth. High-end Champagnes have taken a hit. Difficult growing conditions, reduced availability and price hikes have steered some consumers towards lower-end sparkling wines as an alternative. For those less effected by harsher financial situations, this could be due to not wanting to appear vulgar or ostentatious by indulging in luxury products when others are struggling with the rising costs of living.”

Changyu is the world’s strongest Wine & Champagne brand, rated AAA-

In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Compliant with ISO 20671, Brand Finance’s assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from over 100,000 respondents in 38 countries and across 31 sectors.

Changyu (up 33% to brand value USD1.2 billion) becomes the strongest Wine & Champagnes brand with a BSI score of 83.2 out of 100, earning it a AAA- rating. The China-based brand boasts three consecutive years of brand strength growth.

Penfolds is the fastest-growing Wine & Champagne brand, up 48%

Penfolds (brand value up 48% to USD659 million) is this year’s fastest-growing Wine & Champagne brand. The Australian-based brand is also the category’s second strongest, with a BSI of 81.6 out of 100. Penfold’s brand strength boasts a 19-point increase since last year and has earned the brand a corresponding AAA- rating.

By embracing new technologies and innovation, Penfolds has streamlined its consumer-centric approach. This includes the brand’s launch of its 2022 wine collection which, for the first time, expanded beyond Australian-made wines. The collection included French and Californian wines as part of the brand’s efforts to enhance global brand awareness and market share, resulting in improved brand value and strength. This has also captured Penfolds’ wider sustainability plan, as the collection aimed to alleviate pressures on regions with harsher climates and reduced crop yields, earning it a Sustainability Perceptions Score of 4.59 out of 10, positioning the brand third in the ranking based on this metric.