In 2020, Anheuser Busch InBev brewed more beer than any other producer across the globe, cornering 25.7 percent share of the world’s beer production. Following behind it, with less than half the production per hectoliter, were European giants Heineken and Carlsberg as the second and third largest world producers, respectively.
This data was collected and published by BarthHaas, a German hop trader that controls around 30 percent of the market share. As a whole, the total of the top 40 brewers’ beer output was 6 percent less than in 2019, but still responsible for 86 percent of beer production across the globe, according to the report.
According to BarthHaas, the 2020 production year displayed considerable movement within the rankings, especially in regards to markets affected by Covid-19. Carlsberg edged ahead, stealing the third-place spot above the brand China Res Snow Brewer, the most popular beer in China.
Germany was the most heavily represented country in the top 40 list, with seven brewing companies present, including Radeberger, Bitburger, and Paulaner groups. Japan showed a strong presence with Asahi, Kirin, Suntory, and Sapporo all appearing on the too 40 list. The five leading beer-producing countries by volume remained the same as 2019: China, USA, Brazil, Mexico, and Germany.
Check out the full list of the world’s largest beer companies by output in million hectoliters:
| # | Company | Country | Million hl |
| 1 | AB InBev | Belgium | 467.4 |
| 2 | Heineken | Netherlands | 221.6 |
| 3 | Carlsberg | Denmark | 110.1 |
| 4 | China Res Snow Breweries | China | 106.9 |
| 5 | Molson-Coors | USA/Canada | 84.5 |
| 6 | Tsingtao Brewery Group | China | 80.0 |
| 7 | Asahi Group | Japan | 56.3 |
| 8 | BGI/Group Castel | France | 36.7 |
| 9 | Efes group | Turkey | 36.2 |
| 10 | Yanjing | China | 35.3 |
| 11 | Grupo Petrópolis | Brazil | 31.0 |
| 12 | Constellation Brands | USA | 30.2 |
| 13 | Kirin | Japan | 27.7 |
| 14 | Diageo (Guiness) | Ireland | 20.8 |
| 15 | San Miguel Corporation | Philippines | 19.0 |
| 16 | CCU | Chile | 15.6 |
| 17 | Saigon Beverage (SABECO) | Vietnam | 14.5 |
| 18 | Grupo Mahou-San Miguel | Spain | 13.5 |
| 19 | Singha Corporation | Thailand | 12.6 |
| 20 | Pearl River | China | 12.0 |
| 21 | Damm | Spain | 11.5 |
| 22 | Radeberger Gruppe | Germany | 11.1 |
| 23 | United Brewery | India | 8.9 |
| 24 | TCB Beteiligungsgesellschaft | Germany | 8.6 |
| 25 | Oettinger Gruppe | Germany | 8.5 |
| 26 | Suntory | Japan | 8.2 |
| 27 | Swinkels Family Brewers | Netherlands | 7.7 |
| 28 | Beer Thai (Chang) | Thailand | 7.6 |
| 29 | Sapporo | Japan | 7.4 |
| 30 | HiteJinro | South Korea | 6.1 |
| 31 | Krombacher Group | Germany | 6.0 |
| 32 | Bitburger Group | Germany | 5.9 |
| 33 | Paulaner Group | Germany | 5.7 |
| 34 | Olvi Group | Finland | 4.6 |
| 35 | Obolon | Ukraine | 4.2 |
| 36 | Royal Unibrew | Denmark | 4.0 |
| 37 | Hanoi Beverage (HABECO) | Vietnam | 3.5 |
| 38 | Estrella de Galicia | Spain | 3.4 |
| 39 | Warsteiner Group | Germany | 3.2 |
| 40 | Veltins | Germany | 2.9 |
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