Malt, as one of the most important ingredients for brewing beer, has consistently high demand in Mexico thanks to the country's developed brewing industry and the growing popularity of craft brewing. Mexico is one of the world's top five beer producers and its largest exporter. Small volumes of malt in Mexico are also used by companies producing strong alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (such as whiskey), bakery products, and vinegar.
Mexican companies produce about 500–550 thousand tons of malt (mainly from barley) annually, but in recent years this has not been enough to meet growing domestic demand. The development of local production of this product is hampered by a number of objective factors, the key one being a shortage of raw materials: due to the terrain and climate, it is extremely difficult to grow grain crops (barley, rye, wheat, corn, etc.) in most of the country. As a result, the country is forced to purchase significant quantities of both malt and grain for its production abroad. The share of imported malt (mainly from the US, Canada, China, and Belgium) in the Mexican market reaches 50–60%, meaning that the local brewing industry is heavily dependent on external supplies.
Between 2020 and 2024, malt consumption in Mexico increased by 22.4% and reached a record level of 1.26 million tons. The positive trend in this indicator has been observed since 2020 (with the exception of 2023, when there was a slight decline) and is explained by the steady demand for Mexican beer products both domestically and abroad, especially in the craft and non-alcoholic beer segments.
The majority of malt in Mexico is used by the brewing industry, so demand for this commodity is directly dependent on the beer market. In recent years, this segment has been developing quite actively worldwide, and Mexican companies are the main beneficiaries of this trend. In particular, Corona and Victoria beers produced in Mexico are in high demand in many countries. Moreover, the world's largest brewing company, AB InBev, which has owned the Mexican Grupo Modelo (the producer of Corona beer) since 2013, began producing Bud Light, Stella Artois, and Michelob beer in Mexico in 2019, which the country had previously imported.
More than 700,000 people are directly or indirectly employed in the local beer industry, with the key production centers being the states of Zacatecas, Coahuila, and Nuevo León, where the sites of leading companies such as Grupo Modelo and Heineken México are located. Beer production in Mexico in 2024 amounted to 12.7 million tons, which is 3.4% more than the previous year. Mexican exports of this product reached a record level of US$6.8 billion at the end of the year.
In recent years, Mexico has seen rapid growth in the craft beer market, driven by the emergence of numerous small breweries, regular beer festivals, and increased demand for such products from residents of large cities and numerous tourists. Thanks to the spread of the healthy lifestyle trend in the country, the popularity of non-alcoholic beer is also growing rapidly, especially among young people. As a result, local producers are constantly expanding their range, seeking to attract potential buyers with new flavors and original positioning. Against this backdrop, beer sales in Mexico increased by 22.4% between 2020 and 2024, reaching a five-year high of 10.2 million tons.
In 2024, Mexico purchased 572,700 tons of malt on foreign markets worth USD 419.1 million, which is 12.7% higher than in 2023 in volume terms (+64,500 tons) and 8.6% higher in value terms (+USD 33.0 million) . Overall, between 2020 and 2024, Mexican imports of this product increased by 21.8% and 65.5%, respectively. In recent years, the country has consistently ranked second in the list of the largest malt importers after Brazil, with more than 99% of national imports of this product being unroasted malt.
The main supplier of malt to Mexico is the United States, which accounted for 56.7% of Mexican imports of this product in volume terms (324,500 tons) in 2024. China ranks second in the overall structure of Mexican malt imports, with a share of 14.1% at the end of the year (81,000 tons). Canada rounds out the top three suppliers, accounting for 13.3% of all shipments in 2024 (76,200 tons). Russia, which entered the Mexican malt market only in 2022, increased its supplies to 22.7 thousand tons over the past two years and, at the end of 2024, entered the top five largest malt exporters to Mexico in volume terms (4.0% of the total volume).
In 2024, Mexico significantly increased its purchases of malt from Russia – 9.6 times compared to 2023 (+20.3 thousand tons) – and China – 2.3 times (+45.9 thousand tons). At the same time, Mexican imports of this product from Canada (-13.9% or -12.3 thousand tons), Belgium (-5.9% or -4.2 thousand tons), and Germany (-60.4% or -655.6 tons) decreased significantly.
The main exporter of malt to Mexico in terms of value is the United States, which supplied US$265.5 million worth of this product in 2024 (63.3% of Mexican imports). Canada (12.6% or US$52.9 million) and China (12.0% or US$50.3 million) were also among the largest suppliers to the country's market at the end of the year. Russia ranked fifth among the leading exporters of malt to Mexico in 2024, supplying products worth US$10.7 million (2.6% of the total volume).
In 2024, Mexico significantly increased its purchases of malt from China (2.2 times or US$27.3 million), the US (+9.2% or +US$22.3 million) and Russia (10 times or US$9.6 million). At the same time, Mexican imports of this product from Canada (-19.2% or -$12.6 million), Belgium (-23.9% or -$12.3 million) and Germany (-62.9% or -$656,500) decreased significantly.
In 2024, the average import price of malt in Mexico decreased by 3.7% to US$732 per ton. The most expensive products were supplied from Germany at a price 23.1% above the average. The US also exported malt to the Mexican market at relatively high prices (11.8% above the average price in 2024). In 2024, Mexico imported the cheapest products from Russia (35.5% below the average price) and Belgium (20.9% below).
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