Historic record for champagne sales in 2021, surpassing the previous record in 2019, thanks to the easing of sanitary restrictions.
While French champagne producers said last year that they expected record sales, they are getting confirmation, with sales having reached $5.7 billion, 14% higher than the record for 2019. Indeed, 2021 saw the easing of pandemic-related restrictions fuel an increase in exports, particularly to the United States.
Exports reached 180 million 0.75-liter bottles, 37% more than 2020 and 15% more than 2019, while sales in France jumped 25% from the previous year to match 2019 sales at 140 million bottles, comments the Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC).
Sales to the U.S., champagne’s largest export market, jumped 31% over 2019 to a record 34 million bottles. Note that the U.S. market has grown in each of the last 10 years, except in 2020 for obvious reasons of global pandemic.
In Great Britain, exports increased by 7% over 2019 to 29 million bottles, while sales in Germany jumped 28% to 15 million bottles. Australia was not left behind with 12 million bottles, an increase of 53% over 2019.
UMC President Jean-Marie Barillere explains this record by the fact that drinking champagne at home was more accessible than in a restaurant and was easily available for purchase online. This huge demand cheered producers, who in 2021 faced their worst production in 40 years after vineyards were ravaged by frosts and attacks by mildew fungi. The drop in supply should not affect the availability of champagne, however, as producers will be able to sell off their stocks.
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Featured photo : © Nylon
