Shipments of bottles of champagne should exceed those of 2021, already distinguished as an exceptional year.
This year, champagne is on a roll! Its exports are on track to exceed last year’s by 5%. The Comité interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (CIVC) expects more than 330 million bottles sold worldwide in 2022.
These forecasts are close to the record set in 2007, during which nearly 338 million bottles were sold. Exports will thus represent more than half of the sector’s sales. This increase in sales comes in a difficult context of confinements, droughts, frost and embargoes towards Russia. The price of bottles has also increased between 5 and 10% depending on the producer, to compensate for the increase in prices of raw materials, glass, transport and packaging.
However, this increase has not discouraged foreign buyers, who are delighted with this flagship product of French luxury. The United States is at the top of the list. French champagne lovers, they are also favored by the euro-dollar ratio. In Europe, producers have also sold well, especially in Germany and Belgium.
David Chatillon, president of the Union of Champagne Houses (UMC), is pleased with these results: “Our three main markets, the United States, Great Britain and Japan, are doing very well, as are the other European destinations,” he told Reuters.
Next year, the industry will face major challenges in terms of employment, with difficulties in recruiting harvesters. It has also set ecological objectives to reduce its carbon footprint to zero by 2050. Finally, it will be necessary to think about the price increase, which could slow down many buyers.
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Featured photo : © Leif Carlsson
