Year over year, spending on globally exported brandy increased by 27.7% compared to $5.5 billion during 2020.
The top 5 most lucrative suppliers of brandy onto international markets are Mexico, mainland China, Italy, United States of America, and Spain. Combined, that leading cohort of brandy exporters generated about two-thirds of global brandy export sales in 2021.
Among continents, suppliers North America sold the highest dollar worth of exported brandy during 2021 with shipments valued at $3.4 billion or almost one half (48.5%) of the global total. In second place were European exporters at 31.9% while 16.9% of worldwide brandy shipments originated from Asia.
Smaller percentages of exported brandy came from Latin America (1.5%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (0.8%) mostly Australia and New Zealand, then Africa (0.3%).
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 220890 for brandy.
Brandy Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of brandy during 2021.
- Mexico: US$3.1 billion (44.1% of total brandy exports)
- China: $594.8 million (8.4%)
- Italy: $504.7 million (7.1%)
- United States: $270.9 million (3.8%)
- Spain: $217.9 million (3.1%)
- Netherlands: $205.9 million (2.9%)
- France: $189.7 million (2.7%)
- Belgium: $188.7 million (2.7%)
- Germany: $186.8 million (2.6%)
- Hong Kong: $172.4 million (2.4%)
- United Kingdom: $164.4 million (2.3%)
- Singapore: $114.6 million (1.6%)
- Taiwan: $91.6 million (1.3%)
- Austria: $90.2 million (1.3%)
- South Korea: $86.9 million (1.2%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 87.7% of globally exported brandy in 2021.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of brandy since 2017 were: Belgium (up 222.2%), Italy (up 221.4%), Taiwan (up 159.3%) and Spain (up 144.3%).
Those countries that posted declines in their international sales of brandy were led by: United Kingdom (down -54.5%), Germany (down -22.4%), South Korea (down -18.6%), Hong Kong (down -2.4%) and France (down 9%).
Countries Generating Trade Surpluses from Brandy
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for brandy during 2021. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported brandy and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Mexico: US$3.1 billion (net export surplus up 124.4% since 2017)
- Italy: $434.1 million (up 254.2%)
- China: $417.9 million (up 4.3%)
- Spain: $144.4 million (reversing a -$52.3 million deficit)
- Belgium: $122.1 million (up 1524.4%)
- France: $80.8 million (down -27.2%)
- Greece: $64.1 million (up 26.1%)
- South Korea: $63.2 million (down -27.5%)
- Netherlands: $52.1 million (up 333.5%)
- Austria: $46.2 million (up 186.9%)
- Taiwan: $41.7 million (up 130.2%)
- Latvia: $36.3 million (up 43.3%)
- Turkey: $23.6 million (down -33.1%)
- Guyana: $18.7 million (up 2037.1%)
- Finland: $12.2 million (down -33.5%)
Mexico generated the highest surplus in the international trade of brandy. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms strong Mexican competitive advantages for this specific product category.
Countries Experiencing Trade Deficits from Brandy
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for brandy during 2021. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported brandy purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$3.7 billion (net export deficit up 195.6% since 2017)
- Germany: -$275.7 million (up 432.5%)
- Canada: -$199.9 million (up 87.1%)
- Macao: -$124.2 million (2017 data unavailable)
- Russia: -$115.5 million (up 27.2%)
- Vietnam: -$107.6 million (reversing a $6.7 million surplus)
- Australia: -$71.5 million (up 361.1%)
- India: -$68.3 million (down -0.8%)
- Japan: -$57.1 million (down -36.8%)
- Colombia: -$49.7 million (up 265.8%)
- Switzerland: -$43.6 million (up 25.8%)
- Ukraine: -$40 million (up 359%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$36 million (down -22.7%)
- United Kingdom: -$31.1 million (down -111.5%)
- Chile: -$30.1 million (up 351.8%)
The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of brandy. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s competitive disadvantages for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for brandy-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Top Brandy Brands
Below are 10 of the most popular global brands of brandy according to Ranker.com. Shown within parenthesis is the country where the headquarters for the brand’s manufacturer is located.
- Asbach Uralt (Germany)
- Camus Cognac (France)
- Courvoisier (France)
- E&J Gallo Winery (United States)
- Hennessy (France)
- Honey Bee (India)
- Martell (France)
- Metaxa (Greece)
- Paul Masson (United States)
- Rémy Martin (France)
See also Top Vodka Exporters, Beer Exports by Country, Wine Exports by Country and Major Export Companies: Alcoholic Beverages
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on September 29, 2022
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 29, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 29, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 29, 2022
Ranker.com, The Best Brandy Brands From Around the World, Ranked. Accessed on September 29, 2022
