Exports of vinegar appreciated by an overall average 15.3% since 2018 when export sales for vinegar were $724.3 million.
Year over year, the overall value of exported vinegar fell by -6.1% starting from $889.9 million in 2021.
Vinegar is a liquid based on acetic acid of varying concentrations. Commercial vinegar is typically created from a fermentation process lasting from a few months to a year. Vinegar is a key ingredient in pickling solutions, vinaigrettes, other salad dressings, sauces, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, soups and beverages. Vinegar is also a well-established cleaning agent.
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of vinegar (Italy, United States of America, South Korea, Spain and Germany) accounted for about two-thirds (66.8%) of all vinegar exported during 2022.
Applying a continental perspective, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported vinegar during 2022 with shipments valued at $579 million or 69.3% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (18.1%) trailed by North American shippers (10.9%). Tinier percentages originated from sellers in Latin America (0.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.6%), and Oceania (0.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of vinegar in 2022 are the United States of America, Germany, France, Canada and the United Kingdom. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought almost half (48.2%) of globally imported vinegar as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 123 exporters of vinegar (66.8% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 215 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers account for a smaller portion of its world total at 48.2%.
As for global imports of vinegar by continent, 48.8% of vinegar purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe ahead of importers in North America (27.9%), Asia (14.8%), Oceania (3.5%) led by Australia and New Zealand, Latin America (3.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Africa (1.7%).
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 220900 for vinegar including fermented vinegar and vinegar substitutes created from acetic acid.
Top Vinegar Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of vinegar during 2022.
- Italy: US$315 million (37.7% of total exported vinegar)
- United States: $83.7 million (10%)
- South Korea: $67.3 million (8.1%)
- Spain: $55.2 million (6.6%)
- Germany: $36.6 million (4.4%)
- France: $34.9 million (4.2%)
- Netherlands: $25.7 million (3.1%)
- China: $24.5 million (2.9%)
- Japan: $22.9 million (2.7%)
- United Kingdom: $20.5 million (2.5%)
- Greece: $18 million (2.2%)
- Czech Republic: $16.2 million (1.9%)
- Austria: $12.6 million (1.5%)
- Belgium: $10 million (1.2%)
- Poland: $8.5 million (1%)
- Philippines: $8.3 million (1%)
- Canada: $6.83 million (0.8%)
- Slovakia: $6.82 million (0.8%)
- Hong Kong: $6.2 million (0.7%)
- Portugal: $5.9 million (0.7%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 94% of globally exported vinegar in 2022.
Among the top vinegar exporters, there was a pair of growing suppliers, namely Belgium (up 2.7% from 2021) and South Korea (up 0.1%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported vinegar sales were led by: Canada (down -27.1% from 2021), United Kingdom (down -20.8%), Germany (down -14.7%), Netherlands (down -13.9%) and Austria (down -11.9%).
Top Vinegar Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported vinegar rose by 12.2% over the 5-year period starting in 2018 but fell by -1.2% year over year since 2021.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of vinegar imported during 2022.
- United States: US$184.1 million (20.9% of total imported vinegar)
- Germany: $81.5 million (9.2%)
- France: $64.6 million (7.3%)
- Canada: $51.4 million (5.8%)
- United Kingdom: $43.2 million (4.9%)
- Italy: $32.6 million (3.7%)
- Netherlands: $28.5 million (3.2%)
- Switzerland: $25.1 million (2.9%)
- Australia: $23.1 million (2.6%)
- Spain: $20 million (2.3%)
- South Korea: $18.8 million (2.1%)
- Austria: $17.2 million (2%)
- Belgium: $13.5 million (1.5%)
- Hong Kong: $12 million (1.4%)
- Japan: $11.7 million (1.3%)
- China: $11.6 million (1.3%)
- Sweden: $11.6 million (1.3%)
- Poland: $10.9 million (1.2%)
- Mexico: $10.6 million (1.2%)
- Czech Republic: $9.5 million (1.1%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 77.4% of globally imported vinegar in 2022.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing vinegar importers since 2021 were: Mexico (up 23.6%), Japan (up 9.4%), United Kingdom (up 9.3%) and the United States of America (up 8.7%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported vinegar purchases were led by: mainland China (down -18% from 2021), Germany (down -14.9%), Austria (down -12.7%), Netherlands (down -9.9%) and Sweden (down -9.5%).
See also Top Salt Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Garlic Exports by Country, Top Pickles Exporters by Country, Top Turmeric Exports & Imports by Country and Top Lettuce Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Vinegar Showroom. Accessed on October 20, 2023
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on October 20, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 20, 2023
Wikipedia, Vinegar. Accessed on October 20, 2023
