US, Canada & Mexico driving Champagne growth

While sales slide in the UK, Champagne corks are popping in the US, Canada and Mexico, where a thirst for the fizz is driving the export growth of the category.

Volume sales of Champagne in the US grew by 6.3% in 2016 to 21.8 million bottles, while value sales rose by 4.9% to $583m (£468m).

Canadians are also developing an insatiable thirst for Champagne – volume sales in the country rose by 12% last year, while value sales were up by 9.4%. Showing even more impressive growth was Mexico, with a 30.9% uplift in volume sales to 1.6 million bottles, and a 12% leap in value sales.

In the southern hemisphere, South Africa had a strong 2016 in terms of Champagne sales, with volumes up by 21.9% and value rising by 15.1%. New Zealand also guzzled vast quantities of Champagne, seeing volume sales rise by 21.9% and value sales by 25.4%.

The traditional Champagne markets of Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy all enjoyed value growth. However, global Champagne sales fell by 2.1% last year to 306 million bottles, while values sales were almost flat, down by just 0.6% to £4 billion.

Among the strongest growing Champagne styles throughout the world are rosé and prestige cuvées, both of which enjoyed volume growth last year.