You may or may not know that beer is New Zeeland’s most popular alcoholic drink, but why? There was a time where beer was deemed to be a ‘man’s drink, however, as time has passed beer has become the turn to favourite drink for most people that enjoy the taste of a crisp thirst-quenching alcoholic beverage, surely there must be some reasons?
The love affair
New Zealand absolutely loves beer, NZ beer has played an important part in the colonial history dating back as far as Captain Cook who was a great explorer. According to the history books he was the first to brew beer in New Zealand all the way back in 1773! The result was actually based upon experimentation into treatment against scurvy, the early beers used ingredients like young rimu branches and manuka leaves.
The taste and the effect of the popular alcoholic beverage were a winning side effect of a mission altogether very different than one of creating a new and tasty alcoholic drink, some could say that the love happened by accident.
Unforeseen growth
Since the first beers were invented and enjoyed by many, naturally, human curiosity to improve what we already have seen a growing interest in the research and development of new types of beer making it one of the country’s largest economic incomes. Some surveys show that back in 2018, the industry was worth more than $2.5 billion just in sales alone, responsible for around $645 million GDP. The brewing industry was, and continues to be massive, creating jobs, lively hoods and careers for over 2000 residents.
Over more recent years craft beers have become sought after and has seen the introduction of more and more independent breweries appearing, so much so that the independent breweries’ have accounted for around a 16% growth in the craft beer market from 2008-2018.
The big boys
If you are drinking beer in New Zealand today, then the likely hood is that it was created by one of two companies who hold the lion’s share of the market when it comes to production, sales and growth. Roughly 82% of all beer in New Zealand is brewed by either, Lion Breweries or DB breweries, with different marketing names of course. Next time you are enjoying a cold one, have a look on the label to see who makes the drink, it would be pretty rare to find any other name behind the creation of your drink in hand.
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