GP: You can see different champagne bottles on a shop shelf.
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Pop the corks.
Champagne sales are rising again to near the levels they were before the Covid pandemic, which hampered sales and kept people away from partying.
The gradual reopening of global bubbly markets will bring sales to an estimated 305 million bottles worldwide in 2021, according to the General Syndicate of Champagne Winegrowers.
People are ready to party again after spending many months apart.
“If I have to guess, I think consumers are ready to celebrate even the little things in life,” said Natalie Pavlatos, a spokeswoman for the Champagne Bureau, USA.
In 2020, the region suffered an 18% year-over-year decline, grossed $ 4.8 billion and exported 244 million bottles, according to data from Comite Champagne, a trade association that represents Champagne’s growers and houses.
The sector, which remains France’s second largest export industry after aviation, had a turnover of around $ 980 million. The last time the region had similar shipments was in 2017 with 307 million bottles.
The full picture for champagne sales this year won’t emerge until after the holidays, starting with Thanksgiving and ending with New Years Eve, Pavlatos said. But, she added, the Champagne Bureau hears producers are tracking sales well above last year’s levels. In some places, they are ahead of the pre-pandemic pace, she said.
“So we may not just see a return to normal, but an even better performance than 2019,” said Pavlatos.
In 2019, champagne houses shipped 297.6 million bottles worldwide, with the lion’s share destined for the United States and valued at more than $ 753 million.
Bottles of champagne Rene Geoffrey’s Rosé de Saignée Premier Cru Brut champagne matures in the cellars of the family-run boutique winery.
David Silverman | Getty Images News | Getty Images
London-based IWSR Drinks Market Analysis is also tracking higher sales of champagne in 2021.
“The category has fallen by almost 18% in the past year, after a decline of 2% in 2019,” said an IWSR analyst, citing the figures from the group’s beverage market analysis.
The group expects global champagne volume growth of around 4% this year and similar annual increases through 2025.
The US champagne market is expected to show similar numbers.
