For six years, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has participated in the Cerveza Mexico Conference. Because Mexico was the top buyer of U.S. barley and barley products in the 2021/2022 marketing year – purchasing 323,530 metric tons valued at $219,116,797 – the event provides a unique opportunity each year to maintain and cultivate relationships between growers, craft maltsters and brewers.

In 2022, to create and build upon those relationships, the Council’s Mexico office invited barley growers, craft maltsters and organization leaders from Idaho, Washington and North Dakota to take part.

Cerveza Mexico is an interactive space to taste and talk about opportunities within the craft beer industry and it allows professionals to meet with potential U.S. malted barley suppliers. The event brings together people from across the beer production chain: barley producers, importers of craft malt, brewers of homemade and specialty beers, craft maltsters, suppliers of equipment, machinery, supplies and packaging for the production of beer. This program helps advance the Council closer to its goal of connecting U.S. craft maltsters with ACERMEX (Mexican Craft Brewers Association) and build relationships for future business.

“Last year, the Mexico craft market achieved one percent market share and is expected to achieve 11% industry growth this coming year. U.S. barley and craft malt expo attendees were able to witness this industry’s sophisticated growth which has created an opportunity for value-added U.S. barley and malt products to be of consideration,” said Sadie Marks, USGC manager of global programs. “Attendees took advantage of the expo by building relationships with the brewers and ingredient suppliers, in discussing the state of the industry and in finding solutions to overcome existing trade barriers. We saw that the Mexico beer industry is here to stay, and the U.S. barley sector looks forward to being a part of the process; it’s a win-win.”

Council-sponsored attendees had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with those who know the beer industry best in Mexico. The group met with ACERMEX, learned more about the state of the craft beer industry with the Foreign Agricultural Service and met with Cerveceros de Mexico (Mexico’s National Chamber of the Beer and Malt Industry).

“Each year the event brings better awareness and more interest on sourcing malt directly from U.S. maltsters. As the craft industry in Mexico grows, so does its volume capacity to make direct purchases from the U.S.,” said Javier Chávez, USGC marketing specialist in Mexico. “This is a great event because it’s important that our barley farmers see first hand that there is a booming craft industry in Mexico and it’s growing.”