Which Are the Best-Selling Beers in Each Latin American Country?

Q: What is the technical difference between a mass-market Latin American 'Pilsen' and a traditional European Pilsner?

Mass-market Latin American beers labeled 'Pilsen' technically belong to the American Adjunct Lager style. Unlike traditional German or Czech Pilsners (brewed with 100% barley malt and noble hops), the Latin mass-market versions substitute a percentage of the barley with unmalted adjuncts such as corn or rice. This results in a lighter body, a less bitter profile and a highly refreshing drink adapted to warm climates.

Q: How does the craft beer boom affect traditional Latin American brands?

The growth of the independent craft sector, although representing only 1–3% of total regional volume, has accelerated a premiumization trend. This has pushed large corporations to diversify their portfolios, either by acquiring successful local microbreweries or by launching their own specialty lines (IPA, APA, Amber Ale) under hybrid mass-distribution brands.

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Beer sales in Latin America maintain sustained growth across the entire continent.

According to the firm Euromonitor, consumers identify brands with local needs, which leads those brands to validate themselves more strongly in their markets.

Some analyses of the most valuable economic activities in Latin American countries clearly reflect the brand valuation phenomenon in the brewing sector.

An annual study by Kantar Millward Brown reveals that, of the six most valuable brands south of the American continent, 5 are beer brands.

These brands are only some of the most recognized Latin beers. Below we present those that, country by country, are the most sold or consumed by Latin Americans.

Argentina

With a 67% share of the beer sales market, “Cervecería y Maltería Quilmes SAICA y G” dominates the scene in Argentina.

Its best-selling products, which are also top sellers nationally, are Brahma and Quilmes Clásica — formerly known as Quilmes Cristal — according to Euromonitor.

Recently, the company, in an unorthodox but frequently repeated move across the continent, launched the Patagonia Bar, its own craft beer bar, promoting both its most established brands and its premium line led by Patagonia.

Bolivia

Since 2016, Bolivia experienced unprecedented growth in beer sales. In 2017, 400 million liters were sold. Paceña beer, from Bolivia’s leading brewing competitor, Cervecería Boliviana Nacional, was the best-selling brand.

Part of its marketing strategy was the launch of Paceña’s new format, the Macanuda — a 710 ml bottle compared to the traditional 620 ml presentation — which boosted per capita consumption and helped drive overall sales.

Brazil

For many years, Brazil held the most valuable beer brand, in line with being the region’s largest beer-consuming country. Domestically, the Skol and Brahma brands are the best-selling beer brands in the country.

In 2017, Brazil sold 12.5 billion liters of beer — a figure that, while impressive, contrasts with nearly 14 billion liters in 2014, possibly reflecting a shift in consumer behavior from mass-produced beers to more exclusive distribution craft beers.

Chile

With the Cristal and Escudo brands, Compañía de Cervecerías Unidas leads the Chilean beer sales market. In 2017, the company sold approximately 930 million liters, according to Euromonitor.

The Chilean market has seen a phenomenon common across the continent — a shift toward more craft or premium beers. Despite this transition, traditional brands remain market leaders. CCU has also strengthened its international presence in Colombia and Argentina.

Colombia

As the third largest beer-consuming country in Latin America, the most preferred brands in Colombia are Águila and Póker.

The former increased its sales and grew its value by 2% from the previous year, now valued at 3,924 million dollars.

Mexico

According to Euromonitor, Mexico is the second largest beer-consuming country in the region, with 52.1 liters of beer per capita annually, second only to Brazil.

Of the brands sold, Corona and Modelo are the most preferred. Corona beer, it should be noted, is the most valuable brand in Latin America.

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Peru

Unión de Cervecerías Peruanas Backus & Johnston SAA, a local subsidiary of the Anheuser-Busch InBev conglomerate, produces the two best-selling beers in Peru: Pilsen Callao and Cristal.

The Peruvian company controls 96% of the market, which grew 5% in sales that year. The Bunker, a portal that closely tracks the Peruvian market, reports Pilsen as the best-selling beer in the country.

Uruguay

Pilsen beer from Fábricas Nacionales de Cerveza (FNC) is Uruguay’s leading beer product. According to Euromonitor, FNC dominates the Uruguayan market with an 88% market share.

Venezuela

Despite the difficulties facing Venezuela, Cervecería Polar maintains its flagship products Polar Light and Polar Ice as the country’s best-selling beers.

Difficulties in sourcing quality raw materials have caused a 25% decline in total volume consumed compared to the previous year.

Below are the best-selling beers in other countries in the region, according to the alcoholic beverages portal Vinepair:

Costa Rica

The best-selling beer in Costa Rica is Imperial.

Ecuador

The best-selling beer in Ecuador is Pilsener.

El Salvador

The best-selling beer in El Salvador is Pilsener.

Guatemala

The best-selling beer in Guatemala is Gallo.

Haiti

The best-selling beer in Haiti is Prestige.

Honduras

The best-selling beer in Honduras is Salva Vida.

Nicaragua

The best-selling beer in Nicaragua is Toña.

Paraguay

The best-selling beer in Paraguay is Brahma.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Which Latin American country has the highest per capita beer consumption?

Although Brazil and Mexico lead in total volume, the highest per capita consumption is historically contested between Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, surpassing 65 liters per person annually in the most active markets, driven by climate, affordable returnable formats and cultural habits.

2. Which multinationals control the beer market in Latin America?

The vast majority of traditional brands in the region belong to two global giants. AB InBev controls major subsidiaries including Ambev (Brazil), Quilmes (Argentina), Backus (Peru) and Grupo Modelo (Mexico). Heineken holds strong operational presence through its acquisition of FEMSA’s beer division in Mexico and strategic alliances in the Southern Cone via CCU.

3. What is the technical difference between a mass-market Latin American “Pilsen” and a traditional European Pilsner?

Mass-market Latin American “Pilsen” beers technically belong to the American Adjunct Lager style. Unlike traditional German or Czech Pilsners brewed with 100% barley malt and noble hops, the Latin mass-market versions substitute a portion of the barley with unmalted adjuncts such as corn or rice, resulting in a lighter body, less bitterness and a highly refreshing drink adapted to warm climates.

4. How does the craft beer boom affect traditional Latin American brands?

The growth of the independent craft sector — representing just 1–3% of total regional volume — has accelerated a premiumization trend, pushing large corporations to diversify their portfolios by either acquiring successful local microbreweries or launching their own specialty lines (IPA, APA, Amber Ale) under hybrid mass-distribution brands.

5. How do excise taxes affect the final price of beer across the region?

Beer carries heavy excise duties across Latin America through specific consumption taxes (such as Mexico’s IEPS, Chile’s ILA or Ecuador’s ICE), on top of standard VAT. These rates can represent 20–50% of the final retail price, strongly incentivizing brands to promote returnable formats to maintain competitive pricing.