The Brewers Association Export Development Program (EDP) is funded by grants from the United States Department of Agriculture and works to inform member breweries about opportunities to sell and promote their products in key international markets. Additionally, the program focuses on educating international trade and media about proper storage and care for craft beer as well as the collective quality and diversity of styles created by small and independent American craft brewers.
For the third consecutive year, the Export Development Program (EDP) showcased the variety and quality of American craft beer via a booth presence and series of presentations at the Craft Beer Rising festival in London.
Now in its seventh year, Craft Beer Rising has become a highly regarded trade and consumer beer show attracting more than 12,000 attendees over three days, including 4,000 for the trade-only sessions. This year, 155 breweries exhibited with around 1,000 beers on offer.
EDP manager Steve Parr traveled to London and worked with EDP European Media Relations Manager Lotte Peplow to promote American craft beer at Craft Beer Rising. In total, 19 EDP member breweries sent 57 beers to be presented at the show for sampling by attendees. Beyond having a booth presence at Craft Beer Rising, allowing for interaction with consumers and trade, the BA and attending brewers also extended the EDP message through a series of panel discussions and guided tastings focused on a variety of topics including future trends in global craft beer, evaluating beer styles, and diversity within the craft beer industry.
The United Kingdom accounts for the largest share of U.S. craft beer shipped to the European region and ranks as the second largest single-country market for American craft beer exports.