Export Development Program News – January 2025

Link to article craft beer export development ambassadors on stage
Share Post

A Tremendous Return to Tokyo for ACBE 2025

The Brewers Association (BA) Export Development Program (EDP) returned to Tokyo for the latest edition of its American Craft Beer Experience (ACBE) in what proved to be another successful event. This year, the festival ran November 1–3, and despite inclement weather causing an early end to the second day, ACBE 2024 was one of the best attended to date. Most breweries ran out of beer by the end of the event due to high consumer demand. Craft beer lovers from Tokyo and beyond were able to get their fill at what was certainly the best short-term assortment of craft beer options available in the city. In total, 53 beers were poured from 22 breweries, with seven participating importers and the EDP’s new-to-market beer truck. Taken together, ACBE 2024 was another successful display of the quality and variety of U.S. craft beer.

Preceding the festival, the EDP team and the attending delegation of U.S. craft beers made several stops as part of a market tour, beginning with a visit to the U.S. embassy in Tokyo for a presentation from Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) staff on the Japanese craft beer industry. The presentation was followed by lunch at a local craft beer bar, and a visit to Titans Craft Beer Bar, owned by AQ Bevolution’s Albert Kuwano. The market tour was informative and illustrated the diverse array of craft beer options already available in-market. This signified both opportunity and the high level of competition present in cities like Tokyo. Additionally, the market tour helped to underscore what a key market Japan is for U.S. craft beer exporters and elevated the importance of this annual touch point with both trade and consumers.

collage of photos - ACBE craft beer event in Japan

As ACBE continues to grow in popularity, looking for a new venue has become a necessity. Towards the beginning of the trip, Steve Parr and Adam Dulye worked with the EDP’s event management partners, Tokyo Wine Complex, and explored several potential new venues. The team will be working diligently to secure a new venue ahead of next year’s event, which will hopefully be less susceptible to inclement weather and just as beautiful of a space for yet another exciting showcase of U.S. craft beer. Stay tuned for more details, and cheers to another successful ACBE!

U.S. Beers Excel at European Beer Competitions

european beer star awards

U.S. brewers claimed top prizes in European beer competitions again in 2024, continuing to elevate American craft among the best in the world. The EDP funded entries into both the Brussels Beer Challenge and the European Beer Star competitions in the fall of 2024. Brussels Beer Challenge was held in Ghent, Belgium, and attracted 1,705 entries from 39 countries, judged by a panel of 72 international judges. U.S. craft excelled with 19 medals in total: five gold, seven silver, and seven bronze. River North Brewing Co’s Uptown Squirrel Porter also won Best American Beer in the competition. At the European Beer Star Awards in Nuremberg Germany, U.S. craft brewers impressed the panel of 140 judges, winning 32 medals, with 13 gold, 10 silver, and nine bronze. This was eight more than in 2023. These competitions raise awareness for the excellence of U.S. craft beer, and garner attention from both trade and consumers in the international beer community.

View European Beer Star and Brussels Beer Challenge winners.

2024 Japan International Beer Cup Winners Announced

American craft brewers continue to stand out on the international stage, recently highlighted at the International Beer Cup held in Sapporo, Japan, last month. Organized annually by the Craft Beer Association of Japan, the International Beer Cup aims to raise consumer awareness of the quality and diversity of beer in Japan and around the world. The 2024 event featured 1,423 entries from 370 breweries across 20 countries, judged over three days by 90 international beer experts—a 17% increase over the 2023 competition.

beer judges evaluation beers

American brewers won 33 medals in the 2024 competition, including 12 gold, 9 silver, and 12 bronze. Notably, both Breakside Brewery and Sketchbook Brewing were recognized as Category Champion Winners in their respective categories.

View the 2024 Japan International Beer Cup winners.

EDP Team Expands in 2025

The EDP is pleased to announce the addition of two new representatives, Beer Asia and Strategos Consulting Group, who will represent EDP interests and programming in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, respectively. Made possible through its Regional Agriculture Promotion Program (RAPP) funding, these new partnerships will help the EDP embark on an expanded presence in new regions, creating more opportunities for exporters of U.S. craft beer.

Beer Asia, headed by craft beer veterans Christopher Roberts and Oliver Woods, will help spearhead a new frontier of EDP activity in Southeast Asia. The team is hard at work and has already begun interviewing importers, engaging with FAS, and making plans for initial activations. Though the EDP has explored some limited standalone activities in the region in the past, it sees strong potential to expand the foothold of U.S. craft beer, and is pleased to have the Beer Asia team by its side in that endeavor.

headshots of new ambassadors
Pictured from left to right: Oliver Woods, Fradbelin Escarraman, Christopher Roberts

Strategos Consulting Group will head up a similar effort in the Caribbean, focusing primarily on the Dominican Republic, Aruba, and the Bahamas. Fradbelin Escarraman will lead the effort in-market from his base in Santo Domingo and has already begun to work with local importers in an in-depth market assessment project which will illuminate opportunities for future programming. Two EDP team members traveled to Santo Domingo for a brief but informative visit in December, which shed new light on the availability and distribution of U.S. craft beer in the market. Strategos Consulting Group will be the boots on the ground that continues this exploratory effort and will contribute to plans for activations that will boost existing availability and create room and desire for new listings of U.S. craft.

Brau Beviale Sustainability and Quality Mission

Chuck Skypeck, BA technical brewing project director, traveled to Nuremberg, Germany to attend the Brau Beviale trade show. He participated in several roundtable presentations, including one on “Clean Hops: The Challenge of Environmentally Friendly and Economically Viable Hop Cultivation in the Face of Tightening Pesticide, Herbicide, and Fertilizer Regulations” and another on “Strategies for Saving the Future of Brewing Barley,” which focused on Maximum Residue Level requirements and the development of new, quality, and sustainable varieties of barley. At the show, Chuck was also able to network with fellow craft beer industry personnel and shared the insights he gained into the larger European craft market with the EDP. After the show concluded, Chuck traveled to Wolnzach, Germany to participate in the German Hop Research Society’s Panel of Experts. The hop-focused discussions were informative as well, both with upcoming German varietals and how they might compare to developments in the U.S. hop industry. Altogether, these events helped garner valuable insights into the market and highlighted future engagements for EDP members.

Canadian Retail Tastings and Signage Spur Growth

The EDP funded a 2024 retail promotion in Canada, complete with in-store sampling, point-of-sale materials, displays, and a billboard across several provinces. As a result, the importer the EDP worked with reported strong increases in sales. The impact this promotion has had is especially positive given the trend towards reduced alcohol consumption in Canada and provides a boost to U.S. craft in an otherwise challenging environment.

craft beer tasting setup in canada

These types of promotions have become a key focus for the EDP. They provide greater awareness for U.S. craft beer, drive sales, and build on existing relationships. Additionally, they provide the EDP with the ability to make a meaningful impact without being physically present in the market, which expands the EDP’s ability to replicate these efforts elsewhere. EDP members are encouraged to reach out to work with the BA on coordinating similar projects with their import partners.

United States Department of Agriculture Grant Updates

The EDP is pleased to announce an additional round of funding via the Regional Agriculture Promotion Program (RAPP), which will continue to expand its footprint and deepen the impact of its programming around the world. The EDP was awarded $2 million in Tranche II funding. The first RAPP tranche afforded the ability to explore new regions like Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, and the second tranche will provide lasting staying power, sustaining the initial efforts and making programming in these regions a core part of the EDP portfolio for years to come.

The EDP also welcomes the return of Market Access Program (MAP) funding, its core funding source. Despite a brief delay following the expiration of the Farm Bill, Congress passed an extension that will enable another year of MAP-funded market development work. Grant allocation paperwork will be finalized soon, and once it is back online, the EDP will continue its MAP-funded export-oriented programming on behalf of member breweries.

Europe Ambassador 2024 Media Coverage Highlights

lotte beer ambasador headshot

While the EDP’s programming helps to raise awareness for U.S. craft beer all around the world, much of the day-to-day presence in Europe is handled by its American Craft Beer Ambassador to Europe, Lotte Peplow. Lotte has had a busy year as she traversed the continent, broadening and deepening the impact U.S. craft beer has on the larger European market. That included participating in the Beer and Food Attraction Show in Italy, showcasing the 20-year partnership between the BA and the Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival, planning and working at the American craft beer booth at the London Craft Beer Festival, judging at craft beer competitions such as the Brussels Beer Challenge, hosting European importer delegations at the Craft Brewers Conference® (CBC®) and Great American Beer Festival® (GABF®), and conducting trade servicing and outreach work throughout, alongside regularly engaging with the Foreign Agricultural Service. It was a busy and exciting year!

Beyond her work with EDP events, Lotte also drafted numerous articles on U.S. craft beer for both trade and consumer audiences, and helped drive further media hits from other writers, resulting in 95 media hits in the U.K. and across Europe. We won’t detail them all here, but here are a few highlights:

These articles provide an even greater reach for American craft beer, spreading information to readers who can’t make it to trade events or promotions but are still interested in engaging with U.S. craft beer. Lotte looks forward to starting work on the upcoming 2025 calendar of activities, which will build further on the progress made in 2024.

Upcoming EDP Events in 2025

craft beer ambassadors at booth

The calendar of activities for the EDP is already packed with exciting opportunities to connect with trade and consumers across the globe. Up first, the 2025 Beer & Food Attraction trade show will take place next month February 16–18 in Rimini, Italy, drawing in buyers, retailers, and the HORECA sector for a premier global fair dedicated to craft beer, food, and beverages. Next is the 2025 Korea International Beer Expo (apply by February 7 to receive travel assistance), which will be held in Seoul April 10–12. As the country’s only beer-specialized fair, attendees can gain the full experience of the beer industry from production to consumption all in one place. Stay tuned for more information on upcoming events as updates become available, and please keep the following on your radar as we proceed into 2025:

The EDP team looks forward to your participation in these events and wishes you a happy and productive 2025!

Was this article helpful?
YesNo