As regards annual beer consumption, Croatia ranks 8th in the EU with about 80 litres per capita if consumption by foreign tourists is included. Excluding foreign tourist consumption, it ranks 20th, with about 64 litres per capita, which is the EU average. The largest amounts of beer are sold during the peak tourist season, in July and August.
The head of the HGK Division for Agriculture, Food Industry and Forestry, Bozica Markovic, says that the Croatian beer market shows that the beer industry is "stable, strong and prosperous".
"The beer industry in Croatia employs, directly and indirectly, about 28,000 persons. One job in the industry opens an additional 13 jobs in related activities. With a growing trend of opening small breweries and with considerable investments in new brands, the industry is adapting to increasingly diverse consumer requirements, which results in an increasing supply of beer at the height of the tourist season," Markovic said.
Croatia has six large breweries and about 30 small craft breweries, whose number is increasing.