AB InBev is the world’s biggest beer company in October 2026, brewing about 495.5 million hectoliters in 2024, while China’s Snow is widely reported as the biggest single brand. This list ranks the 15 largest brewing groups by volume and names the beer brands behind them. The three largest groups alone make about 845 million hectoliters, or roughly 52% of the 1,639 million brewed by the top 40.
| Rank | Brewer | 2024 volume | Home country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AB InBev | 495.5 million hl | Belgium |
| 2 | Heineken | 240.7 million hl | Netherlands |
| 3 | China Resources Snow Breweries | 108.8 million hl | China |
| 4 | Carlsberg | 101.2 million hl | Denmark |
| 5 | Molson Coors | 79.6 million hl | USA and Canada |
| 6 | Tsingtao Brewery Group | 75.4 million hl | China |
| 7 | Asahi Group | 65.0 million hl | Japan |
| 8 | Groupe Castel (BGI) | 44.0 million hl | France |
| 9 | Yanjing | 40.0 million hl | China |
| 10 | Efes Group | 38.7 million hl | Turkey |
| 11 | Constellation Brands | 35.0 million hl | USA |
| 12 | Baltika | 23.6 million hl | Russia |
| 13 | Diageo (Guinness) | 22.95 million hl | Ireland |
| 14 | Kirin | 22.9 million hl | Japan |
| 15 | Grupo Petrópolis | 20.0 million hl | Brazil |
1. AB InBev: 495.5 million hl
AB InBev, based in Leuven, Belgium, is the largest brewer on Earth by a wide margin. It brewed about 495.5 million hl, roughly one in every three beers made by the 40 biggest groups.
Its brands dominate value rankings too. In one major 2025 brand-value ranking, Corona was named the world’s most valuable beer brand for the second year running, with Budweiser second and Michelob Ultra fifth.
How we valued it: by comparing group output with every other brewer on the list.
2. Heineken: 240.7 million hl
Heineken brewed about 240.7 million hl, less than half of AB InBev’s volume but still more than double the third-place brewer.
The flagship Heineken lager is sold around the world, and the group adds Amstel and Tiger across Europe and Asia.
How we valued it: by setting group output against the next two brewers.
3. China Resources Snow Breweries: 108.8 million hl
China Resources Snow Breweries makes Snow, which is widely reported as the world’s biggest single beer brand by volume even though it is sold almost only in China.
The company brewed about 108.8 million hl. Its output fell about 2.4% as China’s beer market cooled.
How we valued it: from the output table, with the gap to Snow cross-checked.
4. Carlsberg: 101.2 million hl
Carlsberg Group brewed about 101.2 million hl, up 0.2% on the year. It is the only top-five brewer that grew.
Its portfolio adds Tuborg and Kronenbourg 1664 to the namesake lager.
How we valued it: using group output and the one-year change, not brand estimates.
5. Molson Coors: 79.6 million hl
Molson Coors produced about 79.6 million hl, a drop of about 5% from the previous year.
Coors Light and Miller Lite carry the US business, while Molson Canadian leads at home in Canada.
How we valued it: on volume and the year-on-year drop.
6. Tsingtao Brewery Group: 75.4 million hl
Tsingtao, founded in 1903 in the port city of Qingdao, brewed about 75.4 million hl, up 1.7%.
It is the most international of the Chinese brewers and is exported widely.
How we valued it: from that table and the growth rate shown there.
7. Asahi Group: 65.0 million hl
Asahi Group held steady at about 65 million hl. The group built a European premium line by buying Peroni and Pilsner Urquell.
Asahi Super Dry remains its flagship and is brewed under license in several countries.
How we valued it: from group output as published, flat on the prior year.
8. Groupe Castel (BGI): 44.0 million hl
Castel’s beer arm, BGI, brewed about 44 million hl. Most of its volume is sold in Africa.
Few readers know the name, but it is the eighth-largest beer group in the world.
How we valued it: counting the beer business only, not the wider Castel group.
9. Yanjing: 40.0 million hl
Beijing Yanjing Brewery, founded in 1980, brewed about 40 million hl, up about 1.5%.
The original version of this list called Yanjing a $2 billion brand. We now rank by volume because revenue figures for brands were not comparable across years.
How we valued it: a volume figure that replaces the old revenue number.
10. Efes Group: 38.7 million hl
Efes, Turkey’s largest brewer, brewed about 38.7 million hl.
It operates across Turkey, Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
How we valued it: with volume compared against the prior-year table.
11. Constellation Brands: 35.0 million hl
Constellation Brands brews and sells Mexican beer in the United States, including Corona Extra under a US rights deal with AB InBev.
Modelo Especial has led US beer by dollar sales since mid-2023, while Michelob Ultra reportedly overtook Bud Light by volume in 2025. The group brewed about 35 million hl.
How we valued it: via group output, with US sales rank as supporting context.
12. Baltika: 23.6 million hl
Baltika returned to the global ranking in 2024 at about 23.6 million hectoliters after a change in ownership.
It was owned by Carlsberg until 2023, when Russia placed it under temporary state management, and it now operates independently of its former parent.
How we valued it: using the first standalone output figure since the ownership change.
13. Diageo (Guinness): 22.95 million hl
Diageo is a spirits company, but Guinness gives it a place on a beer list. It brewed about 22.95 million hl.
Guinness is Ireland’s best-known beer export.
How we valued it: on beer volume only, not spirits.
14. Kirin: 22.9 million hl
Kirin brewed about 22.9 million hl, down about 2.6%.
It is Japan’s second-largest brewer in this ranking, behind Asahi.
How we valued it: output and the decline against the prior year.
15. Grupo Petrópolis: 20.0 million hl
Grupo Petrópolis, a Brazilian brewer, produced about 20 million hl.
Itaipava is its lead brand.
How we valued it: at a volume that keeps it just above San Miguel at 18 million.
FAQ
What is the bestselling beer brand in the world?
Snow, made by China Resources Snow Breweries, is widely reported as the top-selling single beer brand by volume, though that rests on older brand-level figures. Its output is concentrated in China.
Which company brews the most beer?
AB InBev, with about 495.5 million hl. That is more than double Heineken’s 240.7 million.
What is the most valuable beer brand?
Corona. In one major 2025 brand-value ranking it was named the most valuable beer brand for the second year in a row, ahead of Budweiser. Other brand-value rankings also put Corona on top.
What changed from the older version of this list?
We now rank 15 brewing groups by 2024 volume instead of revenue estimates from 2015. Baltika, Efes and Castel join, and older brand entries like Skol and Yanghe are folded into parent groups or dropped.
Why rank by volume instead of sales?
Volume is reported consistently by brewing groups and can be compared across currencies and years. Sales figures for single brands are rarely published.
Is Bud Light still the top-selling beer in America?
No. Modelo Especial has led US beer by dollar sales since mid-2023, and Michelob Ultra reportedly overtook Bud Light by volume in 2025.
How we put this list together
We rank brewing groups by reported 2024 output in million hectoliters, then add flagship brands and recent brand-value data. We do not copy any other list’s order.
Last updated: October 2026.
