Bulgaria produced 442 million liters of beer in 2025 as output fell 5%

Production reaches 442 million liters

Bulgaria produced 442 million liters of beer, or 4.42 million hectoliters, in 2025, according to data from the Union of Brewers in Bulgaria reported by Dunavmost and Bulgaria ON AIR. That placed the country 13th among European Union beer producers and gave it about 1.3% of the bloc’s total output.

With a population of approximately 6.44 million, domestic production was equivalent to nearly 69 liters per resident. Annual consumption was higher at 76 liters per person. Bulgaria ON AIR said the gap of about 7 liters reflected market flows, including imports and exports, rather than domestic production alone.

The figures indicate a large local market relative to the country’s population. Around three-quarters of Bulgarians drink beer at least once a month, according to industry data. Bulgaria also ranked 13th in the EU by beer consumption, Bulgaria ON AIR reported.

Output declines as the EU market contracts

Bulgarian beer production nevertheless fell 5% in 2025 compared with the previous year. The decline came despite the expansion of the craft segment and the presence of 42 producers across the country. The market comprises three large companies, seven small and medium-sized enterprises and 32 developing microbreweries.

The wider EU industry also recorded lower output. The bloc produced 34.4 billion liters of beer during the year, down 0.7% from the preceding 12 months, according to Eurostat data cited by the publications. EU production remained 2.2% above its 2020 level.

Germany remained the EU’s largest producer with 7.4 billion liters, approximately 17 times Bulgaria’s volume. Spain ranked second with 5.3 billion liters, about 12 times Bulgarian production, followed by Poland with 3.5 billion liters. The Netherlands and France completed the five largest producing countries.

Non-alcoholic beer gains market share

The sharpest reported change in Bulgaria was in non-alcoholic beer. Sales reached 122,780 hectoliters in 2025, an increase of 53% from the previous year. The Union of Brewers linked the rise to more consumers replacing traditional beer with alcohol-free alternatives, in line with a broader European shift in drinking habits.

For producers, the combination of a 5% decline in overall volumes and 53% growth in non-alcoholic sales points to a changing product mix rather than uniform weakness across the market. For importers and exporters, consumption above domestic output per resident confirms that cross-border flows remain part of Bulgaria’s supply balance. Large brewers retain scale, while smaller producers and microbreweries face a market where category selection may matter more than aggregate demand alone.