15 Most Valuable Beverage Companies in the World

Published on July 13, 2022 at 8:54 am by Jose Karlo Mari Tottoc in Lists, News

In this article, we will take a look at the 15 most valuable beverage companies in the world by market cap.

Beverage Industry Analysis

The beverage industry is going through several upheavals, especially after the coronavirus pandemic, which forced major beverage companies to focus on online sales and also adapt to the changing consumer preferences.

According to a report by Grand View Research, the global non-alcoholic beverages market had a size of $8331 billion last year. This is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2022 through 2030.

Several industry reports show that consumers are starting to prefer non-alcoholic beverages as they wish to adopt healthy habits. That’s pushing famous beverage companies like Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ: MNST), The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) and PepsiCo Inc (NASDAQ: PEP) to focus more on bottled water, low-carb drinks, craft, and fruit drinks.

A report from data analytics firm NielsenIQ shows that sales of non-alcoholic beverages rose 33.2% in the past year, as of December 2021, with $331 million in total sales. Non-alcoholic beer and cider sales jumped 31.7%.

Data also shows that consumer spending on alcoholic beverages shrank by $200 billion in 2020, when compared to 2019. Similarly, the non-alcoholic beverages market was previously valued at $900 billion in 2019 and it reduced to $724 billion in 2020. However, the market had made a strong rebound.

Let’s start taking a look at some of the notable beverage companies in the world.

15. Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE: BF-B)

Market Capitalization: $33B

Brown Forman Corporation (NYSE: BF-B) is one of the most prominent American beverage corporations. It produces a range of spirits like whiskey, vodka, tequila, wine, and liqueur. Founded in 1870, with headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, Brown Forman is famous for Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve brands.

14. Jiangsu Yanghe Brewery Joint-Stock Co., Ltd. (SZSE: 002304.SZ)

Market Capitalization: 270B CNY

Based in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, also known as the ‘liquor capital of China’, Jiangsu Yanghe Brewery Joint-Stock Co., Ltd. (SZSE: 002304. SZ) ranks 14th on our list of the most valuable beverage companies in the world. Jiangsu Yanghe Brewery boasts a rich cultural heritage and produces an extensive range of wines. The company remains one of China’s time-honored brands, with its focus on white spirits, liquor for everyday consumption, and high-quality beverages which can be exchanged as gifts.

13. Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ)

Market Capitalization: $45B

Founded in 1945, Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ) is a Fortune 500 company which produces premium beer, wine, and spirits, with featured beer brands like Corona, Modelo, and Franky Buddha under its domain. It is one of the largest importers of beer in the United States.

12. Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NYSE: KDP)

Market Capitalization: $51B

Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NYSE: KDP) is the 12th most valuable global beverage company, headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts. The 8th largest American food and beverage company, Keurig Dr Pepper employs over 27000 people in more than 100 principal warehouses and distribution centers. The company has over 125 featured hot & cold beverages that cater to every consumer, like Dr Pepper, 7Up, Sun Drop, Gloria Jean’s Coffees, Cinnabon, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Van Houtte, and more.

11. Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ: MNST)

Market Capitalization: $51B

Whether you’re an undergrad student or an overworked employee, you have definitely heard of Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ: MNST). Founded as Hansen’s in 1935, the company initially sold juices and sodas – but it was rebranded as Monster Beverage Corp in 2012. The non-energy drink brands were sold off to The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) in 2015, who owns about 20% of the shares in Monster Corp. Monster Beverage Corp held 20.8% of the US energy drink market share in 2020.

10. Pernod Ricard SA (EPA: RI.PA)

Market Capitalization: 45B Euro

A French alcoholic beverage mega company, Pernod Ricard SA (EPA: RI.PA) is the 10th most valuable beverage corporation on our list based on market cap. The company is named after its two most popular products – Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis. Pernod Ricard is known for pastis, which are anise-flavored spirits – commonly consumed in France. Headquartered in Paris, the company’s global footprint expands to Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia & Pacific, and the Americas.

9. Nongfu Spring Co., Ltd. (HKSE: 9633.HK)

Market Capitalization: 499B HKD

Nongfu Spring Co., Ltd. (HKSE: 9633. HK) is a Chinese beverage giant and the 9th company on our extensive list. Based in Xihu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nongfu Spring ranked as the top packaged drinking water company consistently for eight years from 2012-2019, with the third-largest market share amongst the local Chinese market.

8. Heineken N.V. (AMS: HEIA.AS)

Market Capitalization: 53B Euro

Founded in Amsterdam in 1864, Heineken N.V. (AMS: HEIA.AS) is a multinational Dutch brewing company. Ranked by Forbes as 83rd on the Most Valuable Global Brands list of 2020 and at 46th position on the Top Regarded Companies 2019 list, Heineken N.V. (AMS: HEIA.AS) specializes in premium beers and ciders. The company sells 348 different types of beers and ciders across 125 specialty brands.

7. Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO)

Market Capitalization: $96B

Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO) is one of the most renowned producers of spirits, and its outstanding collection of over 200 brands is distributed in more than 180 countries. Catering to North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, Diageo is the largest producer of scotch whiskey. Some of its flagship whiskey brands include Johnnie Walker, Buchanan’s, and Crown Royal.

6. Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX)

Market Capitalization: $90B

Founded in 1971, with its headquarters in Seattle, Washington, Starbucks represents the second wave of the American coffee culture. It offers a large variety of coffees, from classic lattes and cappuccinos to the fancy Frappuccino – a Starbucks trademark drink. As of 2020, the Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) is spread across 6 continents, 83 countries and has more than 30000 outlets. A brand that has revolutionized coffee from a basic caffeinated beverage to a pop culture artifact rightfully deserves to be a part of our comprehensive list.

5. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE: BUD)

Market Capitalization: $95B

Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD), widely known as AB InBev, is a Belgian drink and brewing company, and it ranks 5th on the list of the most valuable beverage companies in the world, in terms of market cap. The mega corporation headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, has a vast global footprint – boasting offices in New York City, São Paulo, London, St. Louis, Mexico City, Bremen, and Johannesburg among others. Primarily listed on the Euronext Brussels, the company has secondary listings on the Mexico City, Johannesburg, and New York Stock Exchanges.

After acquiring or merging with several medium and large-scale breweries, AB InBev’s portfolio has more than 400 local, international and global beer brands. The most popularly recognized global beer brands under AB InBev include Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois.

Photo by Heshan Perera on Unsplash

4. Wuliangye Yibin Co., Ltd. (SZSE: 000858.SZ)

Market Capitalization: 747B CNY

Wuliangye Yibin Co., Ltd (SZSE: 000858. SZ) is a China-based beverage giant. Its specialty is baijiu, a distilled beverage that originated in East Asia. Established in 1998, with headquarters in Yibin, Sichuan Province, the company is famous for Wuliangye, a Chinese baijiu liquor prepared from five organic grains like proso millet, corn, glutinous rice, long-grain rice, and wheat.

Most Expensive Alcohols in the World 2021

Photo by Adam Wilson on Unsplash

3. PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP)

Market Capitalization: $235B

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP) is a household name worldwide. Formed in 1965, the company rose to fame due to its signature product, Pepsi Cola. Over the years, it has acquired multiple celebrated companies like Tropicana Products and the Quaker Oats Company. PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP) has several notable brands under its domain like Lay’s, Gatorade, Doritos, Cheetos, Mountain Dew, 7Up, and more.

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2. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO)

Market Capitalization: $272B

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s second most valuable beverage company according to market capitalization. Incorporated in 1892, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, the company partakes in the manufacturing, retail, and marketing of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage blends. The Coca-Cola Company became a public company in 1919, with its primary listing at the New York Stock Exchange. The beverage corporation has over 500 brands to its name in more than 200 countries around the world.

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1. Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd. (SSE: 600519.SS)

Market Capitalization: 2.5T CNY

Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd. (SSE: 600519.SS) is a partly state-owned Chinese beverage corporation. In addition to surpassing Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO) as the largest distiller and the most valuable spirit company in 2017, Kweichow Moutai is also China’s most treasured company outside the technology sphere. The beverage enterprise focuses on the production and retail of Maotai baijiu, a distilled Chinese spirit produced in the town of Maotai. The operations of the company extend to the augmentation of anti-counterfeit technology as well as the research and development of information technology products.