Middle Eastern cider, perry and mead market set to grow
The Middle East’s cider, perry, and mead sector has shown steady growth with consumption reaching 878 million litres in 2024, valued at around US$1.6 billion. But which markets are leading its rise? db finds out.
The data, revealed in a recent report from IndexBox, Shows that the cider, perry and mead sector within the Middle East is forecast to expand at a CAGR of 1.3% through 2035, reaching 1 billion litres.
Value is expected to grow at 1.7% CAGR to US$2 billion with Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia being the dominant markets, accounting for 73% of total consumption.
According to the analysis and forecast, import activity is currently concentrated in Israel and UAE, while production remains largely domestic-driven. However, Lebanon shows the strongest growth momentum in both consumption value and per capita terms.
More growth forecast
The market is expected to continue an upward consumption trend over the next decade, after which time market performance is forecast to decelerate.
For the fourth year in a row, the Middle East has, according to the analysts, recorded growth in consumption of cider, perry, mead and other fermented beverages, which increased by 5% to 878 million litres in 2024.
The total consumption volume increased at an average annual rate of 2.1% over the period from 2013 to 2024. Added to this, the findings outlined how the trend pattern remained consistent, with somewhat “noticeable fluctuations” throughout the analysed period.
As a result, consumption attained the peak volume and, the data showed that this is “likely to continue growth in the immediate term”.
According to the report, the value of the cider, perry and mead market in the Middle East reached US$1.6 billion back in 2024, surging by 4% against the previous year.
The analysts noted how this figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers’ margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). It was also noted that, over the period under review, consumption did however see a “mild decline”.
The countries with the highest volumes of consumption in 2024 were Turkey (245 million litres), Iran (243 million litres) and Saudi Arabia (153 million litres), with a combined 73% share of total consumption.
Findings showed that Iraq, Yemen, Jordan and Lebanon lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 26%.
From 2013 to 2024, the biggest increases were recorded for Lebanon (with a CAGR of +3.6%), while consumption for the other leaders experienced “more modest paces of growth”.
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The countries with the highest levels of cider, perry and mead per capita consumption in 2024 were Saudi Arabia (4.1 litres per person), Lebanon (3.7 litres per person) and Jordan (3 litres per person).
Plus, from 2013 to 2024, the most notable rate of growth in terms of consumption, amongst the key consuming countries, was attained by Lebanon (with a CAGR of 2.7%), while the analysis outlined that “consumption for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth”.
Imports increased
In 2024, cider, perry and mead imports in the Middle East reached 6.1 million litres, increasing by 15% on the previous year. Total imports indicated a perceptible expansion from 2013 to 2024: its volume increased at an average annual rate of +4.8% over the last eleven-year period.
In value terms, cider, perry and mead imports surged to US$13 million in 2024. Total imports indicated a temperate expansion from 2013 to 2024: its value increased at an average annual rate of 4.7% over the last 11-year period. The report highlighted how the “trend pattern, however, indicated some noticeable fluctuations being recorded throughout the analysed period”.
According to The Fine Cider Company, rather a lot of premium ciders made in the UK are popular as exports as discerning drinkers from many different countries are tapping into the trend and finding ciders and perries are quenching their thirst for terroir-driven drinks.
Speaking to the drinks business, The Fine Cider Company founder Felix Nash said: “Some of our makers, almost half of what they create gets exported, there’s just a lot of demand from the rest of the world. We’re also starting to sort wonderful selections of the best UK bottles for export, such as to chef Magnus Nilsson’s new restaurant/hotel. Some of the apple varieties we have, and the terroir, in the UK are just incredibly unique. Plus there’s also a lot of freedom here, in France for example there is some incredible cider made, but there can be quite a lot of definitions as to how it can be made, yet there are so many different styles being created all over the UK.”
In terms of cider, perry and mead imports by country, Israel (3 million litres) and the United Arab Emirates (2.3 million litres) dominated imports structure, together comprising 86% of total imports. It was distantly followed by Bahrain (415,000 litres), committing a 6.8% share of total imports. Turkey (160,000 litres) followed a long way behind the leaders.
From 2013 to 2024, the most notable rate of growth in terms of purchases, amongst the leading importing countries, was attained by Bahrain (with a CAGR of 17.3%), while imports for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth, the data revealed.
In value terms, Israel (US$5.7 million), the United Arab Emirates (US$4.8 million) and Turkey (US$751,000) appeared to be the countries with the highest levels of imports in 2024, with a combined 88% share of total imports. These countries were followed by Bahrain, which accounted for a further 4.9%.
The import price in the Middle East stood at US$2.1 per litre in 2024, picking up by 2.8% against the previous year. Over the period under review, the import price, however, recorded a relatively flat trend pattern. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2021 when the import price increased by 56%. As a result, import price attained the peak level of US$3 per litre.
The analysts emphasised that “prices varied noticeably by country of destination: amid the top importers, the country with the highest price was Turkey (US$4.7 per litre), while Bahrain (US$1.5 per litre) was amongst the lowest.
This month, db highlighted how the perry category is in growth and has gathered pace over recent years. The trend in Britain echoes its popularity in the Middle East.
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