In 2024, alcoholic drinks in Mexico navigated a complex landscape shaped by macroeconomic headwinds and geopolitical uncertainty, particularly regarding the US presidential elections. Slowing economic growth, persistent inflation, and the prolonged cost-of-living crisis prompted many consumers to cut back on discretionary spending. Despite these pressures, alcoholic drinks demonstrated resilience, buoyed by the affordability and widespread availability of products, such as beer and RTDs. Demographic trends, especially a young and increasingly urban population, continued to drive demand for convenient, lower-alcohol options aligned with mindful drinking habits. On the supply side, major players like Grupo Modelo SA de CV (Anheuser-Busch InBev NV) and Heineken México S de RL de CV have strengthened their digital distribution networks and expanded retail partnerships, enhancing product accessibility and responsiveness to shifting consumer preferences. Rising safety concerns in urban areas dampened nightlife activity, pushing consumption towards off-trade channels and home settings, which in turn influenced channel dynamics and distribution strategies.
As the largest alcoholic drinks category in Mexico, beer witnessed a recovery in volume sales over 2024. The rising popularity of premium and light beers has broadened the consumer base, with more women and younger adults consuming such beers. Affordability has been key to volume growth, especially in the on-trade channel where beer is considered to be more a reasonably priced alternative to wine or cocktails. Thus, beer resonated with more consumers plagued by ongoing inflationary pressures. Hot temperatures throughout the year also boosted demand, as beer is widely associated with refreshment. Brands like Corona, Victoria, and Tectate led the category, with non-alcoholic variants such as Corona 0.0 and Tecate 0.0 gaining traction due to ongoing advertising support and an increase in availability.
In 2024, Grupo Modelo SA de CV maintained its position as the leading company in alcoholic drinks, owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev NV. This player’s strength in Mexico can be attributed to its extensive brand portfolio, comprising key brands such as Corona, Victoria, and Modelo, together with a robust distribution strategy that ensures broad reach across the country. In 2024, Grupo Modelo SA de CV’s performance was underpinned by its investment in digital B2B platforms like BEES, which improved demand planning and strengthened relationships with independent retailers. Grupo Modelo SA de CV took a cultural approach to marketing with limited-edition products and event sponsorships like Corona 0.0’s role in the Paris Olympics used to reinforce brand awareness. Despite these efforts, the company experienced limited growth compared to the previous year, amid market saturation and intense competition, particularly from Heineken México S de RL de CV and dynamic players in RTDs. Looking ahead to 2025, Anheuser-Busch InBev NV plans to invest USD$3.6bn in its Mexican operations through 2027, focusing on plant renovations and sustainability initiatives, including water usage reductions.
In Mexico, small local grocers continues to be the most important distribution channel for alcoholic drinks, closely followed by drinks specialists. This dominance is largely attributed to the widespread availability of beer through these outlets, which are deeply embedded in local communities. The sheer number of these points of sale, combined with their accessibility, makes them a preferred choice for consumers. Beer manufacturers play a crucial role in reinforcing this distribution model by investing heavily in their relationships with local grocers and expanding their own specialist retail networks. Notable examples include Heineken México’s Tiendas Six and Grupo Modelo’s Modeloramas, which help ensure consistent product availability across the country.
In 2024, the off-trade remained the dominant channel for alcoholic drinks in volume terms, driven by strong consumer demand through small grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, and a growing reliance on e-commerce platforms. By contrast, the on-trade channel faced mounting challenges, including rising public insecurity, particularly in urban areas, which discouraged nightlife and bar attendance. Additionally, increasing labour costs and the approval of a reduction in the official working week from 48 to 40 hours, is set to be gradually implemented from May 2025. This is expected to put further strain on foodservice operations over the forecast period. Such pressures have made home consumption more attractive, especially for accessible and affordable drinks like beer and RTDs, which performed strongly in retail during 2024. Meanwhile, on-trade sales struggled to recover, with premium segments such as wine and spirits seeing limited growth due to reduced foot traffic and cautious consumer spending.
Alcoholic drinks in Mexico is expected to witness moderate growth over the forecast period shaped by new growth opportunities and persistent challenges. Growth will be led by beer, particularly non-alcoholic and light variants, as well as RTDs, which will continue to resonate with younger, convenience-driven consumers. The health and wellness movement is expected to further fuel demand for low- and no-alcohol options, while flavour innovation and premiumisation, especially in beer and sparkling wine, will attract more adventurous and quality-conscious drinkers. Nonetheless, economic pressures, inflation, and urban insecurity may limit on-trade recovery and suppress discretionary spending. Additionally, illicit trade and counterfeit products, particularly in the spirits segment, will remain a significant barrier to legitimate market expansion.
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Alcoholic Drinks
Alcoholic drinks is the aggregation of beer, wine, spirits, cider/perry and RTDs.
See all of our definitionsThis report originates from Passport, our Alcoholic Drinks research and analysis database.
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