16 Dec, 2020 @ 16:15
1 min read

Spain’s cava industry fizzles out as pandemic causes drop in sales at home and abroad

Cava  e

COVID-restrictions in Spain pushed cava wine sales down as much as 40% sales, early projections suggest. 

The early closure of bars and restaurants as well as limits on travel across much of the country meant that the country’s €1.2 billion cava wine sector is drying up.

Brands like  Freixenet and Codorniu have been hit hard as shipments of cava according to Cava Regulatory Board Chairman Javier Page. 

Shipments of the fizz, mainly made in the northeastern Catalonia region, fell 10.5% in January-September from a year ago. 

Cava Regulatory Board Chairman Javier Pages said there was a bigger drop in domestic consumption than abroad, with sales to Britain, Sweden and Holland remaining steady over the year, despite the pandemic.

Cava  e

Over a nine month period overseas consumption of cava dropped just 7% in comparison with a 13% dip at home. 

But manufactures are optimistic that the festive season will provide a boost in sales of the alcoholic drink. 

Damia Deas, chairman of AECAVA business group representing 90% of the sector’s revenue and manager of the Vilarnau brand, in May forecast sales could fall between 25% and 40% in 2020 from the 250 million bottles shipped in 2019. 

He said : “No doubt, it’s a terrible year…We had prepared for the worst but our sector has been able to resist a bit better than we thought thanks to exports.” 

Kirsty Mckenzie

Kirsty is a journalist who has reported on news, entertainment, food and drink, travel and features since 2015. She lives in the south of Spain.
Got a story? Email kirsty@theolivepress.es

1 Comment

  1. The present craze for prosecco is probably responsible for some of the drop in cava sales. After all, booze consumption has risen in lockdown, no reason not to drink fizz at home. Personally, I’d prefer a lovely Brut cava over sweetish prosecco any day.

    Location : malaga

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Massive Swoop On Russian Mafia Money Laundering Gang Operating Out Of Spain S Costa Blanca
Previous Story

Spain’s biggest Russian mafia swoop in a decade sees Costa Blanca-based money laundering gang arrested

1590934914_478888_1590935046_noticia_normal_recorte1
Next Story

Bars and restaurants ‘must be allowed to open until 3am on NYE’ or there will be ‘more than 10,000 illegal and unsafe parties’ across Spain, association warns

Latest from Food & Drink

Go toTop

More From The Olive Press