That’s a 63.9% increase from the pandemic-depressed shipments of 2020, according to the Comité Champagne. According to Jennifer Hall, director of the Champagne Bureau, USA, “not only did Champagne shipments to the United States rebound last year, but the United States led all countries in shipment volume for the first time in decades.”
Globally, Champagne shipped 322 million bottles in 2021, an increase of 32% from 2020 as COVID-19 restrictions eased worldwide.
Champagne has bounced back as the United States made progress towards recovery from the global pandemic, including a return to in-person celebrations and fewer restrictions at restaurants and bars across the country,” said Jennifer Hall, director of the Champagne Bureau, USA. “We are proud to say that not only did Champagne shipments to the United States rebound last year, but the United States led all countries in shipment volume for the first time in decades.”
The closure of primary consumption and sales hubs, along with the cancellation of in-person events, put pressure on the Champagne industry globally in 2020. However, global shipments increased 32% year-over-year in 2021.
The Champagne industry has weathered global upheaval before, most recently following the 2008 financial crisis. In 2009, shipments to the U.S. fell nearly 27%. However, as in 2021, the shipments quickly bounced back, and the industry subsequently saw seven consecutive years of growth in the United States between 2012 and 2019, with an average 6.2% growth in volume per year.