Apart from Irish whiskeys, one of the most significant culinary exports and best-known brands from the independent part of the island is Guinness. The characteristically dark dry stout might be an acquired taste due to its richness and malty flavor, but it's nevertheless consumed in many countries around the world, especially on St. Patrick's Day. According to UN Comtrade statistics, the United States, most likely due to its large Irish diaspora, and the United Kingdom are the biggest importers of Irish beer, making up 63 percent of the total export value of $313 million in 2022. But how well-liked is the Irish mainstay really in those countries?
As a recent Statista Consumer Insights survey shows, 72 and 92 percent of the respondents from the U.S. and the U.K., respectively, know the brand. In the United Kingdom, 23 percent said they liked the brand and 19 percent claimed to have consumed a pint or more in the last 12 months. 16 percent of respondents from the United States were fond of the iconic drink, while only 13 percent attested to having drunk a Guinness in the past year.
The most popular beer brands in the country were Corona, Bud Light and Budweiser, with Guinness coming in seventh after Coors. The U.K. ranked the Irish beverage seventh in terms of popularity as well, with Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois snagging the top spots.
Guinness originated in a Dublin brewery in 1759 and has been part of multi-national alcoholic beverage conglomerate Diageo after its merger with Grand Metropolitan in 1997. The brand is Diageo's only foray into the beer market, with the rest of its portfolio including a variety of gin, whiskey, liqueur and rum.
The company does not disaggregate its sales by segment but has seen an overall uptick in revenue and profit in the past three fiscal years. In the twelve months from July 2022 to June 2023, Diageo generated 3.8 billion pounds net profit out of revenues of 23.5 billion pounds, which constitutes a year-over-year increase of 12.8 and 4.9 percent, respectively.
