The brewing sector in Brazil: national formation, internationalization and new market demands

Abstract

The article aims to demonstrate the industrialization process of the beer sector in Brazil, focusing on the companies Brahma and Antarctica. These companies originated at the end of the 19th century, where they emerged with low-fermentation beer production technology, manufacturing pilsen-type beers, and promoted the expansion of brewing capital during the 20th century. In a historical line, we also seek to demonstrate how the globalization of capital affected the beer economy through internationalization, creating new dynamics of production and Commercialization. Currently, the beer sector is controlled by the Belgian and Dutch companies AB InBev and Heineken, which expanded their business in Latin America through the acquisition of national breweries. In the 21st century we saw the emergence of microbreweries, which created a new productive organization based on product diversification and a new concept of consuming beer. In this way, the research aims to unveil the socio-spatial formation of the national beer sector and its accumulation dynamics, with Brazil being the third largest beer producer in the world and also the third largest consumer market for the drink.