Colombia, a South American country of more than 50 million people, has a long brewing tradition introduced by German and European immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries. Bavaria, by far the largest brewing company in Colombia, was established in 1889 and grew during the 20th century through a series of mergers to become a near monopoly by 2000. The brewer’s flagship beer brands Aguila and Poker are omnipresent in Colombia. In 2005, Bavaria was purchased by SABMiller and then in 2016 became part of AB InBev when the two global brewing giants merged.

Following China, the United States and Brazil, Mexico is the world’s fourth-largest beer-producing country and the largest beer exporter. Its annual brewing output of 140 million hectolitres (mln hL) and exports of nearly 40 mln hL are extraordinary for a country of 130 million people.