An agreement was signed between the governments of Brazil and Mexico that establishes that any drink sold in Brazil with the name of tequila will be of Mexican manufacture, just as every cachaça sold in the Mexican market must have been manufactured in Brazil. With the agreement, the cachaça and the tequila will now have full protection of property and quality in the commercialization in both countries.
According to the Brazilian Cachaça Institute (IBRAC), cachaça exports are only 1% of the volume produced and this should stimulate the sector to increase investments in the Mexican market. In addition, the agreement should also prevent the use of the name “cachaça” by producers from other countries.
Currently, according to IBRAC, there are 40,000 producers and 4,000 brands of cachaça in the Brazilian market, mainly in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, Ceará, Minas Gerais and Paraíba. Microenterprises account for 99% of this universe.
IBRAC estimates that the installed capacity in Brazil is 1.2 billion liters / year, being 70% industrial cachaça and 30% artisanal cachaça (alembic). Cachaça is the second most consumed drink in the country, losing only to beer. Among distilled beverages, it holds absolute preference among Brazilians. Its consumption is almost five times greater than that of whiskey (348 million liters) and vodka (270 million liters).
Source: EmbaNews