Expanding Your Brew: Translation for the Beer Industry

Turning to a translation service for the beer industry can change everything. This industry has consolidated itself in the UK in recent decades and has become a benchmark of the food and beverage sector. It’s little wonder that jumping into foreign markets is the next step.

So, where do we begin? What should we translate? In this article, we provide all the information necessary regarding this type of gastronomic translation to make our beer shine beyond our borders.

Why do we need to expand into the global beer market?

The global beer sector experienced a slump following the pandemic. However, since then, UK beer exports have grown 21%, reaching £487 million in sales in 2022.

This shows that British beer is still hugely popular abroad, thanks to its high quality. That’s why if we want to market our pale ales overseas, we have the perfect niche.

 

Where do we export our beer?

According to a report by Statista, Asia is now the UK’s largest trading partner for beer exports, representing nearly £250 million. This is far more than exports to our closest neighbours, the European Community, representing a little under £170 million.

In terms of overall trade, the Republic of Ireland—a country with a great beer tradition—is our strongest partner. The beer market in China also has huge potential. However, figures show their consumption of European beers, for example Spanish beers, has dropped slightly in recent times.

In terms of beer consumption, Europe is still a fighting force, with the Czechs topping the leaderboard with 140 litres per person per year, according to a study by Wisevoter. They are followed by Austria, Romania, Germany and Poland to complete the Top 5.

 

In terms of the craft beer market, however, the biggest global market is the US. A country with a great beer drinking tradition, the biggest beer market share in the US comes from craft ales.

That said, although Asia may be our strongest partner in terms of exports, countries like Sri Lanka, India and Malaysia have some of the lowest beer consumption levels in the world.

 

How can a translation service help the UK beer industry?

Understanding the culture we want to target will be key in our internationalisation process.

Before taking the plunge, you should get cultural and linguistic advice. For example, you will need to know what type of beer will be more popular in that country and which communication platforms will be the most appropriate.

 

Translating your online beer shop

Perhaps you have thought about Google Translate as an option for adapting the text on your online shop to another language. However, unsupervised, this can often do more harm than good.

Just think, your online sales platform for beer will be the gateway for foreign customers to get to know your brand. If you don’t connect with them from the start through the text, and the look and feel of your website, you may give them a negative image of your brand, forcing them to look elsewhere.

Turning to translation services for companies, specifically those for a beer market e-commerce, will help avoid all these problems that could affect your business.

 

Attending to a customer in their own language

Customer service is perhaps one of the keys to attracting international customers and encouraging brand loyalty. If you want to expand your beer business into other markets, you must consider providing customer service in their own language.

 

You don’t need to turn to a native customer service agent right from the start. However, if you are testing the waters in a country, it is important to create an email address to communicate with local customers. This way, if you work with professional translators, you will be able to answer any doubts from customers in that country, generating greater trust in your brand.

Remember, by outsourcing your translation services for e-commerce, you will be able to streamline your tasks more professionally.

 

Translating social media content for the beer market

Thanks to Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), you can promote your brand and your beers. Communicating properly on social media is essential for connecting with potential customers in the beer sector. However, to connect successfully, it is also important to speak their language, understand their culture and the different business trends.

Your Instagram account may be well maintained. It may provide us with interesting and curious information on, for example, what sets your beer apart from the most popular beer on earth. But, is it as interesting for customers in the Czech Republic as it is for those in the UK?

Let’s take a look at the possibility of having multiple social media accounts in different languages. If you want to sell beer on social media, it’s wise not to say the same thing on all of them. Researching what the competition is doing and adapting the communication to your sector well help you out. And if you don’t know where to begin, you can always turn to an expert in intercultural communication to take care of it.

 

How important is translation for the beer industry?

If we compare it to wine, beer is a lot more affordable and accessible. However, the UK beer industry has become a lot more developed and sophisticated in recent years, increasing its value. So much so that, as we have seen, it is currently experiencing a boom, as is the case with sectors such as CBD products.

So, don’t let language barriers put a stop to the international expansion of your beer business. You can trust a translation service for the beer market to help you with your product sheets and your SEO positioning. And if you want to continue to grow, you need to check every last detail.