Exports of vinegar appreciated by an overall average 20.5% from 5 years earlier in 2019 when export sales for vinegar equaled $702.4 million.
Year over year, the overall value of exported vinegar flatlined via a 0.04% gain starting from $846.1 million in 2022.
Vinegar is a liquid based on acetic acid of varying concentrations. Commercial vinegar is typically created from a fermentation process lasting from a few months to a year. Vinegar is a key ingredient in pickling solutions, vinaigrettes, other salad dressings, sauces, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, soups and beverages. Vinegar is also a well-established cleaning agent.
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of vinegar (Italy, United States of America, Spain, France and Germany) accounted for about two-thirds (66.4%) of all vinegar exported during 2023.
Applying a continental perspective, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported vinegar during 2023 with shipments valued at $620.3 million or 73.3% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (15.2%) trailed by North American shippers (9.8%). Tinier percentages originated from sellers in Latin America (0.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.6%), and Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of vinegar in 2023 are the United States of America, Germany, France, Canada and the United Kingdom. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought approaching half (46.6%) of globally imported vinegar as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 123 exporters of vinegar (66.4% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 217 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers account for a smaller portion of its world total at 46.6%.
As for global imports of vinegar by continent, 51.9% of vinegar purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe. The leader was well ahead of importers in North America (25.5%), Asia (14.6%), Latin America (3.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (2.9%) led by Australia and New Zealand, then buyers in Africa (1.7%).
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 220900 for vinegar including fermented vinegar and vinegar substitutes created from acetic acid.
Top Vinegar Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of vinegar during 2023.
- Italy: US$332.3 million (39.3% of total exported vinegar)
- United States: $78 million (9.2%)
- Spain: $59 million (7%)
- France: $49.2 million (5.8%)
- Germany: $43.8 million (5.2%)
- South Korea: $41.2 million (4.9%)
- Netherlands: $26.7 million (3.2%)
- mainland China: $26.3 million (3.1%)
- United Kingdom: $24.1 million (2.8%)
- Japan: $22.1 million (2.6%)
- Greece: $20.3 million (2.4%)
- Czech Republic: $16.6 million (2%)
- Belgium: $11.5 million (1.4%)
- Philippines: $9.6 million (1.1%)
- Slovakia: $6.5 million (0.8%)
- Portugal: $5.7 million (0.7%)
- Hong Kong: $5.3 million (0.6%)
- Poland: $4.9 million (0.6%)
- Türkiye: $4.8 million (0.6%)
- Taiwan: $4.7 million (0.6%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 93.6% of globally exported vinegar in 2023.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing vinegar exporters since 2022 were: Greece (up 12.9%), mainland China (up 7.2%), Spain (up 6.9%) and Italy (up 6.0%).
Listed suppliers that posted declines in their exported vinegar sales were led by: Poland (down -42.6% from 2022), South Korea (down -38.8%), Hong Kong (down -14.1%), Türkiye (down -12.4%) and the United States of America (down -6.8%).
Top Vinegar Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported vinegar was US$911.7 billion for 2023. That dollar amount rose by 21.6% over the 5-year period starting in 2019 and slowed to a 1.5% upturn year over year since 2022.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of vinegar imported during 2023.
- United States: US$168.8 million (18.5% of total imported vinegar)
- Germany: $90.2 million (9.9%)
- France: $70.9 million (7.8%)
- Canada: $50.9 million (5.6%)
- United Kingdom: $44.1 million (4.8%)
- Italy: $43.3 million (4.7%)
- Netherlands: $31.7 million (3.5%)
- Switzerland: $25.4 million (2.8%)
- South Korea: $24.2 million (2.7%)
- Austria: $20.1 million (2.2%)
- Australia: $19.8 million (2.2%)
- Spain: $19.4 million (2.1%)
- Belgium: $14.7 million (1.6%)
- Sweden: $12.9 million (1.4%)
- Mexico: $12.5 million (1.4%)
- Japan: $11.3 million (1.2%)
- Poland: $10.4 million (1.1%)
- Hungary: $10.1 million (1.1%)
- Hong Kong: $9.8 million (1.1%)
- Singapore: $9.7 million (1.1%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 76.8% of globally imported vinegar in 2023.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing vinegar importers since 2022 were: Italy (up 38.4%), South Korea (up 28.4%), Austria (up 21.1%) and Mexico (up 18.1%).
Listed buyer countries that posted declines in their imported vinegar purchases were led by: Hong Kong (down -18.9% from 2022), Australia (down -14.2%), United States of America (down -8.3%), Poland (down -4.1%) and Japan (down -3.5%).
See also Top Salt Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Garlic Exports by Country, Top Pickles Exporters by Country, Top Turmeric Exports & Imports by Country and Top Lettuce Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Vinegar Showroom. Accessed on December 4, 2024
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on December 4, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 4, 2024
Wikipedia, Vinegar. Accessed on December 4, 2024