Champagne exports show signs of recovery as domestic market struggles in early 2025

Overseas demand offsets weak sales in France while industry faces key decisions on harvest yields and stock management

2025-07-22

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Champagne exports show signs of recovery as domestic market struggles in early 2025

Champagne exports are showing modest signs of recovery after a slow start to 2025, according to the latest provisional shipment figures released for the first half of the year. From January through June, total Champagne shipments reached 105.4 million bottles, a slight decrease of 1.25% compared to the same period in 2024, when 106.6 million bottles were shipped. The domestic market in France continues to struggle, with shipments falling by 5.2% to 41 million bottles in the first six months of 2025.

In contrast, exports have provided some relief for producers. Shipments outside France rose by 1.6% to 64.5 million bottles compared to the first half of last year. The strongest growth came from markets outside Europe, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan—the three largest export destinations for Champagne after France. Exports to these non-European countries increased by 3.8% to 46 million bottles, while shipments within Europe declined by 3.4% to 18.5 million bottles.

The rebound in key overseas markets is particularly notable given the challenges faced by major Champagne houses in recent months. Moët Hennessy, which owns leading brands Veuve Clicquot and Moët & Chandon, has experienced significant difficulties, including large-scale layoffs and declining profits. However, recent data from NielsenIQ as of July 5 indicate that both brands have seen a turnaround in the U.S. market during the first half of 2025. Veuve Clicquot’s volume sales in the U.S. rose by 6.9%, with value up by 5.7%, reversing a decline seen in 2024 when volume dropped by 5%. Moët & Chandon performed even better, with volume up by 9.1% and value increasing by 7.6%, following a previous year’s decline of 7%.

Overall, the top fifteen export markets for Champagne showed consistent monthly growth in both volume and value during the first half of this year. In June alone, these markets saw an increase of 10.9% in volume and an 11.3% rise in value compared to June last year. The UK market also posted strong volume growth at 8.9%, though value slipped slightly by 1.2%.

These shipment figures come at a critical time for the Champagne industry as the Comité Champagne (CIVC) prepares to meet on July 23 to set the maximum allowable yield for the upcoming harvest. The decision will be influenced heavily by current sales trends and stock levels in cellars across Reims and Epernay, which now exceed five years’ worth of supply—well above the preferred level of three and a half years—with reserves also at a high level.

Balancing supply and demand remains a challenge for industry leaders David Chatillon, president of the Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC), and Maxime Toubart, president of the Syndicat Général des Vignerons (SGV). Growers who sell grapes to larger houses typically favor higher yields since they are paid per kilogram harvested, while Champagne houses are wary of further stock increases amid uncertain demand.

Last year, facing declining sales, the CIVC set the allowable yield at 10,000 kilograms per hectare—down from previous years—and with total shipments down by 9.3% in volume terms in 2024 to just over 271 million bottles, there is speculation that this year’s yield could be reduced further. Some industry voices are calling for a limit as low as 8,000 kilograms per hectare, which would produce about 230 million bottles.

The coming weeks will be crucial as producers and growers await the CIVC’s decision on yields for the 2025 harvest—a move that will shape production levels and potentially influence global Champagne prices in the months ahead.

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