Oktoberfest: Beer, business, and supply chain strategy

Across Europe, the beer industry is undoubtedly big business all year round (generating almost €160 billion in revenue in 2024), but certain events on the beer calendar bring peaks for companies to capitalise on – and Oktoberfest certainly falls into that bracket.

From mid-September to early October, Munich holds its annual celebration of traditional Bavarian culture, with food, music, dancing, and – of course – beer on offer to the millions of visitors descending on the city.

However, Oktoberfest has become far more than just the event in Bavaria, as beer-selling establishments globally look to benefit from the festivities. And the data suggests they’re wise to do so, with OnPrem Insights revealing that Oktoberfest beers command as much as 67% of beer sales at venues during the months of September and October.

So while Oktoberfest itself sees a remarkable 7 million litres of beer being poured, it’s piece of a much larger puzzle. And that much is true for the beer industry as a whole, as the trends of the event serve as a window to both the challenges and opportunities facing beer manufacturers and sellers across the globe. From changing consumption habits to new logistics challenges, it’s safe to say that the beer business today looks very different from a decade ago.

The rise of non-alcoholic beer

One of the most prominent themes in the beer industry over the past 10 years has been the rise in popularity of non-alcoholic beer. Once an extremely niche market, alcohol-free beer now represents a significant 6-7% of sales in Europe according to The Brewers of Europe – roughly around 1 in 15 pints.

Oktoberfest in Munich isn’t exactly famed for being a celebration of sobriety, but the 2024 event saw every single tent offer non-alcoholic alternatives to attendees. This has been driven by younger generations being more health-conscious than ever, and brewers now need to be part of the movement or risk being left behind.

Demand forecasting can also pose problems in terms of balancing peaks and troughs, with brands looking to capitalise on seasonal events such as ‘Dry January’ but having to manage slower periods and the potential waste that could come with it.

This volatility means non-alcoholic beer producers must design supply chains that are flexible, data-driven, and capable of ramping up or scaling down quickly as market circumstances dictate. 

Paying the price for a pint

Oktoberfest continues to be a hugely popular celebration in Germany and beyond, but one area of negative press that it regularly faces is how much beer costs for attendees. Since 2002, the price of a stein has more than doubled from a minimum price of €6.30 to an eye-watering €13.60 in 2024.

That cost is seemingly only continuing to go in one direction as well, as a stein at the 2025 event will set you back at least €14.50 – representing a rise of just over 3.5% from the previous year.

From a logistics perspective, these pressures mean supply chains are carrying higher costs at every stage, from sourcing grains to moving the finished product to retailers. For brewers and sellers, this makes efficiency critical: optimising transport routes, balancing on-trade and off-trade distribution, investing in lighter or returnable packaging, and using smarter demand forecasting to avoid costly overproduction or shortages.

Oktoberfest undoubtedly shines a spotlight on the challenges and opportunities facing the global beer industry, and getting the logistics strategy right can be the difference between success and failure during event season and beyond.

Efficient, flexible, and data-driven supply chains are no longer optional – they are essential for navigating price pressures, seasonal peaks, and ever-evolving market demands.

Be ready for evolving markets to go all the way! Discover more with Maersk Logistics Insights, and learn about Logistics Services, or for more logistics trends and insights, read and download The Logistics Trend Map.