“Border Opening Pushed Regional Distilleries to Grow in Sales”
La República reports:
“After a 2025 Constitutional Court ruling that governors can no longer ban entry of spirits from other departments, Colombia’s regional alcohol market opened dramatically. Industria Licorera de Caldas grew 34% to 51.4 million bottles; Fábrica de Licores de Antioquia leads with 73 million bottles, up 4.3%; Industria de Licores del Valle sold 10 million bottles, up 2%; and Nueva Licorera de Boyacá grew 6%. Antioquia contributed 1.05 trillion pesos in consumption tax.
“The Boyacá distillery manager credited the governor’s office with fostering ‘exclusivity’ through state-sponsored festivals: ‘Our fundamental strategic ally is the Boyacá Governor’s Office. This greatly hinders the entry of other liquors.’ Meanwhile, smaller producers such as the Meta Liquor Unit (89,721 units sold) report difficulty competing against larger distilleries with bigger budgets.”
Assessment
Previous Movendi reporting documented the marketing surge that followed the monopoly removal – the new sales figures confirm that the increased marketing competition has translated into increased alcohol sales, not merely redistribution between distilleries. The growth is substantial and nearly universal. Industria Licorera de Caldas grew 34%, with its flagship Aguardiente Amarillo Manzanares surging 87% following entry into new departments. Fábrica de Licores de Antioquia, the undisputed market leader with 73 million bottles, grew 4.3%. These figures point to a net increase in overall alcohol availability and sales across Colombia.
Colombia’s experience offers a cautionary lesson for other jurisdictions considering the erosion of alcohol availability limitations. Availability-based limitations remain among the most evidence-based policy tools available for preventing and reducing alcohol harm, and Colombia demonstrates the predictable consequences of dismantling them. The global spirits industry’s opposition to Colombia’s proposed pro-health tax reform suggests that compensatory measures will face similar industry resistance. Without pro-health taxation and marketing limitations, this growth in alcohol sales will translate directly into increased alcohol harm.