Ouzo is one of Greece’s most quietly successful exports — and its map is remarkably concentrated. In 2024 the value of ouzo exports rose to €64.3 million, up 5.2% from €61.1 million the year before. The single biggest destination is not a surprise, but its share is: Germany alone absorbs roughly 43.5% of the value, around €28 million.
Anise diplomacy
Germany’s dominance is decades in the making, rooted in a large Greek diaspora and a deep familiarity with the ritual of ouzo — the pour, the water, the slow turn to milky white known as the louche. Beyond Germany, ouzo travels widely: the United States, Cyprus, the UK, Australia and the Balkans all feature on the shipping manifests.
That concentration is both a strength and a risk. A market that loyal is a durable base; a market that large is also a single point of exposure to shifting tastes and tariffs — one reason producers keep pushing into newer territories.
The value of a name
Crucially, ouzo’s export strength rests on identity. Names such as Ouzo of Plomari and Ouzo of Mytilene carry Protected Geographical Indication status, tying the drink to place and protecting it in export markets. As Greek spirits chase growth abroad, that legal and cultural anchor — the guarantee that ouzo is, unmistakably, Greek — may be the category’s most valuable asset.
