Together, the four control more than 99 percent of the total beer market in Japan.

There are now some 20 dry brands in this country, though they still account for only about 1 percent of the beer market.

The company has also been growing in Mexico, another important beer market.

The value of Israel's beer market was estimated at ₪1.2 billion in 2009.

But investors will find far fewer ways to sample the beer market.

Guinness led the African beer market by 50% in 2000.

Finland's beer market has been described as international rather than local.

"But if we reached just one percent of the American beer market, that would double our sales again."

The company has a 40% share of the Japanese beer market.

Mexico's beer market exceeds 16 million cases, and has been growing by 6.5 percent a year over the last five years.