Selva Negra’s 40% growth defies market trends
German agave spirit Selva Negra has reported an approximate 40% increase in 2025 compared with the previous year, based on preliminary figures.
Launched in 2023, Selva Negra is a handmade mezcal-inspired spirit produced using 100% Salmiana agave from Mexico. It was the ‘first’ agave-based spirit to be produced in the Black Forest.
Last year marked Selva Negra’s first full financial year following its portfolio expansion with blanco and reposado, both of which launched in autumn 2024.
Selva Negra noted it has achieved its revenue growth in a market environment ‘broadly characterised by stagnation, consolidation, and declining volumes’.
“For a young company like ours, this development is anything but a given,” explained co-founders Sebastian Dresel and Laurin Lehmann. “Especially against the backdrop of a challenging market environment, this growth demonstrates that our approach fundamentally works and that there is demand for differentiated premium spirits even against the broader trend.”
Current market data indicates the German spirits industry is undergoing a phase of consolidation.
According to the German Spirits Industry and Importers Association (BSI), per capita spirits consumption declined by approximately 2% in 2024.
The nation’s grocery retail sector also recorded a volume decline of 2.4%, according to BSI’s Annual Report 2024/2025.
Despite this challenging market environment, Selva Negra considers itself strategically well positioned. “Against this backdrop, it is noteworthy that a young, independent brand such as Selva Negra is able to achieve growth,” the founders said. “We do not take this for granted, but see it as the result of clear strategic positioning and consistent brand building.
“What we conceptualised five years ago is now being felt in the market. We are aware that we are not yet over the hill – but we clearly see that our approach works. That gives us confidence.”
Selva Negra is currently in an early, controlled growth phase, and direct-to-consumer sales presently account for approximately 5% of total revenue.
The strategic focus has been deliberately placed on the on-trade and specialist retail as the foundation for scalable brand development.
The duo noted: “We deliberately focus on relevance within the professional environment. When bartenders and specialist retailers work with our products, credibility is established. This ultimately translates into demand among end consumers.”
They added: “As an independent start-up, we naturally do not yet have the international distribution, logistics, and production structures of a corporation. The decisive point, however, is this: our product is already designed for such scalability.”
The pair explained that it has positioned itself as a clearly defined agave spirit with an international USP, capable of international scaling without fundamental adjustments, provided that appropriate infrastructure is in place.
“From our perspective, this represents a key future potential. Not in reinventing the product, but in the structured expansion of infrastructure,” they said.
Related news
Cat Bite Club doubles down on agave and rice spirits
Beyond Mexico: Maya Pistola promotes agave spirits from India
