While the Republican candidate for the US presidency, Donald Trump, defends the construction of a wall on the border with Mexico, more Americans are taking imported beer and tequila in the country that would be on the other side.
The largest producers of alcoholic beverages are stressing the need to generate appeal among consumers - Hispanic or not - who increasingly want Mexican origin products.
The import of Mexican beer the US grew 18 percent this year through June, surpassing the gain of 1.3 per cent of all imports of beer, according to the Beer Institute.
Between 2010 and 2015, the tequila volume increased 30 percent in the US, more than any other category of liquor, except brandy, according to data from Euromonitor International.
The compound annual growth rate of 24 percent of Constellation Brands between 2010 and 2015 was driven by the popularity of its products imported from Mexico, including Corona and Modelo beers, according to Kenneth Shea, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst.
The Tecate franchise, Heineken, increased 7.2 percent so far this year, led by Tecate Light, up 31 percent. Heineken also imports Dos Equis.
"Generation Y and Hispanics are very important to us," said Ronald den Elzen, CEO of Heineken USA, in an interview. "The trends that come from Latin America here and the interest of the entire American people for what is happening in terms of food, clothing style - everything - just contribute to this momentum."
Constellation and Heineken are not alone. Other companies have realized the power of Hispanic consumers: on September 1, MillerCoors will launch buzzed, an alcoholic version of the traditional Mexican fresh water.
Diageo, the largest distillery in the world, strengthened its tequila portfolio and invested in the newest popular distilled Mexico: mescal. The US tequila and mescal industry is expected to grow 17 percent between 2015 and 2020, according to data from Euromonitor.
Alcohol companies are caught between two cultural movements: the rise of Trump and his bombastic nativist discourse and called US culture Mexicanization, seen in the sectors of food and beverages.
"Trump takes advantage of the frustration over illegal immigrants; is something mind-blowing, "said Stephen Rannekleiv, global strategist for drinks Rabobank International in New York.
"But at the same time you see the growing interest in brands of Mexican origin, in all categories. The interest now is not just the tequila. "
Trump's promise to build a wall on the southern border, deport 11 million immigrants and renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA, the acronym in English) poses risks to companies like Constellation, the largest importer of Mexican beer to the USA.
Mexican imports account for 55 percent of annual revenue of $ 6.5 billion of Constellation, which is based in upstate New York, and Hispanic consumers account for one third of the sales of Corona.
Constellation declined to comment. A spokesman for Trump, Hope Hicks, did not respond to a request for comment.
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