While international demand for New Zealand craft beer is predicted to triple during the next decade, a Bay of Plenty brewer says exporting the product overseas poses quality versus quantity dilemmas.

Kiwi craft beers' demand is increasing by about 25 per cent a year – signifying the fastest-growing segment of NZ's brewing industry.

Mount Brewing Company owner Virginia Meikle, with the beer her brewing company makes to supply Bay bars and liquor stores.

The United States, Europe, and Asian markets are among those interested.

ANZ central region commercial and agri general manager John Bennett says NZ is well-positioned to become a superpower of small brewers.

'People with money to spend are becoming more sophisticated in their tastes and they are looking beyond the big beer brands.

'The potential for exporters is enormous but New Zealand brewers and hop growers will need to significantly expand production if they're to take advantage of the opportunity.”

But Mount Brewing Company owner Glenn Meikle says it's crucial to secure a local market first and build up equipment before looking to supply further afield.

'We can only grow so big and we are still very much a small brewery,” says Glenn, who says demand for their beer comes mainly from local bars and liquor stores.

The idea of exporting overseas definitely whets Glenn's appetite, but would involve going through development first.

'When exporting, breweries require specialised equipment and only a handful do so at the moment.”

Glenn says if he purchased new equipment he'd have to first look to overseas markets to justify the spending. 'So at the moment we're just making and selling fresh beer locally.”

The major problem with exporting craft beers is the old chestnut of ‘quality versus quantity'.

Glenn says craft beers are all about fresh, crisp and clean offerings that allow flavours to shine through.

'It's the biggest hurdle and you have to be very careful, which is why we concentrate hard on making sure that whoever has our beer, has it is at its best.”

While only a handful of craft breweries operating in the Bay of Plenty, surprisingly the focus isn't on outdoing each other.

'All breweries get on well and help each other. The more breweries in a town the bigger and stronger the craft market gets,” says Glenn.

Aotearoa Breweries NZ Ltd head brewer Tammy Viitakangas agrees, saying there's comradery among brewers.

The focus isn't solely on competing with one and other but 'growing and learning with each other”.

'There aren't many craft breweries in the Bay of Plenty, but we're definitely up there in standards.”

Tammy says it's a great time to be in the industry and exports of Kiwi craft beers will definitely increase – something she puts it down to a greater interest shown by beer drinkers, both here and overseas, for more flavoursome brews.

'New Zealand is also in a great position to capitalise as we have many hop varieties unique to the country,” says Tammy.

'I'm not sure how well-known our craft beers internationally, but it's probably where wine was 20 years ago.

'Wine being exported is a relatively new thing for this country and it has just exploded.

'I think there is the opportunity for beer to do the same.”

Tammy's brewery also hopes to export overseas, but like counterparts it comes down to taking it in stages.

The current focus is the Kiwi market, shipping beer countrywide, with their biggest growth being supplying bars.

She puts it down to a change in drinkers taste, plus bars not signing contracts with big distributors such as Lion and DB breweries.

But as Aotearoa Breweries grows, it will be looking to export overseas.

'We are a small company still, so our first move would probably to get something going in Australia because it's the closet market to service,” says Tammy.