Carlsberg Group plans expanded regenerative barley usage across brands in the UK, Finland and France
by CM staff
The Danish brewer has committed to sourcing 30 per cent of all agricultural raw materials from regenerative practices and sustainable sources globally by 2030, reaching 100 per cent by 2040.
(L-R) Finnish farmers Antti Finskas (on his farm in Vuolenkoski) and Sirkku Puumala and Patrick Nyström (whose Carbon Action farm is in Vihti) supplied regenerative barley to Sinebrychoff, a Carlsberg Group company, for its annual KOFF Christmas Beer. Photo: Carlsberg Group.
COPENHAGEN — Carlsberg Group is moving towards regenerative farming with three brands in the UK, Finland and France, on its journey towards 100 per cent regenerative agricultural practices by 2040.
The brand commitments form part of the group’s new ZERO Farming Footprint ambition within its recently launched ESG programme, Together Towards Zero and Beyond. Within this, the Danish brewer has committed to sourcing 30 per cent of all agricultural raw materials from regenerative practices and sustainable sources globally by 2030, reaching 100 per cent by 2040.
“We cannot reach our targets alone. Partnerships are vital across the value chain, which is why we are collaborating closely with local farmers, traders, maltsters, agronomists and NGOs who provide expertise in the transition to regeneratively grown barley,” said Simon Boas Hoffmeyer, Senior Director of Sustainability & ESG for Carlsberg Group. “Over time this will allow us to offer our consumers and customers lower-carbon beers and contribute to improving the ecosystems we rely on. We will cooperate with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that we as a company and our industry as a whole, strives towards a ZERO Farming Footprint.”
Starting the transition towards 100 per cent regenerative barley in the UK, CMBC and the Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) have contracted the first 23 farmers to grow an estimated 7,000 tonnes of regenerative barley during 2023. Partnering with agriculture consultancy Ceres Rural, a regenerative agricultural protocal has been developed to align with group practices, while considering the specific requirements and contexts for UK farmers.
“ADM is delighted to be supporting this exciting project as further evidence of how we work with farmers, here in the UK and around the world, to expand regenerative agriculture as part of our collective endeavour to reduce carbon and make our food system more sustainable,” said Jonathan Lane, Managing Director UK at ADM. “At ADM, we have years of experience of supporting farmers in their transition to regenerative agriculture and understand the importance of creating value for participants across the value chains in which we operate.”
