Not everyone can explain what regenerative agriculture means. But it will be a relevant topic of conversation at this year's Danish political festival, Folkemødet. Here, Carlsberg will launch its first beer brewed from 100% regeneratively grown barley malt.

The name will be Grobund, and it marks the start of a new and large-scale initiative by the brewery, which aims to brew all its beer with barley from regenerative fields.

“Grobund will be the symbol of a much larger movement for Carlsberg. We are already testing the barley malt in the regular Carlsberg pilsner. The goal is that by 2040, we will brew exclusively with regenerative grain across the entire Carlsberg group,” says Peter Haahr Nielsen, Managing Director at Carlsberg Denmark. 

Regenerative agriculture is an emerging topic around the world, but there are currently no rules or a common definition of what it covers. Carlsberg has, therefore, defined what it considers to be regenerative agricultural methods in its strategy, including requirements for crop rotation, plant cover, and minimal tillage. This definition has been developed in collaboration with several international consulting firms and Agrovi in Denmark.

New contract: From 500 to 15,000 tonnes of regenerative malt

While Grobund is a one-off event served during the summer at Folkemødet and Home of Carlsberg, pursuing regenerative development is a long-term strategy. Carlsberg Denmark has already purchased 500 tonnes of barley malt, equivalent to 3 million litres of beer, which will hit the market in 2025 when the classic Carlsberg Pilsner is blended with regenerative barley malt.

But that is only the beginning, as the brewery today announced that it is entering into a new agreement with producers Fuglsang Viking Malt and DLG for the delivery of 14,800 tonnes of barley malt, which will be harvested in autumn 2025 and delivered from the end of 2025. The malt will ultimately be used to produce over 100 million litres of beer in 2025 and 2026. This corresponds to approximately 40 per cent of Carlsberg Denmark's annual consumption of barley malt.

"The raw materials we use at Carlsberg Denmark account for approximately 40 per cent of our emissions, and with this regenerative initiative, we can reduce those emissions while contributing to better soil health and increased biodiversity. Our new agreement clearly shows that we at Carlsberg see a future in brewing with regenerative grain and that we want to contribute to the development of regenerative agriculture. Not just in Denmark, but worldwide," says Peter Haahr Nielsen.

Grobund has been bottled at Carlsberg's house brewery at Valby Bakke and will be available at Folkemødet and at Home of Carlsberg, where it can be enjoyed on tap and bought in cans in the shop.

“This will be the first time we can taste a regenerative beer from Carlsberg, but far from the last. With these new methods, we want to deliver a beer to Danes that is authentic, meaningful and down to earth – literally,” says Peter Haahr Nielsen.