Rethinking the barley supply chain

We have partnered with malt producer Malteries Soufflet and grain buyer Soufflet Agriculture (part of the InVivo agricultural group) to create the first sustainable and traceable “Responsible Barley” supply chain in France. In 2022, together with our partners we brought together 45 farmers who are implementing a set of regenerative practices to promote biodiversity and reduce the carbon footprint of farming. 

These techniques include: diversified crop rotations to promote biodiversity; sowing cover crops during fallow periods to increase soil carbon; and optimising fertiliser input based on regular soil analysis. We use blockchain technology to enable full traceability and verify responsible production from the field to our brewery. The farmers are guaranteed fair remuneration through a bonus scheme to reward their commitment to using more sustainable practices while maintaining the same high level of barley quality. 

From 2023, 20% of the malt used to brew our Kronenbourg 1664 Blonde beer will be sourced from barley that is grown using these regenerative practices, with a production target of 900 hectares. By 2026, we aim to reach 100% by involving around 250 farmers producing barley on 5,000 hectares. 

While further requirements need to be met to consider this barley fully regenerative, the adoption of these techniques takes us a big step forward on the path towards a ZERO Farming Footprint in France.