Budweiser Brewing Group has announced it has achieved its goal of sourcing 100% of the barley used for its UK-produced beers from British farms.
The milestone eliminates the need to import barley and therefore reduces carbon emissions and champions British agriculture.
Improving agricultural practices and reducing carbon emissions, are key aims of the brewer’s ambitious 2025 Sustainability Goals.
Budweiser Brewing Group has worked with its partners to support the production of enough barley for some of the UK’s most popular beers, including Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona, brewed at its two breweries in Magor in South Wales and Samlesbury in Lancashire.
This year, Budweiser Brewing Group claimed the number one brewer spot in the UK.
Its UK breweries produce more than 20 million bottles and cans of Budweiser each week alone, meaning the need for barley is greater than ever.
Prior to 2014, Budweiser Brewing Group imported 100% of barley used for Budweiser, as the unique properties required to brew the beer were not available in UK-grown barley.
Working with agronomy, grain trading and malting partners, the brewer was able to introduce a new type of grain, known as ‘Explorer’, to the UK, which met the specific standards needed to brew Budweiser’s famous recipe.
There are now more than 300 farmers growing barley for Budweiser in the UK, covering more than 6,000ha of British farms and producing 40,000t of barley each year.
Paula Lindenberg, president of Budweiser Brewing Group UK and Ireland, commented:
We set ourselves the ambitious goal to source 100% of our barley in Britain.
“Today, we’re so proud to announce that we’ve reached this goal despite the uncertainties of Covid-19. Local communities are the lifeblood of this country, so we’re absolutely committed to supporting them, creating more efficient supply chains, and brewing the UK’s most sustainable beers.”
