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HEINEKEN UK today announces the launch of one of the UK’s leading regenerative malting barley programmes, in partnership with maltsters Muntons and Boortmalt, barley merchants Cefetra, and independent agronomists Soil Capital, to support UK farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices at scale.
Farmers will be directly paid a premium on regenerative barley yields, helping to reduce the risk of changing farming practices and making the transition commercially viable. This approach, combined with the scale of the programme, sets it apart from other regenerative agriculture malting barley initiatives in the UK to date.
Regenerative agriculture focuses on farming methods designed to improve soil health, retain carbon in the soil, support biodiversity, enhance water management and build resilience against climate change.
In 2027, almost half1 of the malted barley sourced by HEINEKEN UK will be grown through regenerative agriculture practices, marking a major step in the company’s move to support the transition and make regenerative farming part of mainstream beer production.
HEINEKEN UK is the UK’s largest beer, cider and pub company, brewing over 1.3 billion pints of beer every year and supplying 80% of UK pubs. Over 95% of the beer sold by HEINEKEN UK is brewed on home soil, underlining the importance of developing more sustainable farming practices for UK-grown ingredients.
The shift to using regenerative malting barley will extend across the HEINEKEN UK portfolio, including Heineken®, Cruzcampo, Birra Moretti, John Smith’s, Foster’s and Amstel. The first yield is due to be harvested in 2026, brewed and served to consumers in 2027.
Among the UK’s leading regenerative agriculture malting barley initiatives2, HEINEKEN UK’s programme aims to support UK farmers to accelerate the adoption of regenerative farming practices such as reduced soil disturbance, cover crops and diverse crop rotations, contributing to healthier soils and strengthening the long-term resilience of British barley. Practices will be bespoke to each farmer based on the regenerative methods they already have in place and what best suits their land.
The programme will focus on barley-growing regions across much of England and Scotland, including East Anglia, East Midlands, Southeast and the Southwest, Fife and the Scottish Borders, reflecting the importance of local supply chains to HEINEKEN UK’s brewing operations.
The initiative brings HEINEKEN UK together with strategic suppliers Muntons and Boortmalt, aiming to deliver practical benefits for farmers including financial incentives, agronomic support and multi-year certainty. This helps to reduce the cost and risk of transitioning to more regenerative practices while fortifying the long-term viability of their businesses. By combining multi-year commitments with practical on-farm support, the programme is designed to make the transition commercially viable for growers, not just environmentally beneficial.
Sonia Thimmiah, Corporate Affairs Director, HEINEKEN UK, said: “British malting barley is at the heart of some of the UK’s best-loved beers, so making it more resilient for the future matters. This programme is about working with partners to make regenerative agriculture practical, scalable and commercially viable by strengthening soils and helping farms stay fit for the future. It is also an important contribution to HEINEKEN’s global Brew a Better World strategy and aims to protect water and nature as well as reduce carbon emissions.”
Charles Tozer, Country Manager UK & Ireland, Boortmalt said: “This programme shows what can be achieved when brewers, maltsters, merchants, agronomists and farmers work together behind a shared goal. By building long-term collaboration across the malting barley supply chain, we can help create the certainty and practical support farmers need to adopt regenerative practices with confidence.”
Mark Tyldesley, Chief Executive Officer, Muntons said: “What makes this programme unique is its scale and the collaboration between suppliers. We know from our work with growers that every farm is different, and the transition to regenerative agriculture needs to be practical, commercially realistic and tailored to individual land. Through this partnership, we can help farmers identify the right steps for their business while supporting the long-term resilience of UK malting barley.”
The programme is underpinned by Soil Capital’s independent measurement, reporting and verification, providing robust, farm-level data on key outcomes to ensure transparency and credibility, with progress to be tracked over time. Soil Capital will work closely with onboarded farmers to provide expert advice as they transition to regenerative practices, measuring the impact of the new methods on more than 30 indicators, including soil health, increased biodiversity and water management.
Nathalie Bouche, Chief Revenue Officer, Soil Capital said: “For regenerative agriculture to scale, it needs to be measured credibly and transparently. Our role is to support farmers to adopt practices that work for their land, while providing evidence and validation so HEINEKEN UK and its partners can track real progress over time. Independent measurement gives farmers, businesses and the wider value chain the confidence to invest for the long term."
1Calculation based on HEINEKEN UK estimated forecast of malted barley volume for 2027.
2Calculation based on the committed volume offtake of regenerative barley from the programme in 2027
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The programme supports HEINEKEN’s global Brew a Better World strategy and the key goal to reach net zero carbon by 2040 across our value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3). Accelerating the adoption of regenerative agriculture is an important lever, and the UK programme builds on earlier regenerative agriculture projects across Europe, with further expansion across multiple countries to advance regenerative agriculture, while strengthening long-term relationships with farmers and suppliers.
About HEINEKEN UK:
Headquartered in Edinburgh, HEINEKEN is the UK’s leading pub, cider and beer business. The company owns around 2,400 pubs as part of its Star Pubs business and employs around 2,100 people. We are passionate about our cider and beer brands and the outstanding service that we offer to our customers. Our unrivalled portfolio of brands includes, Heineken®, Foster’s, Strongbow, Cruzcampo, John Smith’s, Inch’s Cider, Amstel, Birra Moretti and Old Mout, backed by a full range of niche and specialty brands. HEINEKEN also owns Beavertown and Brixton Brewery. HEINEKEN also has a range of alcohol-free products that include the largest alcohol-free beer in the UK, Heineken 0.0, Birra Moretti Zero, Inch’s Cider 0.0, and alcohol-free Old Mout cider variants.
About Boortmalt:
Boortmalt is a global malting company with a production capacity of 3 million tonnes. The group is present on 5 continents with 25 malting plants. Boortmalt’s expertise is widely acknowledged by brewers, distillers, and food industries who rely on the supply of top-quality malted barley. Our facilities in the UK are based on the proud heritage and expertise of Pauls Malt, which has been supporting brewers and distillers since 1842. Boortmalt has a strong vision on sustainability and sustainable agriculture is one of our core objectives together with energy use efficiency & emissions reduction, water conservation, and health & safety. We promote the continuous improvement of farming methodologies through local sourcing programs with all parties aiming to deliver increases in soil health, grain quality and climate resilience across the supply chain, from grain to glass. Boortmalt has also committed to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). For more information, please visit www.boortmalt.com.
About Muntons:
Founded in 1921, Muntons is a family-owned malting company, specialising in the production of malts and malted ingredients for the brewing, distilling and global food and beverage industries. Headquartered in Stowmarket, Muntons also has a maltings in Bridlington and a peating plant at Tithe Top, both in Yorkshire, and with sites in Yorkshire, UK and Thailand, Muntons employs more than 370 people worldwide. For more information visit www.muntons.com.
About Soil Capital:
Founded in 2013, Soil Capital is a certified B Corp working with farmers to support the transition to more resilient and regenerative agricultural systems. Operating across Europe, the company uses agronomic intelligence to connect businesses with farmers who are rewarded for improving soil health, mitigating climate change and reinforcing food security.
Using SBTi FLAG-compliant methodologies and digital tools, on-farm practices are translated into reliable, field-level data and verified outcomes. By linking this data with clear economic incentives, Soil Capital helps farmers manage risk and strengthen long-term performance, while agri-food value-chain actors, cooperatives, financial institutions and public bodies gain credible insight into agricultural performance and land-use risk.
HEINEKEN UK today announces the launch of one of the UK’s leading regenerative malting barley programmes, in partnership with maltsters Muntons and Boortmalt, barley merchants Cefetra, and independent agronomists Soil Capital, to support UK farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices at scale.
Farmers will be directly paid a premium on regenerative barley yields, helping to reduce the risk of changing farming practices and making the transition commercially viable. This approach, combined with the scale of the programme, sets it apart from other regenerative agriculture malting barley initiatives in the UK to date.
Regenerative agriculture focuses on farming methods designed to improve soil health, retain carbon in the soil, support biodiversity, enhance water management and build resilience against climate change.
In 2027, almost half1 of the malted barley sourced by HEINEKEN UK will be grown through regenerative agriculture practices, marking a major step in the company’s move to support the transition and make regenerative farming part of mainstream beer production.
HEINEKEN UK is the UK’s largest beer, cider and pub company, brewing over 1.3 billion pints of beer every year and supplying 80% of UK pubs. Over 95% of the beer sold by HEINEKEN UK is brewed on home soil, underlining the importance of developing more sustainable farming practices for UK-grown ingredients.
The shift to using regenerative malting barley will extend across the HEINEKEN UK portfolio, including Heineken®, Cruzcampo, Birra Moretti, John Smith’s, Foster’s and Amstel. The first yield is due to be harvested in 2026, brewed and served to consumers in 2027.
Among the UK’s leading regenerative agriculture malting barley initiatives2, HEINEKEN UK’s programme aims to support UK farmers to accelerate the adoption of regenerative farming practices such as reduced soil disturbance, cover crops and diverse crop rotations, contributing to healthier soils and strengthening the long-term resilience of British barley. Practices will be bespoke to each farmer based on the regenerative methods they already have in place and what best suits their land.
The programme will focus on barley-growing regions across much of England and Scotland, including East Anglia, East Midlands, Southeast and the Southwest, Fife and the Scottish Borders, reflecting the importance of local supply chains to HEINEKEN UK’s brewing operations.
The initiative brings HEINEKEN UK together with strategic suppliers Muntons and Boortmalt, aiming to deliver practical benefits for farmers including financial incentives, agronomic support and multi-year certainty. This helps to reduce the cost and risk of transitioning to more regenerative practices while fortifying the long-term viability of their businesses. By combining multi-year commitments with practical on-farm support, the programme is designed to make the transition commercially viable for growers, not just environmentally beneficial.
Sonia Thimmiah, Corporate Affairs Director, HEINEKEN UK, said: “British malting barley is at the heart of some of the UK’s best-loved beers, so making it more resilient for the future matters. This programme is about working with partners to make regenerative agriculture practical, scalable and commercially viable by strengthening soils and helping farms stay fit for the future. It is also an important contribution to HEINEKEN’s global Brew a Better World strategy and aims to protect water and nature as well as reduce carbon emissions.”
Charles Tozer, Country Manager UK & Ireland, Boortmalt said: “This programme shows what can be achieved when brewers, maltsters, merchants, agronomists and farmers work together behind a shared goal. By building long-term collaboration across the malting barley supply chain, we can help create the certainty and practical support farmers need to adopt regenerative practices with confidence.”
Mark Tyldesley, Chief Executive Officer, Muntons said: “What makes this programme unique is its scale and the collaboration between suppliers. We know from our work with growers that every farm is different, and the transition to regenerative agriculture needs to be practical, commercially realistic and tailored to individual land. Through this partnership, we can help farmers identify the right steps for their business while supporting the long-term resilience of UK malting barley.”
The programme is underpinned by Soil Capital’s independent measurement, reporting and verification, providing robust, farm-level data on key outcomes to ensure transparency and credibility, with progress to be tracked over time. Soil Capital will work closely with onboarded farmers to provide expert advice as they transition to regenerative practices, measuring the impact of the new methods on more than 30 indicators, including soil health, increased biodiversity and water management.
Nathalie Bouche, Chief Revenue Officer, Soil Capital said: “For regenerative agriculture to scale, it needs to be measured credibly and transparently. Our role is to support farmers to adopt practices that work for their land, while providing evidence and validation so HEINEKEN UK and its partners can track real progress over time. Independent measurement gives farmers, businesses and the wider value chain the confidence to invest for the long term."
1Calculation based on HEINEKEN UK estimated forecast of malted barley volume for 2027.
2Calculation based on the committed volume offtake of regenerative barley from the programme in 2027
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The programme supports HEINEKEN’s global Brew a Better World strategy and the key goal to reach net zero carbon by 2040 across our value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3). Accelerating the adoption of regenerative agriculture is an important lever, and the UK programme builds on earlier regenerative agriculture projects across Europe, with further expansion across multiple countries to advance regenerative agriculture, while strengthening long-term relationships with farmers and suppliers.
About HEINEKEN UK:
Headquartered in Edinburgh, HEINEKEN is the UK’s leading pub, cider and beer business. The company owns around 2,400 pubs as part of its Star Pubs business and employs around 2,100 people. We are passionate about our cider and beer brands and the outstanding service that we offer to our customers. Our unrivalled portfolio of brands includes, Heineken®, Foster’s, Strongbow, Cruzcampo, John Smith’s, Inch’s Cider, Amstel, Birra Moretti and Old Mout, backed by a full range of niche and specialty brands. HEINEKEN also owns Beavertown and Brixton Brewery. HEINEKEN also has a range of alcohol-free products that include the largest alcohol-free beer in the UK, Heineken 0.0, Birra Moretti Zero, Inch’s Cider 0.0, and alcohol-free Old Mout cider variants.
About Boortmalt:
Boortmalt is a global malting company with a production capacity of 3 million tonnes. The group is present on 5 continents with 25 malting plants. Boortmalt’s expertise is widely acknowledged by brewers, distillers, and food industries who rely on the supply of top-quality malted barley. Our facilities in the UK are based on the proud heritage and expertise of Pauls Malt, which has been supporting brewers and distillers since 1842. Boortmalt has a strong vision on sustainability and sustainable agriculture is one of our core objectives together with energy use efficiency & emissions reduction, water conservation, and health & safety. We promote the continuous improvement of farming methodologies through local sourcing programs with all parties aiming to deliver increases in soil health, grain quality and climate resilience across the supply chain, from grain to glass. Boortmalt has also committed to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). For more information, please visit www.boortmalt.com.
About Muntons:
Founded in 1921, Muntons is a family-owned malting company, specialising in the production of malts and malted ingredients for the brewing, distilling and global food and beverage industries. Headquartered in Stowmarket, Muntons also has a maltings in Bridlington and a peating plant at Tithe Top, both in Yorkshire, and with sites in Yorkshire, UK and Thailand, Muntons employs more than 370 people worldwide. For more information visit www.muntons.com.
About Soil Capital:
Founded in 2013, Soil Capital is a certified B Corp working with farmers to support the transition to more resilient and regenerative agricultural systems. Operating across Europe, the company uses agronomic intelligence to connect businesses with farmers who are rewarded for improving soil health, mitigating climate change and reinforcing food security.
Using SBTi FLAG-compliant methodologies and digital tools, on-farm practices are translated into reliable, field-level data and verified outcomes. By linking this data with clear economic incentives, Soil Capital helps farmers manage risk and strengthen long-term performance, while agri-food value-chain actors, cooperatives, financial institutions and public bodies gain credible insight into agricultural performance and land-use risk.
