E-Malt.com News article: UK: Heineken introduces UK regenerative agriculture initiative to support sustainability goals

HEINEKEN UK has announced 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, The Manufacturer reported on August 4.

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 half 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 initiatives, 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.”


04 August, 2026