E-Malt.com News article: USA: MillerCoors to sell more beer, which means it will need more barley

Anheiser Busch just sold their company overseas, but in Montana Friday the news comes from MillerCoors, Montana’s News Station commented on July 18.

Barley growers gathered to tour the fields and enjoy an appreciation lunch - and plenty of beer. The MillerCoors company hosted Barley Field Days to thank farmers as well as celebrating some new changes. Coors recently joined with the Miller brewing company, creating MillerCoors, a move the company says can only benefit Montana.

Pete Coors Jr., of the MillerCoors Brewing Company, says, "I think it makes Coors a stronger company. It enables us to sell more beer, which means we'll need more barley."

Coors says he is not worried about the recent Anheiser Busch sell.

"It will give MillerCoors a big advantage in the U.S. Beer business for the next few years while their figuring that out. " says Coors.

Coors says over 20% of the company's barley is grown in Montana. Other big changes happening for MillerCoors include the addition of a new barley unloading facility to the elevator. Before the addition, farmers had to wait up to five hours to unload their trucks.

"It was causing growers to spend too much time in a truck waiting to get unloaded and not enough time in harvest." says Coors.

The company expects the new unloading area to take in barley at nearly times the previous receiving rate. The addition cost one point five million dollars and took ninety days to build. They hired local subcontractors and stress the benefits the addition will have for local farmers.

Wade Malchow, manager of Brewing Materials, says, "Now trucks are going to be able to get in and out of here and keep those costs of delivery down let the growers be more efficient, and get their crop in."

Growers watched a demonstration at the new unloading area - as they enjoyed some of the beer their barley would help produce.

Coors holds an event like the Barley Field days in at least one of its four growing areas each year.


19 July, 2008