Asahi UK is launching a collaboration with malt supplier Boortmalt to support the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices on British barley farms.
This will cover barley production equivalent to 100% of the pale malt used to brew Asahi’s local British beers. These include Fuller’s London Pride, Meantime Prime Pale, and Dark Star Hophead.
At the Griffin Brewery, in Chiswick, home of all Asahi’s local beer production, pale malt accounts for approximately 90% of the brewery’s annual malt use (3,050 metric tonnes in 2026). Starting from January this year, the initiative has aimed to lower greenhouse gas emissions from barley and forms part of Asahi UK’s ongoing work to understand and address the environmental impact of its ingredients.
Participating farms will introduce regenerative practices such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, crop rotation, and reduction in artificial fertiliser use, which can enhance soil fertility and structure, leading to better crop yields and water conservation, and helping to boost biodiversity on farms.
This builds from Asahi UK’s work on another key ingredient of beer — hops. This includes supporting two pioneering PhD research projects alongside other partners through FOR HOPS UK, and raising awareness of the challenges British hop farmers are facing from climate change with Brentford FC through Bee a Hop Grower with Pride.
“Barley is one of our most important ingredients,” said Isabel Ashman, sustainability manager at Asahi UK, “and we recognise the role we can play — together with our suppliers and farmers — in building more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems.
This partnership is about working side-by-side, learning and investing to reduce emissions in our supply chain while strengthening the future of British barley.”
Oliver Rubinstein, sustainable agriculture manager UK and Ireland at Boortmalt, added: “Regenerative agriculture offers a solution to so many of the challenges facing British malting barley growers right now, from extreme weather right through to economic volatility. The summer drought and high input costs over the last 12 months have reinforced why this is needed.”
