Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC), part of the Carlsberg Group, will work with British farmers to implement regenerative agriculture techniques[i], as it announces Carlsberg Danish Pilsner’s target to use only regenerative barley[ii] in its brews by 2027. All its other UK brewed brands[iii] – including Carlsberg Expørt, Birrificio Angelo Poretti, Hobgoblin and Brooklyn Pilsner – are aiming to follow suit by 2031.
- Partnership with 23 UK farmers will grow an estimated 7,000 tons of barley by the end of 2023. The aim is to use it in Carlsberg Danish Pilsner brews from 2024 – enough to make up to 96 million pints per year[iv]
- Strategy developed alongside agronomists Ceres Rural to best reflect the needs of British barley farmers, supporting their transition to regenerative agricultural techniques
- UK leads the charge on ZERO Farming Footprint activity within Carlsberg Group, targeting 100% regenerative barley in UK-brewed brands by 2031, versus 2040 globally
7th March 2023, London: Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) is partnering with 23 UK farmers to grow regenerative barley in 2023. The target is to exclusively use this barley in all Carlsberg Danish Pilsner brews by 2027, and across CMBC’s other UK-brewed brands by 2031. The core practices which CMBC is promoting as part of the programme include limiting soil disturbance and chemical usage, planting multi-species cover crops, crop rotation, field margins and documentation of practices used at farms in scope.
By the end of 2023, the target is for partner farms to have produced an estimated 7,000 tons of barley. CMBC’s aim is to use that barley in Carlsberg Danish Pilsner brews from 2024, which is enough to make up to 96 million pints per year.
WWF-UK “Land of Plenty” report, highlights at least 29% of global man-made greenhouse gas emissions come from the way we produce, distribute and consume food. Farming practices are also the main driver of losses of biodiversity. CMBC’s target is to introduce regenerative practices with the aim of helping to promote biodiversity, replenish the natural resources used through farming, restore soil health, and support natural carbon capture on the UK farms involved.
As one of the first farms to sign up, Ben Taylor, Managing Director at Iford Estate in East Sussex, says: “It’s great that Carlsberg Marston’s recognise the benefits to biodiversity and ecosystems services of farming regeneratively and are actively rewarding those farmers who use these techniques. I hope that this is the start of a long-term partnership.”
Laurence Cox, Sustainability Lead at Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company, said: “We’re excited to support British farmers to ensure our barley continues to be sourced from UK farmers for our UK-brewed brands, and going forward, using regenerative techniques. The partnerships we have established to deliver this programme are critical, and we will continue to collaborate closely with local farmers, traders, maltsters, agronomists and NGOs as we continue our transition to regenerative barley.”
CMBC has rolled out the initiative in partnership with farm consultants and agronomists Ceres Rural, who supported in the development of a regenerative agriculture protocol that considers the specific needs of British farmers, while aligning with wider Group practices. The collaboration enables farmers to implement the new practices, while measuring impacts on soil, biodiversity, and carbon emissions.”
In supporting CMBC’s journey, Alice Andrew, Associate Partner at Ceres Rural, says: “Agricultural systems vary hugely across the world due to climate, soil type, crops grown, scale and technology – therefore adapting the approach across markets is essential to success. Government and industry support for farmers will help scale these practices – from expert advice and facilitating peer-to–peer learning to gathering local data to give more farmers confidence to adapt new practices.”
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM), a global leader in sustainable agriculture and nutrition, has supported the initiative by championing its benefits to farmers, and by helping to launch it commercially through relevant supply contracts.
Jonathan Lane, Managing Director UK at ADM says: “ADM is delighted to be supporting this exciting project as further evidence of how we work with farmers, here in the UK and around the world, to expand regenerative agriculture. At ADM, we have experience supporting farmers in implementing regenerative agriculture and understand the importance of creating value for participants across the value chains in which we operate.”
In the UK, the Carlsberg brand has been supporting WWF-UK since 2021[v]. Callum Weir, Head of Agricultural Programmes at WWF-UK, says: “Agriculture is the biggest cause of biodiversity loss around the world and a major driver of climate change. If we’re to bring our world back to life, we simply must find better ways to farm in harmony with nature. Regenerative agriculture, when robustly defined and comprehensively implemented, is one way to do that. Every business with an agricultural supply chain needs to step up to this challenge and we applaud CMBC for setting their ambitions towards zero footprint farming.”
The activity marks the latest step in CMBC’s journey, under the Group’s global ZERO Farming Footprint ambition, part of its recently launched ESG programme, Together Towards Zero and Beyond. Carlsberg Group is targeting 100% regenerative barley usage by 2040 so the UK is one of the lead markets with its target.
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
Carlsberg
Carlsberg. To many we’re a famous Danish Pilsner. To others, we make probably the best beer adverts in the world. But to those that know us, we’re so much more. We’re a brewer with more than 170-years of heritage and a reputation for brewing a range of great beers, including Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, Carlsberg Export and Carlsberg Special Brew. At Carlsberg, the constant pursuit of better has been in our DNA from 1847, onwards – but this pursuit goes beyond the beer alone. We’re also committed to the pursuit of a better tomorrow, which is why we continue to support scientific innovation from the Carlsberg Laboratory in Copenhagen, where the pH Scale was discovered.
About Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company
Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company is one of the newest, historic brewers in the UK. Formed out of a joint venture between Carlsberg UK and Marston’s PLC, who are both shareholders, the brewer combines over 300 years shared values, history and heritage in UK brewing.
The brewer provides its customers and consumers with an unrivalled portfolio of lagers, ales and craft beer brands from the very best of two master brewing teams, plus those under license from valued partners. These include lagers such as Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, Carlsberg Expørt and Birrificio Angelo Poretti; premium cask and packaged ales, including Hobgoblin, Marston’s Pedigree, Tetley’s, Wainwright and 61 Deep; brands under license including San Miguel, Shipyard, Erdinger, Warsteiner and Kirin; a broad selection of alcohol-free beers; plus distribution of the Brooklyn Brewery craft portfolios.
Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company also owns and operates a brewery and distribution network across the UK, including the Carlsberg brewery in Northampton; Marston’s in Burton upon Trent; Banks’s in Wolverhampton; Wychwood in Witney, Oxfordshire; and Ringwood in Hampshire; plus a National Distribution Centre in Northampton and 11 UK-wide distribution depots.
CMBC follows Carlsberg Group’s Together Towards Zero and Beyond (TTZAB) ESG programme.
About Ceres Rural
Ceres Rural are an experience-led farming consultancy, providing technical support and business management. Based in Saffron Walden, they work with progressive farmers, landowners, and the rural economy, guided by science, and independent advice.
About ADM
ADM is a premier global human and animal nutrition company headquartered in Chicago. They work with growers, supporting them with personalized services and innovative technologies, to develop and enhance sustainable practices and transform their bounty into products for consumers around the globe.
About WWF-UK
WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations, active in nearly 100 countries. Its supporters – more than five million of them – are helping to restore nature and to tackle the main causes of nature’s decline, particularly the food system and climate change. WWF is fighting to ensure a world with thriving habitats and species, and to change hearts and minds so it becomes unacceptable to overuse our planet’s resources.
[i] CMBC is taking steps towards “regenerative agriculture” defined as the creation of agricultural systems that rely on healthy ecosystems and not chemical processes (such as artificial fertilisers and pesticides) and “regenerative techniques / practices” to be those which focus on improving ecosystem health and resilience (particularly soil health) by reducing the use of energy and chemical inputs in line with the definition provided on page 16 of WWF-UK’s “Land of Plenty” report published in February 2022, see www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-02/WWF_land_of_plenty.pdf.
[ii] CMBC defines “regenerative barley” as barley farmed using “regenerative techniques”
[iii] UK-brewed brands in scope include all brands brewed with CMBC’s five UK breweries
[iv] Each year, CMBC produces approximately 1.5m hectolitres (150,000,000 litres) of Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, using around 20,000 tons of barley. 7,000 tons represents 35% of this annual barley total, meaning regenerative barley is estimated to produce up to approximately 549HL (35% of 1.5m hectolitres is 549HL). This is the equivalent of 96 million pints.
[v] Carlsberg gave £265,000 to WWF-UK (reg. charity 1081247 & SC039593) across 2021/22 to support UK seagrass restoration projects (see https://www.carlsberg.com/en-gb/wwf/ for full details). Carlsberg is giving £150,000 to WWF-UK (reg. charity 1081247 & SC039593) to support participating farmers in East Anglia to save water and reduce river pollution, with the aim to replenish up to 100 million litres in 2023 (see website for details).
Press release from Golin.
For further information or for any interview requests with brand spokespeople, please contact: cmbc@golin.com.