Suntory to reduce barley production emissions through regenerative agriculture

The Suntory Group has launched a new initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by procuring UK-grown barley produced using regenerative agriculture practices. In collaboration with UK-based Malt supplier Muntons Plc (Muntons), sustainable agriculture and supply chain consultancy Future Food Solutions Ltd (FFS), and local barley farmers in the East Anglia region, the project will start production from 2023 with the ambition to produce barley with 50% lower GHG emissions within five years.

It is estimated that approximately a quarter of the earth’s GHG emissions comes from agriculture and forestry, and the Suntory Group estimates that agricultural raw ingredients constitute approximately 20% of the total GHG emissions across the company’s entire value chain – barley, being one of the main ingredients for the company’s products, plays a role in this.

The project will start by baselining all crop-related emissions, which will inform an innovative nature-based program of interventions that seek to reduce GHG emissions, enhance soil health and protect water, while maintaining crop performance and grain quality. The quality of the barley grown under this project will be evaluated by Suntory Spirits, Beam Suntory and other group companies, and then will later be examined for its contribution to the group’s global ambition to achieve net zero GHG emissions across the entire value chain by 2050.

Regenerative agriculture is a sustainable farming method that reduces dependency on chemical fertilizers and pesticides through the use of cover crops*2 and no-till farming. It not only lowers GHG emissions but also increases soil biodiversity, thus improving soil fertility and water retention, leading to sustainable use of agricultural land.

“Thriving agricultural systems is crucial to our business and we place regenerative agriculture as one of the core solutions in transitioning to sustainable agricultural practices," said Brian Golden, Senior General Manager at Suntory MONOZUKURI Initiative, Suntory Holdings. "We will further our collaboration with various supply chain partners to procure more sustainably and to decarbonize our value chain.”

“As the first maltster to develop a carbon calculator to help identify the carbon intensive areas of the supply chain from grain to glass, we are excited to be working with Suntory, Future Food Solutions and the farming group in East Anglia led by Dewing Grain on this pioneering project," added Adrian Dyter, Head of Procurement & Technical at Muntons. "It is by working together with other companies who share our ethos of practical sustainability that we are able to achieve the great leaps that are needed in the food and drinks industry.”

“Having the opportunity to build field based collaboration involving global brands like Suntory and UK barley farmers, shows the added value that innovation partnerships can bring to the UK’s food and drink sector," suggested Steve Cann Director at Future Food Solutions. "Focusing on improving efficiency, lowering CO2 emissions, whilst also improving on farm biodiversity results in benefits for everyone, including the environment.”

Guided by the Suntory Group’s Environmental Principles, the company is dedicated to conserving and regenerating biodiverse ecosystems through sustainable agricultural practices. Earlier this July, the Suntory Group joined the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform), a global not-for-profit organization advancing sustainable agricultural practices. The company will continue to pursue its transition to sustainable agricultural practices, placing regenerative agriculture as an effective solution.