behind the Brew Issue 3

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No Barley, No Beer! Barley is one of the key ingredients in beer and tto ensure we meet our bold commitment of a carbon neutral value chain by 2040, we need to find a more sustainable way to grow it. To cut our carbon emissions we’re running an innovative low carbon farming trial in Yorkshire. Our partners in the trial are malt supplier Muntons, 11 barley farmers and Future Food Solutions. Steve Cann, Director of Future Food Solutions, tells us more. Drop the C About 40% of the carbon footprint in HEINEKEN’s beer is at the agricultural end of production and nitrogen is a major part of that footprint. So, one of the main aims of sustainable farming is to reduce the amount of nitrogen that farmers use and to harness CO 2 more efficiently. Pop-up rainforests Cover crops act like pop-up rainforests, drawing CO 2 out of the atmosphere, ensuring the soil becomes nutrient-rich, whilst also increasing organic matter in the soil. All good things happen in Yorkshire! It’s also a fact that Yorkshire is historically a great place to grow barley. The weather conditions mean the area is less prone to drought and with many of the farms we work with close to Muntons Malting Plant at Flamborough, and the Tadcaster brewery also close by, we’re using less transport in the whole process – another win for sustainability. Better crops and better margins Better soil health means better crops and better margins for our farmers. HEINEKEN also benefits from a more sustainable, more resilient supply of barley that will help the business meet its ambition to hit carbon neutrality through its entire value chain by 2040. Perhaps most importantly, the consumer enjoys a tasty, refreshing beer in the knowledge that it has had a significantly reduced impact on the environment. Cover crops are a variety of plant types, like radishes, clovers and grasses. They’re not for harvesting – but keeping a growing root in the ground between harvests improves the soil health. This, in turn, means the farmers have to add less nitrogen to the soil which reduces the overall carbon footprint. Every 1% increase in soil organic matter allows each hectare of land to absorb an additional 240 tonnes of water, helping the soil to act like a sponge, avoiding drought and also preventing flooding in the area. This saves the farmer money, reducing the amount of nitrogen that needs to be added to the barley crop and makes the crop more resilient to drought. It really is a win for everyone. A Farmer’s Viewpoint: Tamara Hall from Molescroft Farm in Beverley, East Yorkshire, said: “This collaboration has been a big risk, but one we had to take as it’s essential to change the way we farm going forward. The cost of nitrogen and loss of carbon over the years means we need to be more sustainable and working with HEINEKEN has helped us by covering the cost of the cover crop seed. Additionally, the capture of carbon from the atmosphere and locking it into the soil has made a positive difference already.” 16
"Better soil health means better crops and better margins for our farmers. HEINEKEN also benefits from a more sustainable, more resilient supply of barley that will help the business meet its ambition to hit carbon neutrality through its entire value chain by 2040." 17
Page 1 and 2: Behind the BREW what’s going on i
Page 3 and 4: 24 30 12 Contents End of Year Messa
Page 5 and 6: "EverGreen 2025 will help us meet t
Page 7 and 8: Raising the bar on Sustainability &
Page 9 and 10: “Our overall aim is to achieve 98
Page 11 and 12: Social isolation is not something t
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Page 15: Together in Electric Dreams Ahead o
Page 19 and 20: Green Energy in Our Breweries Andy
Page 21 and 22: "To date, we’ve invested £450,00
Page 23 and 24: Get a Green Grip Steve Waygood, Hea
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Page 27 and 28: Kelly Borland Digital B2B Product O
Page 29 and 30: “We’re encouraging consumers to
Page 31 and 32: Celebrities Assemble So, we had our
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behind the Brew Issue 3

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