By Maphuti Mongatane
Soufflet Malt and HEINEKEN Beverages have announced a commercial partnership in South Africa, with the French malt producer committing €100 million (roughly R1,9 billion) to build a cutting-edge malting facility near Johannesburg. The deal will strengthen the country’s agricultural sector and boost local job creation as Soufflet Malt takes on the supply of malt for HEINEKEN’s South African brewery operations.
The investment will fund the construction of a state-of-the-art malting facility next to HEINEKEN’s Sedibeng Brewery. Expected to be operational by mid-2027, it will be South Africa’s most technologically advanced malt factory, setting new standards for efficiency, sustainability and innovation in the industry.
With an impressive annual production capacity of nearly 100 000 tonnes, the facility will support local barley farming while significantly reducing its environmental footprint. By using trigeneration and solar energy, the plant will operate with 50% fewer emissions than the industry average. Its location next to the brewery will also allow for direct malt transfers via conveyor belts, reducing transport emissions and streamlining operational costs.
“A monumental commitment to South Africa”
Beyond its technological innovations, this investment is set to make a significant impact on South Africa’s agricultural sector. The new facility will create 55 full-time jobs and directly support more than 200 local barley growers, with all barley sourced locally.
Soufflet Malt has long worked with South African farmers, building lasting partnerships to improve production quality and sustainability. Through training, mentorship and commercial support, the company has helped both commercial and emerging farmers adopt best practices for growing premium barley for brewing.
This partnership reflects both companies’ commitment to sustainability, local economic growth and a resilient supply chain. HEINEKEN Beverages MD Jordi Borrut welcomed the initiative, saying, “This significant investment by Soufflet Malt, in partnership with our company, marks a monumental commitment to South Africa, and we are immensely proud to be part of this venture. HEINEKEN Beverages is deeply invested in the region, continuously enhancing our footprint through local production, sourcing and job creation. This project is a true reflection of our commitment to sustainable brewing and uplifting the communities we serve.”
Soufflet Malt CEO Jorge Solis highlighted the importance of combining global expertise with local impact, saying, “This partnership perfectly reflects Soufflet Malt’s ability as the world’s leading maltster to deliver agile, locally tailored solutions to long-standing global clients like HEINEKEN. We are proud to support HEINEKEN Beverages in realising its ambitious vision for South Africa by merging cutting-edge agronomic innovation with our extensive malting expertise and a robust, locally integrated supply chain.”
Guillaume Couture, MD of Soufflet Malt for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, emphasised the project’s broader economic and agricultural benefits: “Our collaboration with HEINEKEN Beverages marks an exciting new chapter in South Africa’s malt supply chain. We look forward to deepening our engagement with local farmers, fostering sustainable barley farming and contributing to the long-term prosperity of South Africa through this initiative.”
