Asahi Beverages shouted the bar in Bendigo yesterday to thank Central Victorian barley farmers for their ongoing contribution to some of the nation’s most popular beers.
Farmers have supplied more than 25,000 tonnes of barley to Asahi’s Victorian Barley Program in the past 12 months, which is used to brew iconic beers including Victoria Bitter and Carlton Draught at Melbourne’s famed Abbotsford Brewery. Under the program, these same farmers also recently started supplying barley to brew beer in Japan, with around 35,000 tonnes shipped in the past year.
Around 40 barley farmers from nearby towns such as Bridgewater and Boort gathered at Bendigo’s Lakeview Hotel yesterday for a meal and drinks to sample the beer they helped make, have a laugh and learn about the latest developments in barley.
Asahi Beverages Head of Raw Material Procurement David Engel said the barley program had transformed the relationship between Asahi and growers.
"Barley is one of beer's most important ingredients, influencing everything from taste to colour, and some of Australia's best barley is grown right here in Central Victoria," Mr Engel said.
"Through Asahi’s Victorian Barley Program, we now have direct relationships with the farmers and work together to ensure only the very best barley goes into our beer. Catching up at the Lakeview Hotel was a chance to chat all things barley, have a bit of fun and say thanks to the region’s growers.”
Launched in 2020, the Victorian Barley Program has partnered with more than 150 growers across Victoria and southern New South Wales. Together, they supply the barley used to brew around hundreds of millions of litres of beer each year at Asahi Beverages' Abbotsford brewery.
The Victorian Barley Program is delivered in partnership with Riordan Grain and Group Chief Commercial Officer Mark Lewis said the program had grown strong partnerships that were delivering lasting benefits across the entire supply chain.
"Over the past five years, the Victorian Barley Program has shown what's possible when growers, brewers and supply chain partners work together with a shared commitment to quality," Mr Lewis said.
"The program has given growers the confidence to invest in barley production, knowing there is a reliable premium market for their grain. For Riordan, it's about bringing those partnerships together and making the supply chain work efficiently from paddock to brewery."
Sixth-generation Bridgewater barley grower Andrew Collins said the partnership with Asahi and Riordan worked because it led to better consistency and quality.
“There is a romantic side to growing barley and it is exciting to know we’re helping contribute to such loved beers,” Mr Collins said.
“By working so closely with Asahi and the Riordan family we also know that we are an important part of creating something bigger which is good for our industry and future generations of growers.”
