The new facility will play a key role in strengthening India’s local malt supply for leading beer, distilling, food and beverage brands, with customer contracts already secured Soufflet Malt, the…

The new facility will play a key role in strengthening India’s local malt supply for leading beer, distilling, food and beverage brands, with customer contracts already secured

Soufflet Malt, the world’s leading maltster, announced plans to construct a state-of-the-art malting facility in South Rajasthan, India, as part of a €100 million (Rs1,200 crore) investment to support India’s fast-growing food and beverage sector. Promoting ‘malt at every moment of the day’ is core to the company’s MALTiply 2030 strategy set to unleash the potential of this versatile, nutritious and sustainable ingredient into the wider food and beverage categories.

The new facility will play a key role in strengthening India’s local malt supply for leading beer, distilling, food and beverage brands, with customer contracts already secured. Expansion and employment  The facility will have an initial malt production capacity of 110,000 tonnes per year with plans for a second phase expansion to increase capacity. The first phase of the malthouse is expected to be completed at the beginning of 2028.  The new malthouse will generate significant employment opportunities, creating 400 direct and indirect jobs, along with 700 positions across the supply chain.

The company’s robust ecosystem, including logistics providers and warehousing partners, will support additional industries and entrepreneurship in Rajasthan. Powered by AI The new malthouse will be driven by MALTimize, Soufflet Malt’s digitalisation platform, to process data insights and analytics, improving malthouse performance. A proven AI-powered recommendation tool enables maltsters to optimise process duration, analyse yield performance, and monitor both energy consumption and energy mix usage, improving quality and yield. Effective implementation of advanced technologies is a key pillar of the company’s MALTiply 2030 strategy, which champions digital innovation and operational excellence. Farmer-centric model Since 2016, Soufflet Malt’s agronomists have been on the ground to develop exclusive barley varieties. This long-term preparation has allowed the company to produce the best barley varieties to thrive in the local climate conditions. 

Soufflet Malt also differentiates itself through its long-term partnerships with farmers. The company will work with 50,000+ Indian farmers, supporting rural growth with skills development and sustainable farming practices. Farmers will also benefit from access to high-yield barley varieties, supported by a network of agronomists, allowing for greater income stability and market access. Moreover, plans are to source up to 250,000 tonnes of barley annually when the malthouse runs at full capacity, following the second phase expansion. Farmers will also have access to a digital platform that provides data and guidance on best farming practices.