Building a more resilient future for beer

The future of beer starts long before a pint reaches the bar. It starts with the quality of the ingredients, the resilience of the farming systems that produce them – and the breweries that bring them to life.

For beer, long-term resilience and sustainability go hand in hand.

For many pub operators, sustainability can feel most visible in the initiatives customers see in venues, from reducing waste to improving recycling or cutting energy use. But some of the biggest changes that support the future of beer are happening further up the supply chain, where investment in farming practices and brewery infrastructure is helping to make the category more resilient for the long term.

Heineken UK is investing in each of these areas, from barley to bar. From regenerative agriculture practices to low-carbon brewing technology, the company is taking measurable steps to reduce its emissions and strengthen resilience to contribute to a low-carbon future for beer that operators know and trust.

The company’s regenerative malting barley programme, which launched in partnership with maltsters Muntons and Boortmalt, barley merchants Cefetra, and independent agronomists Soil Capital, aims to support UK farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices at scale and aims to improve soil health, support biodiversity and build resilience against climate change.

In 2027, almost half of the malted barley sourced by Heineken UK is expected to be grown through regenerative agriculture practices, marking a major step in making regenerative farming part of mainstream beer production.¹ In practical terms, this means farming practices such as reduced soil disturbance, cover crops and diverse crop rotations, all contributing to healthier soils and strengthening the long-term resilience of British barley.

This initiative is just one part of a wider picture. Alongside efforts to support more resilient farming systems, Heineken UK has also invested £28.2 million in its Manchester Brewery as part of a major decarbonisation project, installing large-scale advanced heat pump technology and reinforcing its long-term commitment to the 151-year-old UK brewery.

Brewing is an energy-intensive process. The use of heat pumps within a heat network means that waste heat is recovered and re-used in the brewing process – which means significantly less thermal energy being sourced from combustion of natural gas. This installation marks a major step in modernising brewing operations. The heat pump network is now fully embedded across the site, significantly reducing the brewery’s reliance on natural gas and transforming how energy is generated and used.

The project has already led to a 33% reduction in on-site natural gas use, contributing to a 42% reduction in carbon emissions intensity (kg CO₂/HL).²

For operators, these investments provide reassurance that action is being taken before products arrive in the cellar, helping to support long-term supply, reduce carbon emissions and protect the quality ingredients behind some of the UK’s best-known beer and cider brands.

Connecting farming and brewing

Addressing sustainability challenges requires action at every stage of the chain. While operators continue to tackle important areas such as recycling, food waste, cellar efficiency and energy-saving equipment, suppliers also have a responsibility to reduce impact across the value chain. The sustainability credentials of a drink are shaped long before it reaches the bar, which is why investing in farming, brewing and supply chain resilience matters for pubs as well as producers.

Through Heineken UK’s regenerative malting barley programme, farmers will be paid a premium on regenerative barley yields, helping to encourage sustainable farming practices and making the transition commercially viable. By supporting farmers with financial incentives, agronomic expertise and multi-year certainty, the programme is designed to strengthen the supply chain that pubs rely on every day. This approach, combined with the scale of the programme, sets it apart from other regenerative agriculture malting barley initiatives in the UK to date.

Meanwhile, investment in low-carbon brewing tackles the decarbonisation of beer production, a typically energy-intensive process. The large-scale heat pump technology at Heineken UK’s Manchester Brewery helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels by capturing waste heat from refrigeration plant operations used to chill some of the nation’s favourite beers, including Heineken^®, Birra Moretti, Cruzcampo^®, Foster’s, Amstel and Red Stripe.

Heat is then redistributed via a new hot water distribution network retrofitted to the existing brewery infrastructure. For customers, this means the brands they stock are backed by investment designed to make brewing more efficient, resilient and lower carbon for the future.

Together, the projects demonstrate how investment in low-carbon technology and regenerative agriculture can deliver both environmental benefits and long-term operational resilience, helping protect the future availability, quality and consistency of the brands that drive choice at the bar.

Meeting the expectations of tomorrow’s pub goers

Through investment in regenerative barley production and low-carbon brewing infrastructure, Heineken UK wants to give operators confidence that the brands they choose are supported by practical action behind the scenes. For pubs, that means being able to stock familiar, high-performing beers and ciders with reassurance that work is underway to protect quality ingredients, reduce impact and support a more resilient brewing future.

Taste, value for money and brand familiarity remain core drivers of choice at the bar. But drinkers are also becoming more mindful about what they consume and where it comes from, creating an opportunity for operators to offer trusted brands with a stronger story behind them. Popular names such as Heineken^®, Birra Moretti, Cruzcampo^®, Foster’s, Inch’s, Old Mout Cider and Strongbow are made in the UK with operations and supply chains that support delivery of Heineken’s global Brew a Better World ambitions including its goal to reach net zero carbon in Scope 1, 2 and 3 by 2040.

The future of beer will be influenced not only by how it is brewed, but also by how its ingredients are grown and how efficiently resources are managed throughout the process. Over 95% of the beer sold by Heineken UK is brewed in Britain, so investment in sustainable farming practices is vital.

Protecting ingredients, reducing emissions and building resilience in supply chains helps increase security for the future of beer supply, giving operators greater confidence in the brands they put on the bar.

For operators, this means being able to serve trusted brands with confidence, knowing investment is being made behind the scenes to support the future of beer, from British barley fields to the brewery and, ultimately, to the customer’s pint.

Brew a Better World

References

1. Calculation based on HEINEKEN UK estimated forecast of malted barley volume for 2027.

2. Percentage reductions in on-site natural gas use and CO₂ (kg CO₂/HL) emissions intensity at HEINEKEN UK’s Manchester Brewery are based on the period of July to December 2025, compared to the same period of July to December 2024.