Boortmalt Becomes the World Leader in Malt Production
Boortmalt, a subsidiary of Axereal, France’s largest grain co-operative, has completed its acquisition of Cagill’s malt business. The acquisition strengthens Axereal’s position globally, and makes Boortmalt the world’s leading player in the production of malt.
The acquisition sees Boortmalt taking over all Cargill Malt activities encompassing 16 malthouses in nine countries, nearly 600 employees, and with a total production capacity of 1.7 million tonnes. Cargill Malt serves the brewing, food, and beverage industries by originating and transforming malting barley into malt.
The deal increased the total capacity of the Boortmalt Group to 3 million tonnes with 27 malting plants on five continents. The headquarters of Boortmalt will remain in Antwerp, Belgium as well as the R&D centre, making the Antwerp malthouse the biggest in the world.
Jean-François Loiseau, president of the Axereal Group, says: “This acquisition meets our two strategic objectives: Firstly, to invest in the downstream of barley to increase the value of our farmers production in France and internationally, and especially in growing markets. Secondly, we have a long-term vision for our co-operative farmers. This acquisition will help ensure that our trajectory is competitive. We at Axereal are leading the way for the agricultural transition with industrial innovation that provides quality food whilst respecting the environment.”
