Major brewer Asahi, the owner of Australia's iconic Carlton and United Breweries, is partnering with Victorian grain transport and storage business Riordan Grain Services in a full paddock to pot sustainability supply chain product.
The initiative will involve Asahi working closely with Riordan and its grower customers to add value and collaborate on immediate needs and future-focused developments by creating traceability to a paddock level.
The partnership has the two businesses working with growers to secure supply of high quality barley through managing the logistics for the malting process and delivering the malt to Asahi to brew CUB's famous beers.
Dave Baxter, group general manager of direct procurement at Asahi said quality barley was critical to the brewing process and that the company was delighted to showcase Australian product.
"Barley malt is the heart and soul of our beer and defines its taste, aroma, colour and foam," he said.
"It's fantastic Australians can enjoy a fresh Carlton Draught, Victoria Bitter or any beer brewed at our Abbotsford (Melbourne) brewery knowing they're directly supporting local Australian farmers."
He said having full traceability back to a paddock level would allow the company to forge direct relationships with growers.
The company has gone down the path of having a more direct link with growers rather than simply purchasing grain out of the bulk handling system.
Riordan's grain services manager Mark Lewis said his company's long relationship with barley growers, coupled with its logistics expertise and access to end use markets would add value to the partnership.
"We've operated in the malting barley industry for nearly 30 years now and have invested to develop a strong grower base along with numerous regional storage locations," he said.
He complimented Asahi on its efforts to work closer with growers.
"This kind of commitment from Asahi is great to see; it will make a real on-the-ground difference to our barley growers and the broader supply chain."
One early example of the Asahi Riordan initiative is a research trial recently commissioned with Southern Farming Systems at Inverleigh, Victoria, assessing a new biostimulant designed to improve soil condition and crop health in cereal cropping systems.
"This emerging technology could be a useful addition for our growers, and we hope to release some more information about the trial post-harvest," Mr Lewis said.
"Other areas we are looking at include further varietal development, sustainability initiatives that improve market access and potential measures to help lower carbon footprints.
"We are also looking at ways we can be supportive in relation to the mental health of growers and local community engagement initiatives."
"Investments like these are the perfect example of how we see the benefits of this partnership flowing through to growers."
Gregor Heard
Gregor Heard is ACM's national grains industry reporter, based in Horsham, Victoria. He has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the cropping sector through his 15 years in the role. Prior to that he was with the Fairfax network as a reporter with Stock & Land. Some of the major issues he has reported on during his time with the company include the deregulation of the export wheat market, the introduction of genetically modified crops and the fight to protect growers better from grain trader insolvencies. Still involved with the family farm he is passionate about rural Australia and its people and hopes to use his role to act as an advocate for those involved in the grain sector.
Gregor Heard is ACM's national grains industry reporter, based in Horsham, Victoria. He has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the cropping sector through his 15 years in the role. Prior to that he was with the Fairfax network as a reporter with Stock & Land. Some of the major issues he has reported on during his time with the company include the deregulation of the export wheat market, the introduction of genetically modified crops and the fight to protect growers better from grain trader insolvencies. Still involved with the family farm he is passionate about rural Australia and its people and hopes to use his role to act as an advocate for those involved in the grain sector.
