Malted Barley Trends and Forecast
The future of the global malted barley market looks promising with opportunities in the brewing industry, food industry, and pharmaceutical markets. The global malted barley market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 3.7% from 2025 to 2031. The major drivers for this market are growing demand for craft beer and malt-based beverages, rise of distilling industry, and increasing preference for natural and specialty ingredients in food and beverage sector.
• Lucintel forecasts that, within the type category, basic malt is expected to witness higher growth over the forecast period.
• Within the application category, brewing industry is expected to witness the highest growth.
• In terms of regions, APAC is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period.
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Emerging Trends in the Malted Barley Market
There are a number of emerging trends in the malted barley market, mainly driven by technological changes, changing consumer preferences, and wider industry trends. These are causing a significant shift in the malted barley market and point to an emerging future.
• Craft Brewing Growth: The emergence of craft brewing is increasing demand for specialty malts. Craft breweries seek to add value differentiation to their products through the malt profile, which encourages increased innovation at the production stage. Events like this support market growth and the diversification of malt offerings.
• Sustainability Focus: There is increased emphasis on the need for sustainability in malt production. Energy-efficient malting processes, sourcing raw materials in a more sustainable manner, and attempts at reducing waste are all considered. Growing concerns about sustainability are becoming paramount and necessary in light of consumer and regulatory expectations.
• Technological Change: Developments in malting technologies are enhancing efficiency and quality. Examples of such innovations include automated malting systems, improved germination techniques, and enhanced quality control measures. Productivity and uniformity in malt production are driven by these technologies.
• Specialty Malts Rise: With the growing interest in specialty beers, the demand for specialty malts is rising. Consumers are showing a keen interest in various styles of beer and different flavors. Specialty malts offer special qualities, such as color and flavor, which extend the diversity and range of malt products.
• Increasing Global Markets: This trend is one of the most prosperous in the malted barley market, particularly in growing economies like India and China. Expansion in beer consumption and industrialization is stimulating malt demand in these markets, where the industry will see more opportunities and investments.
These emerging trends are new paths to innovation, sustainability, and growth for the malted barley market. As the industry moves forward and adapts to these trends, it should experience further expansion, diversification of product offerings, and broader market reach.
Recent Developments in the Malted Barley Market
The following are recent developments in the malted barley market, reflecting improvements in technology, market demand, and sustainability efforts.
• Advancement in Malting Technology: New automated malting systems and enhanced drying methods for better efficiency and product quality are advancing the technology of malting. These innovations not only help meet demand but also maintain better malt characteristics consistently, aiding growth in the market.
• Craft Beer Segment Growth: The diversified craft beer market is increasing demand for various and distinct malt varieties. This growth will drive the development of new malt varieties and processing techniques to meet the increasingly wide-ranging needs of brewers and consumers.
• Sustainability Initiatives: Awareness of environmental impacts resulting from malting operations is increasing. Malting companies will need to adopt environmentally friendly practices, including energy-efficient processes, sustainable sourcing of raw materials, and improvements in waste management. This will align with emerging consumer preferences for greener products and regulatory requirements.
• Emerging Market Investments: Substantial investments in malting capacity within emerging markets, such as India and China, have increased throughput and improved quality. This development addresses the growing domestic malt demand and facilitates better access to international markets.
• Product Diversification: Product diversification is increasing, with two new varieties: specialty and functional malts. This caters to the changing needs of brewers and food manufacturers, opening further opportunities for the use of malted barley.
Technological development, market expansion, and sustainability are shaping the malted barley market. Product diversification and new avenues for growth are significant contributors to this evolving industry.
Strategic Growth Opportunities in the Malted Barley Market
The malted barley market presents a number of strategic growth opportunities across various applications, driven by market demand, technological advancements, and changing consumer preferences.
• Craft Brewing Industry: The rise of craft brewing provides a great opportunity for malted barley suppliers. Artisan brewers are looking for special and specialty malts for the characteristic profiles of beer. Such demand is pushing malt production to innovate, thereby opening growth avenues for suppliers.
• Sustainable Malting Practices: Invest in sustainable malting practices that provide a differentiated positioning of your products to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. Some of the opportunities to focus on in this regard include the development of energy-efficient processes, waste reduction, and sustainable sourcing of materials. This approach aligns with global sustainability trends.
• Value Chain Analysis: Emerging Markets - Entry into emerging markets like India and China brings opportunities for expansion. These areas have seen high consumption of beer and therefore more industrialization. Investing in malting facilities and building up the distribution network in such regions may capture additional market share and thus drive growth.
• Functional and Specialty Malts: Further development of functional and specialty malts for new uses, such as health-oriented products and new brewing methods, will open more opportunities. These malts meet special needs for consumers and help differentiate product offerings.
• Integration of Technology: The introduction of the latest malting technologies in automation and quality control would result in increased efficiency and consistency in products. Developing technological capabilities is, therefore, an investment in growth to meet demand at larger scales and higher value standards.
Hence, these growth opportunities will further drive the malted barley market by expanding applications, improving sustainability, and tapping into emerging markets. This can be leveraged to enhance oneÄX%$%Xs presence in the market and drive future growth.
Malted Barley Market Driver and Challenges
Some of the factors influencing the growth and development of malted barley include several drivers and challenges. Below is a summary of the major growth drivers and challenges:
The factors responsible for driving the malted barley market include:
• Increasing demand due to rising craft brewing: Growth in the culture of craft brewing boosts demand for specialty malts. Craft brewers are in search of variation in malt profiles for differentiation strategies, thus enabling novelty and further growth in the malted barley market.
• Technological Advances: Improvements in malting technology, such as automation and quality control, bring efficiency and consistency to the product. These improvements will help balance market growth by addressing the increase in demand and improving production capabilities.
• Sustainability Trends: For malting practices, the catalyst for change is the focus on sustainability. In this regard, investing in energy-efficient processes, sustainable sourcing, and reduction of waste addresses both consumer preferences and regulatory requirements, supporting market growth.
Challenges in the malted barley market include:
• Supply Chain and Cost Fluctuations: Fluctuating raw material supply and production costs can affect malt pricing and availability. This is a major challenge to overcome in order to maintain market stability and profitability.
• Environmental Impact: Socially, environmental concerns regarding malting processes include energy use and waste disposal. The great challenge here is the need for considerable investments in sustainable practices to meet regulatory requirements and increasing customer expectations.
• Regulatory: Complex and varied regional regulations can be a problem to navigate. Significant efforts and resources are needed to ensure all standards for food safety and quality are met, which impacts operational efficiency.
These are the challenges and drivers that shape the structural organization of the malted barley market, along with growth opportunities, technological advancements, and market dynamics. All these factors are crucial when addressing the sustainability of growth and adapting to varying market conditions.
List of Malted Barley Companies
Companies in the market compete on the basis of product quality offered. Major players in this market focus on expanding their manufacturing facilities, R&D investments, infrastructural development, and leverage integration opportunities across the value chain. Through these strategies malted barley companies cater increasing demand, ensure competitive effectiveness, develop innovative products & technologies, reduce production costs, and expand their customer base. Some of the malted barley companies profiled in this report include-
• Cargill
• COFCO International
• Heineken
• Ab InBev
• Avangard-Agro
• Groupe Soufflet
• Dohler
• IREKS
• GrainCorp Malt
• Malteurop
Malted Barley by Segment
The study includes a forecast for the global malted barley by type, application, and region.
Malted Barley Market by Type [Analysis by Value from 2019 to 2031]:
• Basic Malt
• Special Malt
Malted Barley Market by Application [Analysis by Value from 2019 to 2031]:
• Brewing Industry
• Food Industry
• Pharmaceutical
• Others
Malted Barley Market by Region [Analysis by Value from 2019 to 2031]:
• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• The Rest of the World
Country Wise Outlook for the Malted Barley Market
The malted barley market is evolving in three key areas: technological advances, changes in consumer preferences, and changes in regulatory landscapes. Key regions are responding to increased demand for craft beverages and specialty malts. Various recent developments in the malted barley market have taken place in the U.S., China, Germany, India, and Japan.
• United States: The craft brewing boom continues to spur demand for malted barley in the U.S. Malt production innovations are increasing the number of product offerings, including specialty malts and value-added malting techniques. At the same time, there is growing interest in sustainability and local sourcing strategies to capture increasing consumer interest in artisan and eco-friendly products.
• China: The Chinese malted barley market has started to grow based on increasing demand from the brewery and distillery segments. Growth in the consumption of beer and the development of the craft beer segment have led to an increase in demand for malt. Some key recent developments include new investments in modern malting capacity with better quality control to meet the growing demands.
• Germany: Germany is well known for its strong beer culture and constantly refines malt production technologies. Significant attention is given to the production of high-quality malts destined for the manufacture of traditional and craft beers. German maltsters also emphasize sustainability by presenting their own initiatives aimed at reducing the negative impact on the environment and improving energy efficiency during the malting processes.
• India: The malted barley market is growing in India, driven by the increasing popularity of beer and other malted beverages. New malting plants have been established with recent advances in processing technologies to improve malt quality. Value-added malt products and newer brewing applications are also attracting interest in the marketplace.
• Japan: The malted barley market in Japan is developing value-added malts for premium beers and spirits. Emphasis is placed on improved technologies in malting processes as well as specialty malt development. The market is also experiencing an upsurge in craft beer production, driving demand for a variety of malts across the region.
Features of the Global Malted Barley Market
Market Size Estimates: Malted barley market size estimation in terms of value ($B).
Trend and Forecast Analysis: Market trends (2019 to 2024) and forecast (2025 to 2031) by various segments and regions.
Segmentation Analysis: Malted barley market size by type, application, and region in terms of value ($B).
Regional Analysis: Malted barley market breakdown by North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.
Growth Opportunities: Analysis of growth opportunities in different types, applications, and regions for the malted barley market.
Strategic Analysis: This includes M&A, new product development, and competitive landscape of the malted barley market.
Analysis of competitive intensity of the industry based on Porter’s Five Forces model.
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FAQ
Q1. What is the growth forecast for malted barley market?
Answer: The global malted barley market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 3.7% from 2025 to 2031.
Q2. What are the major drivers influencing the growth of the malted barley market?
Answer: The major drivers for this market are growing demand for craft beer and malt-based beverages, rise of distilling industry, and increasing preference for natural and specialty ingredients in food and beverage sector.
Q3. What are the major segments for malted barley market?
Answer: The future of the malted barley market looks promising with opportunities in the brewing industry, food industry, and pharmaceutical markets.
Q4. Who are the key malted barley market companies?
Answer: Some of the key malted barley companies are as follows:
• Cargill
• COFCO International
• Heineken
• Ab InBev
• Avangard-Agro
• Groupe Soufflet
• Dohler
• IREKS
• GrainCorp Malt
• Malteurop
Q5. Which malted barley market segment will be the largest in future?
Answer: Lucintel forecasts that basic malt is expected to witness higher growth over the forecast period.
Q6. In malted barley market, which region is expected to be the largest in next 5 years?
Answer: APAC is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period.
Q.7 Do we receive customization in this report?
Answer: Yes, Lucintel provides 10% customization without any additional cost.
This report answers following 11 key questions:
Q.1. What are some of the most promising, high-growth opportunities for the malted barley market by type (basic malt and special malt), application (brewing industry, food industry, pharmaceutical, and others), and region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World)?
Q.2. Which segments will grow at a faster pace and why?
Q.3. Which region will grow at a faster pace and why?
Q.4. What are the key factors affecting market dynamics? What are the key challenges and business risks in this market?
Q.5. What are the business risks and competitive threats in this market?
Q.6. What are the emerging trends in this market and the reasons behind them?
Q.7. What are some of the changing demands of customers in the market?
Q.8. What are the new developments in the market? Which companies are leading these developments?
Q.9. Who are the major players in this market? What strategic initiatives are key players pursuing for business growth?
Q.10. What are some of the competing products in this market and how big of a threat do they pose for loss of market share by material or product substitution?
Q.11. What M&A activity has occurred in the last 5 years and what has its impact been on the industry?
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