French malting giant Soufflet expands to South Africa with US$108M plant
SOUTH AFRICA – French agro-industrial group Soufflet Malt, a global leader in malt production for the brewing industry, is expanding its footprint in Africa with a new malting plant in South Africa.
The company announced on March 7 that it will invest 100 million euros (US$108.4 million) in a facility in the Sedibeng district. This move marks its second African base outside of Europe, following its Ethiopian plant, which has been operational since 2021.
The South African facility is expected to be completed by the first half of 2027 and will have an annual production capacity of nearly 100,000 tonnes of malt.
This project is part of a commercial agreement with Dutch brewing giant Heineken, under which the majority of the malt produced at the new plant will supply Heineken’s South African operations. However, Soufflet Malt has not yet disclosed the start date for construction.
“Our collaboration with HEINEKEN Beverages opens an exciting new chapter for Soufflet Malt as it seeks to strengthen the malt supply chain in South Africa,” said Guillaume Couture, Soufflet Malt’s Country Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The project will create 55 permanent jobs and bolster over 200 local barley farmers, with Soufflet Malt committing to source all barley domestically. The company, a unit of France’s InVivo Group, has spent years cultivating relationships with South African growers, offering training and commercial support to ensure premium barley output.
“To achieve this goal, Soufflet Malt has been working in the region for several years, building long-term partnerships with both commercial and developing farmers. Through training, mentoring, and commercial support, Soufflet Malt is helping them adopt agronomic best practices to grow high-quality, premium barley,” Soufflet Malt said.
Although Soufflet has not yet disclosed the exact volume of barley needed to support optimal production at the new facility, industry experts believe this project will encourage increased investment in barley farming.
South Africa’s barley production reached a peak of 588,000 tonnes in 2020 but has since struggled to maintain those levels.
With the planned South African malting plant, Soufflet Malt is positioning itself as a key player in the continent’s brewing supply chain while simultaneously fostering local agricultural development.
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