The Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) is growing markets for Canadian barley with support from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) AgriMarketing Program. The funding is helping the CMBTC develop and implement innovative tactics to engage customers, expand beyond traditional markets and position Canada’s malting barley as a premium product in global markets.
Shining the spotlight on Canadian malting barley
The CMBTC is a not-for-profit organization that champions the Canadian malting barley industry. Since 2000, they’ve provided high-quality technical services and marketing support to breeders, farmers, seed companies, exporters, importers, maltsters and brewers.
Dr. Brian Rossnagel, former barley breeder at the University of Saskatchewan, speaking with an international customer in a barley field near Rosetown, Saskatchewan, August 2024.
Quality assurance for buyers
AAFC’s AgriMarketing Program funding allows the CMBTC to operate its quality assurance program — one of the many unique innovations they’ve brewed up at their research facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba. For every cargo of malting barley exported to an international customer, the CMBTC takes a sample to process, malt and brew. Customers receive a report demonstrating the product’s premium quality, together with recommendations on how to process the barley.
No other country in the world offers this quality assurance service. Given that one shipment can be worth up to $25 million dollars, the service offers immense value to buyers.
A longstanding relationship
From the beginning, AgriMarketing Program funding has supported CMBTC, allowing them to grow exports in existing markets like China, the U.S., Japan and Mexico, and build strong relationships with end-users in those countries. In addition, the funding has enabled the CMBTC to undertake initiatives targeting new export opportunities in markets like Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, India, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
“Canadian malting barley is a premium product that tends to be more expensive than our competitors,” explains CMBTC Managing Director Peter Watts. “We have to make sure that customers in global markets clearly understand the value proposition of Canadian barley and malt. That way, when our farmers sell their grain, they get the best possible return.”
AgriMarketing Program funding allows the CMBTC to get creative in reaching and engaging with global customers. Here are their most recent accomplishments:
Annual malting barley crop tours
Delegation from the 2024 New Crop Tour visiting the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre’s barley trial sites at Kernen Farm, Saskatoon, August 2024.
The New Crop Tour is one of the CMBTC’s most effective ways to build relationships. Every summer, they invite customers from around the world to spend a few days on the Prairies. About 35 to 50 customers visit farms, malt plants and grain elevators in Central Alberta or Saskatchewan.
They also meet farmers, breeders, seed and grain companies, and maltsters. It’s a great way to get a glimpse into how the malting barley supply chain works. The 2024 tour brought together customers from Brazil, Canada, China and Japan.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my job is bringing international customers and Canadian barley growers together. There’s something special about standing in a barley field on a warm summer day, seeing firsthand the connection between those who grow the grain and those who use it.” – Peter Watts, Managing Director, CMBTC
Intensive courses at the Malt Academy
Participants of the December 2024 Malt Academy in the CMBTC brewery.
CMBTC’s Malt Academy, supported by the AgriMarketing Program, provides practical and technical training to customers and partners. The academy offers a range of courses, including a one-week intensive malt processing course at CMBTC’s Winnipeg facility, where maltsters and brewers from around the world gain practical experience and industry insights.
“Participants gain hands-on experience in malting, from barley selection to processing, while deepening their understanding of Canadian malting barley and its premium qualities,” says Watts. “This training supports professional development for both Canadian and international customers while strengthening Canada’s connections with leading global brewers and maltsters.”
Canadian farmers and value chain members can also participate in a three-day program that helps them understand what international customers want in a premium product.
Looking ahead
With its AgriMarketing Program funding, the CMBTC plans to continue diversifying markets for Canadian malting barley producers and grow exports to Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Vietnam, South Korea and Thailand. Another exciting development on the horizon: a possible expansion into the growing global distillery industry. With new malting barley varieties designed specifically for distilling, they’ll be ready for it.
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