--- title: "Soufflet Malt bets on India's growing beer market with new facility" description: "Soufflet Malt, the world's largest malt producer, will invest 100 million euros in a new facility in Rajasthan, India, to meet the growing beer demand in emerging markets. The facility will produce 11" type: "news" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/276453198.md" published_at: "2026-02-20T13:30:44.000Z" --- # Soufflet Malt bets on India's growing beer market with new facility > Soufflet Malt, the world's largest malt producer, will invest 100 million euros in a new facility in Rajasthan, India, to meet the growing beer demand in emerging markets. The facility will produce 110,000 metric tons of malt annually, with a potential second phase to double output. This expansion contrasts with declining beer consumption in Europe, where Soufflet plans to close factories. India's low per capita beer consumption presents significant growth opportunities, particularly benefiting United Breweries Limited. Soufflet is also exploring expansion in South America and has plans for a malt plant in South Africa. By Gus Trompiz and Sybille de La Hamaide PARIS, Feb 20 (Reuters) - France's Soufflet Malt, the world's largest malt producer, will invest 100 million euros ($118.2 million) in a new ‌production facility in India as it aims to capture rising beer demand in emerging markets, ‌it said on Friday. The facility, to be located in the south of the state of Rajasthan, will produce 110,000 metric ​tons of malt annually in its first phase, which is scheduled for completion by early 2028. A second phase, which could double output, is planned if beer consumption in India continues to rise. Soufflet Malt's push in emerging markets contrasts with restructuring in Europe, where it faces declining beer consumption. The group said ‌it would close two factories in ⁠Germany and one in the UK to optimise costs. "We have countries in which there are decreases (in beer consumption), but if there is one country where we ⁠see really a big growth coming, it's India," Soufflet Malt Chief Executive Jorge Solis told Reuters from India, where he was travelling with French President Emmanuel Macron on a three-day visit to the country. India's per capita ​beer ​consumption remains low at about 2 litres annually, compared ​with about 70 litres in the U.S. ‌and 130 litres in the Czech Republic, the world's top consumer, industry data shows. United Breweries Limited, a Heineken-owned company that controls about half of India's beer market, will be the main beneficiary of the plant's output but not necessarily the only one, Solis said. "This initiative directly supports UBL's commitment to the long-term growth of the beer category in India by strengthening backward integration, securing a consistent supply ‌of high-quality malt for iconic brands like Kingfisher and Heineken," ​the companies said in a joint statement. Solis highlighted whisky as ​another growth segment in India, noting that ​the country is the largest whisky market globally, with demand significantly surpassing that ‌for beer. Soufflet Malt, part of French grain ​group InVivo, already operates a ​malt house in Rajasthan, with an 18,000-ton capacity. It sources barley locally and supplies malt to local brewers. Elsewhere, Soufflet Malt is exploring plans to expand in South America, which is ​likely to include doubling its ‌production capacity in Brazil, Solis said. The firm is currently building a malt plant in South ​Africa dedicated to supplying Heineken. ($1 = 0.8460 euros) (Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide and Gus ​Trompiz. 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