On Thursday, June 6th, Maltaria Campos Gerais one of the largest malt production facility in Brazil was officially inaugurated. Located on PR-151 between Ponta Grossa and Carambeí, this state-of-the-art plant is set to serve about 20% of the domestic malt needs. With an impressive production capacity of 240,000 tons per year, the facility is poised to significantly bolster the Brazilian brewing industry.
The project is a joint venture by the 6 leading cooperatives of the region Agrária Agroindustrial (Guarapuava), Bom Jesus (Lapa), Capal (Arapoti), Castrolanda (Castro), Coopagrícola (Ponta Grossa) and Frísia (Carambeí)
The establishment of Maltaria Campos Gerais marks a pivotal shift in Brazil’s malt production landscape, ensuring that a substantial portion of the country’s beer will now be brewed with locally produced malt. This development is expected to reduce Brazil's reliance on malt imports, meeting the growing demand within the national brewing industry more effectively.
The project was first announced in 2021 (inside.beer, 5.4.2021).
Agrária Malte is already the largest commercial malting group in Brazil, serving around 30% of the national malt market. Following a recent expansion to 360,000 tons at their plant in Colônia Vitória, Entre Rios, Guarapuava / Paraná and with the addition of the newly inaugurated Maltaria Campos Gerais, Agrária Malte will become one of the ten largest commercial malting companies in the world, with a total annual production of 600,000 tons. If the new investment is well received, there are plans for a second phase to be completed by 2032.
The inauguration was a high-profile event attended by federal, state, and local authorities, alongside key stakeholders from the brewing market, business partners, and suppliers involved in the project.
Notable attendees included Jorge Karl, former President of Cooperativa Agrária, who emphasized the collaborative efforts that brought the project to fruition. "The partnership between these cooperatives made this project a reality," he said.
Federal Deputy Pedro Lupion, leader of the Parliamentary Front for Agriculture in the Federal Chamber, highlighted the critical role of cooperatives in enhancing Brazil's economy. "This project is a gift to all of us. It is a joy to represent agribusiness and cooperativism in Brasília," he remarked.
Adam Stemmer, President of Agrária and a representative of the Board of Directors of Maltaria Campos Gerais, outlined the factors that contributed to the project’s success, including public support, contracts with major beer market players like Ambev and Heineken, financial backing, and the availability of land for barley cultivation, the primary ingredient for malt production. He also stressed the sustainable features of the plant, such as the use of clean energy, water capture processes, and advanced automation technologies aligned with Industry 4.0 standards.
Governor of Paraná, Carlos Massa Ratinho Júnior, praised the BRL 1.6 billion (approx. USD 300m) investment by the cooperatives, aligning it with the state’s agricultural and industrial aspirations. "We have much to celebrate because an investment like this consolidates what we want for Paraná: to transform it into the world's supermarket," he declared.
The facility also received its Environmental Operation License from the IAT (Institute of Water and Land) during the ceremony. Additionally, the project representatives donated the construction project for the PR-151 overpass to the State Government.
Occupying a 400,000 square meter site, Maltaria Campos Gerais is set to create 3,000 direct and indirect jobs.
