The Cooperativa Agrária and Ireks do Brasil will invest BRL 1.1 billion (approx. USD 200 million) in Entre Rios, Guarapuava, to build two new production units and modernize the existing malt house. The agreement was formalized on 11 November 2025 through a protocol signed by Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior, Governor of Paraná, and Adam Stemmer, President of the cooperative, under the state incentive program Paraná Competitivo. Plans for the new project were announced two years ago (inside.beer, 22.6.2023), but it has only now been officially launched. The investment will enable Brazil’s first industrial-scale production of caramelized and roasted specialty malts, a category that has so far been fully imported.
The project comprises a new master plan for the complex, construction of two plants dedicated to specialty malts, and a modernization of the current Agrária Malte facility, which dates back to the 1980s. Production start is scheduled for 2028, with more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs expected during construction. Eduardo Bekin, head of Invest Paraná, emphasized the broader economic benefits for the state’s barley and malt chain.
The modernization of the older malt line follows Indústria 4.0 principles, adding deeper automation, higher reliability and improved sustainability throughout the process. Adam Stemmer highlighted the transfer of technology from Ireks’ headquarters in Germany, allowing Brazil to produce specialty malts at global standards. Authorities describe the investment as a milestone for Guarapuava’s agro-industrial development.
The project includes a new Center for Advanced Quality and Materials Testing to strengthen quality control and expand analytical capabilities. Agrária already operates one of Latin America’s most advanced agro-industrial laboratories, certified under ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC 17043. A new Integrated Logistics and Distribution Center will also enhance traffic flow, product dispatch, and raw material intake across the Entre Rios district.
This new phase complements the inauguration of the Maltaria Campos Gerais plant with a 240.000 tons capacity in 2024 (inside.beer, 06.06.2024), in which Agrária is also a partner.
