Malteurop, the malting subsidiary of French agricultural cooperative group Vivescia, officially inaugurated its newly acquired malting facility near Yancheng in China's Jiangsu province on October 23, 2026. Located approximately 300 kilometers north of Shanghai, the plant was previously operated by Sheyang Chunlei Malt Co. According to China News Service, Malteurop acquired an 80% stake in the company in a transaction completed on July 13, 2026. The October ceremony therefore marked the official inauguration under the new ownership. Financial terms were not disclosed.
With an officially stated annual production capacity of 220,000 tonnes of malt, the facility can supply enough raw material to produce approximately 20 million hl of beer. The acquisition gives Malteurop its second production site in China, complementing its existing facility in Baoding, Hebei province, which opened approximately 30 years ago. Malteurop describes itself as the only foreign commercial malt producer operating in China. The new location provides access to major export infrastructure, supporting deliveries to Chinese breweries as well as customers throughout Asia and other international markets.
The acquired company was established in Sheyang County in April 2008 and has developed into a major Chinese malt producer. Its production facilities comprise two conventional stainless-steel malting lines, each rated at 40,000 tonnes annually, and a technologically advanced tower malting line rated at 150,000 tonnes. Interestingly, these individual figures add up to 230,000 tonnes, whereas both Vivescia and Chinese reports state an overall annual production capacity of 220,000 tonnes. No explanation for this discrepancy has been provided.
The modern tower malting system incorporates advanced steeping technology using magnetic levitation, specialized electrical supply systems and improved drainage. Its production process is designed to reduce carbon emissions substantially. According to Vivescia, process heat is generated using locally sourced biomass, predominantly rice straw, while electricity comes from renewable wind and solar power supported by battery storage. Chinese media additionally report rice-husk-based steam generation and state that the facility has received carbon-neutrality certification from SGS. However, independently verified data on the plant's complete carbon footprint have not been published.
Christoph Büren, President of Vivescia, emphasized the importance of the acquisition for strengthening French-Chinese cooperation in the grain and brewing industries. Guillaume Mothe, Managing Director of Vivescia, described the investment as part of the group's long-term strategy to combine Chinese manufacturing expertise with Malteurop's international capabilities. Olivier Hautin, head of Vivescia's malting business, highlighted the site's favorable location, agricultural resources and access to renewable energy. The inauguration was attended by Chinese officials and representatives of the French government, including Isis Jaraud-Darnault, French Consul General in Shanghai.
The acquisition could be followed by further investments in technological modernization and capacity expansion. Vivescia has indicated that additional production capacity may be developed at the site, although no investment budget or timetable has been announced. The group also intends to support the development of higher-value malt products and strengthen cooperation with Chinese barley suppliers and breweries.
The expansion in China contrasts sharply with the restructuring of Malteurop's operations in other parts of the world. In Germany, the company closed its Heidenau malting facility, which had an annual production capacity of approximately 60,000 tonnes (inside.beer, 31.03.2026). In New Zealand, Malteurop announced the closure of the country's largest malting facility in Marton, with a capacity of approximately 42,000 tonnes, citing deteriorating market conditions and declining domestic beer demand (inside.beer, 17.07.2026).
Other major malt producers have also been reducing their European production footprint. Soufflet Malt has withdrawn from malt production in Germany, virtually ending all production of former Durst Malz (inside.beer, 9.12.2025), while Boortmalt confirmed the permanent closure of its malthouse in Gembloux, Belgium, and ended its malting arrangement with Cargill in Salzgitter, Germany (inside.beer, 17.12.2025). Together with other closures, approximately 350,000 tonnes of annual German malting capacity have been eliminated, representing around 17% of the country's former total capacity. The additional closure of Crisp Malt in Hamburg (not to be confused with Erfurter Malz in Hamburg, which will be strengthened by this move), reportedly planned for March 2027 but not yet officially confirmed, would increase the cumulative reduction to approximately 460,000 tonnes, or more than 22% (inside.beer, 09.10.2026).
Malteurop's simultaneous expansion in China and contraction in mature beer markets illustrates a broader geographical shift in the global malting industry. While declining beer consumption, structural overcapacity and high operating costs are putting pressure on European producers, China offers large-scale production facilities, competitive industrial infrastructure and access to international export markets. The acquisition of Chunlei therefore strengthens Malteurop's ability to serve Asian brewers while positioning the group to compete more effectively in global malt exports.
