Carlsberg has unveiled Grobund, Denmark’s first beer brewed entirely from regeneratively grown barley malt, signaling a significant step in its long-term plan to make all its beers more sustainable. The launch coincides with the Danish political festival Folkemødet (12–14 June), where Grobund is being served on tap and sold in cans.
The beer was developed at Carlsberg’s Valby Bakke brewery and symbolizes the beginning of a broader strategy to fully switch to regenerative agriculture by 2040. Regenerative farming, although not yet universally defined, emphasizes soil health, biodiversity, crop rotation, plant cover, and minimal tillage. For this initiative, Carlsberg collaborated with Danish advisory firm Agrovi and international consultants to create its own strict definition.
“Grobund will be the symbol of a much larger movement for Carlsberg,” said Peter Haahr Nielsen, Managing Director of Carlsberg Denmark. “The goal is that by 2040, we will brew exclusively with regenerative grain across the entire Carlsberg group.”
The company has already begun integrating the regenerative barley malt into its regular Carlsberg Pilsner and secured 500 tonnes of the malt—enough to produce 3 million liters of beer—expected to hit the market in 2025. Going a step further, Carlsberg has now signed a contract with Scandinavic maltsters Fuglsang, Viking Malt, and DLG for the delivery of 14,800 tonnes of regenerative malt harvested in autumn 2025. This will allow production of more than 100 million liters of beer in 2025 and 2026—covering about 40% of Carlsberg Denmark’s annual malted barley consumption.
According to Nielsen, raw materials account for roughly 40% of the company’s emissions. The regenerative approach is expected to significantly reduce that footprint while improving soil health and increasing biodiversity. “We want to contribute to the development of regenerative agriculture. Not just in Denmark, but worldwide,” he added.
Grobund will be available exclusively during Folkemødet and at the Home of Carlsberg in Copenhagen. While the initial batch is limited, the initiative sets the foundation for a broader transition that aligns with changing consumer values and sustainability goals.
