Boortmalt, a global malting company, operating 27 plants across five continents with a production capacity of 3.1 million tons. has announced plans to expand its operations in Scotland through significant investments. These developments aim to address the increasing demand from brewers and distillers while strengthening partnerships with local agricultural producers.
The expansion includes increasing capacity at two key facilities: Buckie maltings will see a 40kMT boost, and Glenesk maltings will grow by 15kMT. These upgrades are intended to meet local distilling requirements, with operations expected to commence in early 2026 using barley harvested in 2025.
Boortmalt’s plans align with a broader trend among maltsters investing in their British operations. Earlier this year, Crisp Malt, part of Richardson International, submitted plans in April to quadruple the malting capacity at its Portgordon, Scotland site from 42,000 to 162,000 tons annually (inside.beer, 29.4.2024). Similarly, in February, Bairds Malt, now under the Soufflet Group and the largest maltster in the UK, announced an increase in capacity at its Inverness plant from 121,000 to 178,000 tons, with completion expected by early 2027 (inside.beer, 29.2.2024). Also in February, family owned Simpson Malt has been granted planning permission from Moray Council to build a 85,000 tons malting facility on the outskirts of Rothes in the heart of Scotch whisky country.
Boortmalt’s Scottish operations are rooted in the expertise of Pauls Malt, which has been working with brewers and distillers in Scotland since 1842.
“With the successful integration of Cargill Malt since 2020, we are well-positioned to deepen our presence in strategic markets like Scotland,” said Yvan Schaepman, Group CEO. “This marks an important step forward and prepares us for future growth.”
Stuart Sands, Managing Director for the UK and Ireland, emphasized the company’s focus on sustainability: “Our investments reflect a response to market needs and a commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of our supply chain. These efforts align with our FLAG commitments.” Boortmalt has pledged to cut Forestry, Land, and Agriculture emissions by 30.3% by 2030, a goal approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Scotland’s local farming community will see increased opportunities from these investments, as the company currently sources 165kMT of malting barley annually. The expansion will enable the procurement of over 70kMT of additional barley, supporting sustainable regional farming practices.
