Carlsberg unveils Grobund beer as part of shift to regenerative agriculture by 2040 

DENMARK – Carlsberg has launched Grobund, Denmark’s first beer brewed entirely from regeneratively grown barley malt, signalling a major milestone in the company’s sustainability agenda.  

The new beer, produced at the Valby Bakke brewery, represents the brewer’s commitment to embedding regenerative agriculture into its supply chain. 

Grobund is now available on tap and in cans during select festivals and at the Home of Carlsberg in Copenhagen. According to Carlsberg Denmark Managing Director Peter Haahr Nielsen, the launch is part of a broader transformation of sourcing practices across the company. 

“Grobund will be the symbol of a much larger movement for Carlsberg. We are already testing the barley malt in the regular Carlsberg Pilsner. The goal is that by 2040, we will brew exclusively with regenerative grain across the entire Carlsberg Group,” Nielsen stated. 

Regenerative agriculture focuses on improving soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and minimizing environmental impact. Although the term remains loosely defined globally, Carlsberg has developed its own detailed criteria in partnership with international experts and Danish advisory firm Agrovi. These standards include practices such as crop rotation, plant cover, and reduced tillage. 

Agrovi CEO Niels Peter Ravnsborg noted that regenerative farming is gaining traction as its environmental and economic benefits become clearer.  

“Carlsberg’s decision has helped push the development forward,” he said, adding that regenerative farming offers lower input costs, better soil conditions, and less field labour. 

Carlsberg is moving quickly from pilot stage to large-scale implementation. The company has already secured 500 tonnes of regenerative barley malt—sufficient to brew 3 million litres of beer in 2025.  

Additionally, Carlsberg has signed a new contract with maltsters Fuglsang and Viking Malt for 14,800 tonnes of regenerative malt to be harvested in autumn 2025. 

This will allow Carlsberg Denmark to produce over 100 million litres of beer using regenerative malt between 2025 and 2026, covering around 40 percent of the company’s annual malt requirement. 

“The raw materials we use at Carlsberg Denmark account for approximately 40 percent of our emissions,” Nielsen explained. “With this regenerative initiative, we can reduce those emissions while contributing to better soil health and increased biodiversity.” 

Carlsberg’s move aligns with broader industry efforts. In 2024, Heineken completed its first large-scale regenerative barley harvest in Europe and plans to expand its programme to 1,000 farmers across 100,000 hectares by 2026. 

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