Malted Barley Global Market Report 2026

Malted barley is the preferred grain for brewers, having undergone germination and drying in the malting process. It is used in brewing, distilling, and food production.

The main types of malted barley are basic malt and special malt. Basic malt refers to barley that has been allowed to germinate and then dried for use in brewing beer, distilling whiskey, and other beverages. These are available in various forms such as flakes, pellets, granular, powder, and liquid, and are used in industries such as brewing, food, pharmaceuticals, and more.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs are impacting the malted barley market by increasing costs of imported barley, malting equipment, and processing inputs used by malt producers and breweries. Brewing and distilling industries in Europe and North America are most affected due to cross-border barley trade dependencies, while Asia-Pacific faces higher costs for imported malt varieties. These tariffs are raising raw material costs and affecting pricing stability. However, they are also encouraging domestic barley cultivation, local malting capacity expansion, and long-term supply chain resilience.

The malted barley market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides malted barley market statistics, including malted barley industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a malted barley market share, detailed malted barley market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the malted barley industry. This malted barley market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The malted barley market size has grown steadily in recent years. It will grow from $4.01 billion in 2025 to $4.16 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.5%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of global beer and spirits production, rising popularity of craft brewing, availability of high-quality barley varieties, growth in malt-based food applications, development of commercial malting infrastructure.

The malted barley market size is expected to see steady growth in the next few years. It will grow to $4.96 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand from craft and premium beverage segments, rising use of malted barley in functional foods, expansion of distilling capacity in emerging markets, growing focus on sustainable barley sourcing, innovation in specialty malt varieties. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing demand for specialty and craft brewing malts, rising focus on quality-controlled malting processes, growing adoption of customized malt profiles, expansion of malt usage in food applications, enhanced emphasis on traceability and consistency.

The rising demand for beer is anticipated to support the growth of the malted barley market in the coming years. Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced through the fermentation of grains, most commonly malted barley, along with water, yeast, and hops. Malted barley plays a crucial role in beer production by providing the enzymes required to break down complex carbohydrates in the grain into simple sugars, which are then fermented by yeast. For example, in April 2024, BeverageDaily.com, a UK-based online publication, reported that small and independent brewers produced a combined total of 23.4 million barrels of beer in 2023. Craft beer's share of the overall market rose to 13.3% by volume, compared with 13.1% in 2022. Therefore, the increasing demand for beer is contributing to the expansion of the malted barley market going forward.

Major players in the malted barley industry are embracing strategic partnerships to drive significant growth. Strategic partnerships involve companies leveraging each other's strengths and resources for mutual benefit and success. For example, in August 2023, Voyager Craft Malt, an Australia-based artisanal malt producer, collaborated with Cryer Malt, another Australia-based supplier serving the craft and premium brewing sectors in Australia and New Zealand. This partnership aims to launch Dexter Malt, which will be made from certified sustainable Australian barley, demonstrating a shared commitment to sustainability and reflecting the increasing market preference for eco-friendly malted barley products. By joining forces, these leading maltsters not only introduce innovation but also underscore the importance of certified sustainable barley, enhancing the quality and efficiency of malted barley products while meeting the growing consumer demand for sustainable options in the malted barley market.

In February 2024, Viking Malt Ab, a Denmark-based manufacturer of malted barley, entered into a partnership with Improvin' AB. This collaboration aims to enhance Viking Malt's portfolio by leveraging Improvin's expertise in utilizing precise field-level data to measure and minimize the carbon footprint of their malting barley, while also monitoring activities that support biodiversity. Improvin' AB is a Sweden-based company that specializes in services designed to reduce the carbon footprint associated with malting barley production.

Major companies operating in the malted barley market are Boortmalt Group, Malteurop Group, Viking Malt, Simpsons Malt Ltd., Muntons Malt plc, Crisp Malting Group Ltd., Weyermann Malz, Castle Malting S.A., Bairds Malt, Briess Malt & Ingredients Co., Rahr Corporation, GrainCorp Malt, United Canadian Malt Ltd., Great Western Malting Co., Bestmalz AG, Gladfield Malt, Thomas Fawcett & Sons Ltd., The Swaen Malts, Mouterij Dingemans, Malting Company of Ireland, Imperial Malt Ltd., Shanxi Huaxiang Group Co Ltd.

Europe was the largest region in the malted barley market in 2025. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the global malted barley market during the forecast period. The regions covered in the malted barley market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

The countries covered in the malted barley market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Canada

The malted barley market consists of sales of winter barley, spring barley, malt flour, and malt extracts. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

Malted Barley Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.

This report focuses malted barley market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.

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Where is the largest and fastest growing market for malted barley ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The malted barley market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.

The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.

• The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market. This section also examines key products and services offered in the market, evaluates brand-level differentiation, compares product features, and highlights major innovation and product development trends.
• The supply chain analysis section provides an overview of the entire value chain, including key raw materials, resources, and supplier analysis. It also provides a list competitor at each level of the supply chain.
• The updated trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it evolves and highlights emerging technology trends such as digital transformation, automation, sustainability initiatives, and AI-driven innovation. It suggests how companies can leverage these advancements to strengthen their market position and achieve competitive differentiation.
• The regulatory and investment landscape section provides an overview of the key regulatory frameworks, regularity bodies, associations, and government policies influencing the market. It also examines major investment flows, incentives, and funding trends shaping industry growth and innovation.
• The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, and forecasting its development.
• The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.
• The total addressable market (TAM) analysis section defines and estimates the market potential compares it with the current market size, and provides strategic insights and growth opportunities based on this evaluation.
• The market attractiveness scoring section evaluates the market based on a quantitative scoring framework that considers growth potential, competitive dynamics, strategic fit, and risk profile. It also provides interpretive insights and strategic implications for decision-makers.
• Market segmentations break down the market into sub markets.
• The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth.
• Expanded geographical coverage includes Taiwan and Southeast Asia, reflecting recent supply chain realignments and manufacturing shifts in the region. This section analyzes how these markets are becoming increasingly important hubs in the global value chain.
• The competitive landscape chapter gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified.
• The company scoring matrix section evaluates and ranks leading companies based on a multi-parameter framework that includes market share or revenues, product innovation, and brand recognition.

Scope

• Markets Covered:1) By Type: Basic Malt; Special Mal
• 2) By Form: Whole Malted Barley (Grain); Crushed/Grinded Malt; Malt Flour (Powder); Malt Flakes; Malt Extract (Liquid & Dry)
• 3) By Application: Brewing; Distilling; Food & Beverage Processing; Animal Feed; Nutraceuticals & Pharmaceuticals; Other Applications
• Subsegments:
• 1) By Basic Malt: Pale Malt; Pilsner Malt; Standard Malt
• 2) By Special Malt: Caramel/Crystal Malt; Roasted Malt; Chocolate Malt; Black Malt
• Companies Mentioned: Boortmalt Group; Malteurop Group; Viking Malt; Simpsons Malt Ltd.; Muntons Malt plc; Crisp Malting Group Ltd.; Weyermann Malz; Castle Malting S.A.; Bairds Malt; Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.; Rahr Corporation; GrainCorp Malt; United Canadian Malt Ltd.; Great Western Malting Co.; Bestmalz AG; Gladfield Malt; Thomas Fawcett & Sons Ltd.; The Swaen Malts; Mouterij Dingemans; Malting Company of Ireland; Imperial Malt Ltd.; Shanxi Huaxiang Group Co Ltd.
• Countries: Australia; Brazil; China; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Japan; Taiwan; Russia; South Korea; UK; USA; Italy; Spain; Canada
• Regions: Asia-Pacific; South East Asia; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; North America; South America; Middle East; Africa
• Time Series: Five years historic and ten years forecast.
• Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets, GDP proportions, expenditure per capita,
• Data Segmentations: country and regional historic and forecast data, market share of competitors, market segments.
• Sourcing and Referencing: Data and analysis throughout the report is sourced using end notes.
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