Soufflet Malt has officially commenced construction on a new €100 million (R2 billion) malting facility in Midvaal, Gauteng. This major infrastructure project represents a critical tightening of the South African brewing value chain, establishing a localised supply hub directly adjacent to HEINEKEN Beverages’ Sedibeng Brewery.
The groundbreaking follows a commercial partnership signed in March 2025, which positions Soufflet Malt as a key strategic supplier for HEINEKEN’s domestic operations, including the production of flagship brands such as Heineken®, Amstel Lager, Sol, and Windhoek.
Strategic Supply Chain Integration
The new facility is designed with an annual production capacity of approximately 100,000 tonnes of malt. A core operational advantage is its physical proximity to the Sedibeng Brewery; the two sites will be linked via conveyor systems, eliminating the need for road transport of processed malt between the malthouse and the brewhouse. This integration significantly lowers logistics costs and carbon emissions.
Jordi Borrut, Managing Director of HEINEKEN Beverages, highlighted the resilience this adds to the local market: “By sourcing barley locally and producing malt alongside our brewery, we reduce imports, lower transport emissions and build a more resilient, lower-carbon supply chain.”
Localisation and Agronomy
While construction—managed by Abbeydale Projects—is slated for completion in 2026 with commissioning in mid-2027, the project’s agricultural groundwork is already well advanced.
Soufflet Malt aims to source 100% of its barley supply from local growers once the plant is fully operational. To achieve this, the company has been running agronomy programs since 2018 to prepare commercial and emerging farmers.
In partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), emerging farmers are being supported through:
Funding: Access to grants and interest-free finance for equipment.
Training: Mentorship on best-practice agronomy to ensure premium barley quality.
Jorge Solis, CEO of Soufflet Malt, stated: “By investing in local industrial capacity and working closely with farmers, we are building a resilient, sustainable locally integrated malt supply chain that will support long-term agricultural and industrial development in the region.”
Sustainability and Technology
The facility aligns with Soufflet Malt’s MALTiply 2030 strategy, leveraging advanced low-carbon design. The plant will utilise trigeneration technology, which the company claims will result in 50% fewer emissions than the industry average.
Economic Impact
Beyond the immediate construction phase, the facility is projected to create 55 permanent jobs and generate between 200 and 300 indirect jobs across the agriculture and logistics sectors.
Rian Coetzee, Divisional Executive at the IDC, noted: “The IDC’s contribution enables black emerging farmers to participate meaningfully in high-value supply chains, while creating jobs and deepening rural development in communities across the North West.”
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