CMBTC 2024 Canada-China Barley Seminar – Strengthening Connections

With the recent reopening of the Chinese market to Australian barley, Canada must establish Canadian barley as the preferred choice among Chinese maltsters and brewers. Against this backdrop, the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) organized the 2024 Canada-China Barley Seminar in Qingdao on June 20th. The seminar aimed to strengthen Canada's foothold in the Chinese market, foster bilateral relationships, and showcase the premium quality of Canadian barley to key stakeholders in China. Partnering with Tsingtao Brewery Group, a major advocate and importer of Canadian barley (annually importing between 300,000 - 400,000 tonnes), CMBTC utilized Tsingtao's influential role as a gateway to the broader Chinese market.

The seminar focused on two main objectives: strengthening collaboration between the Canadian barley value chain and Chinese maltsters and brewers, and promoting Canada's barley varieties, agricultural practices, and quality assurance standards. These goals aligned with the growing interest in Canadian barley, known for its distinct flavour and consistent performance in premium beer brands. Notably, Canadian barley constitutes 25-30% of malt in nearly all Chinese beers, with even higher percentages in premium brands.

Dr. Aaron Beattie from the Crop Development Centre discussed Canadian plant breeding, while Dr. Yueshu Li covered new barley varieties. Both topics captured significant interest from attendees, who valued Canadian barley for its unique flavour and expressed strong interest in new varieties, highlighting the need for maintaining quality and flavour consistency.

Participants enjoyed a video presentation from Alberta Grains Region 2 delegate LeRoy Newman that highlighted his farm. Many attendees were impressed by the scale and size of LeRoy's operations. Additionally, participants listened to a sustainability panel featuring LeRoy, Cody Glenn (SaskBarley), Matt Enns (SaskBarley), and Sheila Elder (Manitoba Crop Alliance). They asked several questions about the differences in growing barley across the prairies and new variety trials,

Following the seminar, the delegation visited Hyaline Malting in Yantai, where they witnessed firsthand the application of Canadian malting barley in Chinese brewing processes. This visit underscored the importance of future collaboration, highlighting Hyaline as a major supporter of Canadian barley and a leader in experimenting with new varieties for premium malt.

The 2024 Canada-China Barley Seminar not only strengthened existing relationships but also laid a solid foundation for future collaborations in the dynamic Chinese market. As Canada navigates evolving global trade dynamics, nurturing and enhancing relationships with Chinese end-users remains pivotal to establishing Canadian barley as the preferred choice globally.

In the coming weeks, CMBTC will release a comprehensive report detailing seminar outcomes and recommendations, reinforcing Canada's leadership in the barley industry.