Newsroom
2007
CWB gains edge in world’s largest beer market
November 1, 2007
Winnipeg – Prairie malting barley sold to China by the CWB has achieved a marketing edge after being approved for use in products carrying the prestigious Chinese Green Food label.
China’s Green Food Development Centre has accredited 600 000 tonnes of malting barley per year from the CWB – triple the amount from any other exporter. The approval gives a premium seal of quality and food safety to Chinese beer made with accredited western Canadian barley that is exported exclusively by the CWB.
“With this accreditation, western Canadian farmers have a stronger competitive advantage in the world’s largest and fastest-growing beer market,” said Greg Arason, CWB President and CEO. “Our malting barley is preferred by major malting companies and brewers in China.”
Haiguang Shi, general manager of the CWB’s Beijing office, said Green Food certification gives the CWB an advantage with consumers.
“The Green Food label assures consumers that a food product is produced according to safe agricultural practices, in an environmentally sustainable way, free from air and soil pollutants,” Shi said. “This is very valuable to our customers.”
The accreditation process was very rigorous. Beginning more than a year ago, the CWB submitted several hundred pages of technical data and information on management practices, air quality and soil analyses, Canadian food safety and quality control systems, malting barley selection and shipment. The application and approval process also included an inspection visit to Western Canada by the China Green Food office.
“Not only does this certification recognize the quality of Prairie barley, but also our system of sourcing and delivery – from grower to customer – through the CWB,” Arason said.
China has recently surpassed the United States as the largest beer maker in the world, producing 35 billion litres in 2006 – up a whopping 15 per cent from the year before. The number of Chinese beer drinkers has increased dramatically in recent years due to economic growth and a relatively young population. Since 1991, beer production has quadrupled in China.
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. One of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to over 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to farmers.
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For more information, or to request a copy of the Green Food logo for use in news stories, please contact:
Maureen Fitzhenry,
CWB media relations manager
(204) 983-3101
Cell: (204) 227-6927
maureen_fitzhenry@cwb.ca