Fengrain has tied with Crisp Malting Group on the site, which is being pitched as a storage and marketing option for East Anglian farmers.

The facility features four new Fengrain silos, located at Crisp’s Great Ryburgh site, which will provide storage for 10,000 tonnes of malting barley.

Crisp’s master maltsters can use this to produce 7,700 tonnes of quality malt that, in turn, can be used to create 120 million pints of beer.

Rob Munro, Fengrain managing director, said: “The opening of this great new storage facility reflects the fact our co-operative is growing.

“We already have 900 members and this significant investment by Fengrain opens up opportunities for even more growers in the East Anglia region. They, too, will be able to benefit from our unique marketing proposition and excellent relationship with Crisp – and other customers.

“The new silos enable direct delivery at harvest time from the farm to the customer. This avoids time-wasting, resource-intensive double handling. It means that the barley can be dried and stored in perfect conditions from the outset. All this helps attract best available premiums for members.”

“The silos will bring benefits in terms of quality controls and convenience. Their installation on our site will also reduce haulage – saving around 20,000 HGV miles and 27,000kg of carbon dioxide emissions a year,” added says Bob King, commercial director at Crisp Malting Group

He explained:  “To produce the best malt we must have top quality malting barley all year round,” says Bob King. “Excellent storage conditions are absolutely crucial – and this joint venture will provide them.

“We’ve been working with Fengrain and its members over many years.  Positioning their silos on our site shows the commitment from both parties to a long-term partnership.

“The deal secures high quality, local raw materials for us. It increases our capacity so we can meet the growing demand for our malt from craft brewers across the country – and abroad. Britain is the world’s number 3 malt producer – and we are one of the country’s main exporters.

“Our famed malt is sent to brewers and distillers across the world, so people everywhere are tasting a little bit of East Anglia as they sip their beer or whisky.”