Mexico's largest brewing company, Grupo Modelo, a Mexico City based brewer, is completing construction on a new US$64 million barley malting plant, Idaho Malting Plant, based in Idaho Falls. The facility, which has a capacity of 100,000 tonnes will reduce the amount of raw materials the company has had to import into the US for production.

Modelo is the maker of Corona Extra, the best-selling imported beer in the United States and the fifth best-selling brand in the world. The plant, was scheduled for completion by late 2004 or early 2005, will be able to process nearly 6.4 million bushels of barley a year.