Australia: Coopers Brewery won malt extract supply contract

Coopers Brewery has won a contract to supply malt extract to a major international food company’s Australian operations, according to company’s press release of January 23.

Mr. Scott Harris, Coopers Marketing Manager, Brewing Products, said details of the contract were confidential, but confirmed it was worth more than $1 million a year and would lift total production of malt extract at the Regency Park brewery by about 20%.

Malt extract is a natural coloring and flavor additive used in foods ranging from biscuits, cakes and confectionery to breakfast cereals. It is also widely used by small craft breweries to ensure consistency of quality and to reduce space requirements.

The extract is produced when wort, the sweet liquid produced from malted barley, is evaporated and concentrated.

Mr. Harris said the contract would make Coopers one of the largest suppliers of malt extract in the Southern Hemisphere. “Coopers already supplies malt extract to a number of major food and confectionery producers and small craft breweries in Australia and the Asia Pacific region. This contract will be a significant boost to this side of our business,” he said. Mr. Harris said Coopers had been producing malt extract since 1985 when it introduced its first evaporation plant to produce home brew concentrates.

“Coopers home brew concentrates are produced using the same evaporation method employed in the production of malt extract,” he said.

Coopers is the world’s largest producer of home brew concentrates.

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