Anheuser-Busch, the country’s leading brewer and a top American manufacturer, today announced St. Louis as the primary site for EverGrain’s U.S. production operations. The company will break ground and begin the renovation of an historical building as it creates EverGrain’s headquarters. This investment in the St. Louis community – which Anheuser-Busch has called home for more than 160 years and continues to be its hub for innovation – is part of the company’s recently announced plan to invest more than $1 billion over the next two years in its facilities to help accelerate the recovery and drive economic prosperity in communities across the U.S.
EverGrain is a sustainable ingredient company backed by AB InBev that is revolutionizing the use of high-quality grains that are used to brew beer to deliver nutritious and great tasting barley-based ingredients that can be used in a variety of food and beverage products. Anheuser-Busch sources 98% of its ingredients from U.S. farmers, and EverGrain will leverage the company’s multi-generational relationships with many of its growers to deliver its transformative barley products at scale.
The investment – totaling nearly $100 million – will create long-term jobs and support the installation of EverGrain’s first full-scale production facility by reviving the use of historical brewery landmark, Stockhouse 10, on the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery Campus.
“This investment in our hometown of St. Louis brings together two critical priorities for Anheuser-Busch: playing a leading role in the country’s economic recovery and leveraging our world class innovation capabilities to create a more sustainable future,” said Michel Doukeris, CEO of Anheuser-Busch. “From finding more sustainable ways to produce and deliver our brands, to adapting our portfolio to meet changing tastes, we are always challenging ourselves to dream bigger and find innovative solutions to bring high-quality products to our consumers.”
The new facility will be the first major production site for EverGrain globally and is a critical part of Anheuser-Busch’s recently announced $1 billion planned investment, which spans 26 states. These investments will stimulate local economies in communities across the country, support ongoing industry job creation, and enable sustainable innovations.
“We are proud to welcome EverGrain to St. Louis. They are a great example of an innovative, sustainable business that creates local jobs and strengthens our community,” said St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson. “We are grateful to have such a strong community partner in Anheuser-Busch and look forward to seeing the positive economic impact of this investment across the region.”
“Anheuser-Busch has a long history in St. Louis and this investment is an exciting next step as they continue to find innovative new ways to support our community and help drive the local economy,” said Steve Johnson, Chief Business Attraction Officer for Greater St. Louis, Inc. and President of the AllianceSTL initiative. “With this significant investment in the City of St. Louis, EverGrain’s presence will further strengthen our region’s growing momentum for advanced manufacturing and production and help highlight the importance of sustainability initiatives in local industry."
As consumers increasingly demand more sustainable, plant-based options, EverGrain is prepared to lead the industry with this investment. The company is currently making its products at their $15 million small-scale production facility at Anheuser-Busch's Newark, New Jersey brewery which will continue to be utilized for small batch production and testing once the St. Louis facility comes online.
“This announcement is a key milestone in EverGrain’s journey to realize the full potential of barley. As we grow our operations in St. Louis, we will be able to deliver new options to consumers who seek a healthier and more sustainable future,” said Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EverGrain, Greg Belt. “With Anheuser-Busch's support, we are uniquely positioned to deliver high-quality plant-based ingredients that don’t require additional land, save water, and lower the overall carbon footprint of our products – making them better for people and for the planet.”
Since its launch, EverGrain has worked to commercialize its first generation of nutrient-rich, ancient-grain products to market, EverPro™ and EverVita™. Both product lines are highly versatile and can be used across a wide range of food products. EverGrain ingredients are currently available in products such as Take Two, a plant-based barley milk line. The company also has multiple product launches with commercial partners planned that will reach shelves in both the United States and Europe in the first half of fiscal year 2021.