Benson Hill, AB InBev to improve barley quality and sustainability worldwide

Benson Hill Biosystems, a crop improvement company unlocking the natural diversity of plants, and Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world's leading brewer, announced a global partnership to develop improved barley varieties using Benson Hill's computational platform Breed, powered by CropOS. By harnessing the power of predictive breeding, AB InBev will equip farmers around the world with more productive and sustainable barley varieties. 

 

Recent reports have highlighted the sensitivity of barley to extreme heat and drought, underscoring the importance of developing varieties with greater resilience to climate change. 

 

As part of its 2025 Sustainability Goals, AB InBev leverages SmartBarley-an innovation platform that utilizes data, technology, and insights to help barley farmers in the AB InBev supply chain improve the productivity and environmental performance of their farms. AB InBev will use Benson Hill's Breed application in combination with traditional breeding methods to help accelerate the development of higher yielding barley varieties that use less water and other natural resources. 

 

"For AB InBev, brewing quality beer starts with the best ingredients. That requires a healthy environment and thriving communities," said Gary Hanning, Global Director of Barley Research at AB InBev. "Benson Hill's powerful Breed application positions us at the forefront of innovation to develop more resilient and sustainable varieties of barley for growers and the best quality malt for our brewers." 

 

Benson Hill empowers organizations of any size across the agri-food value chain to benefit from the most advanced tools in seed innovation. CropOS identifies the most promising genetics for any targeted outcome from higher yield to environmental sustainability or enhanced nutrition. The platform's machine learning capability calibrates and evolves with each field trial and data set, improving its predictive capability to accelerate product development. 

 

"AB InBev recognizes the power of plants and innovation to benefit both farmers and consumers," said Matt Crisp, CEO and co-founder of Benson Hill. "The Benson Hill team is eager to apply the predictive power of CropOS to AB InBev's SmartBarley program and rapidly advance its breeding efforts."