Al Ahram Beverages Launches a New Phase to Support Sustainable Agriculture and Empower Smallholder Farmers

As part of its ongoing commitment to building more resilient and sustainable local value chains, Al Ahram Beverages Company (ABC) witnessed the renewal ceremony of the trilateral partnership for the 2026/2027 barley season with the Agricultural Research Center (ARC), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, and its strategic partner Sahara Egypt. This step builds on a long-standing partnership that aims to develop local barley cultivation in line with the highest global quality standards, strengthen agricultural resilience, and support economic growth by deepening local manufacturing, strengthening local value chains, and increasing reliance on national resources.

The signing ceremony was held at Al Ahram Beverages Company’s malt plant in 6th of October City, established in 2005 as the first and only malt plant of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa. The agreement was signed by Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, Managing Director at Al Ahram Beverages Company, Eng. Mohamed Abdellah, Chairman at Sahara Egypt, and Dr. Maher El-Maghraby, Vice President of the Agricultural Research Center. The agreement aims to continue developing local barley cultivation, enhance supply chain sustainability, strengthen agricultural resilience, and support the long-term competitiveness of Egypt’s agricultural economy, line with the Company’s local sourcing strategy, under which it relies on 100% locally grown barley and sources more than 90% of its total raw materials from the Egyptian market to reduce dependence on imports.

The renewal of the partnership builds on the tangible results achieved during the 2025/2026 season through the fruitful collaboration between the three parties. The program helped advance the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and improve resource efficiency, resulting in estimated annual water savings of approximately 530,000 cubic meters. The program also continued to develop high-quality barley varieties and strengthen reliance on local production, supporting efforts to reduce the carbon footprint, support decarbonization efforts, lower dependence on imports, and build a more sustainable agricultural system that is better equipped to face future challenges.

The renewed protocol also introduces a new environmental and social impact pillar, representing the next phase in the long-standing partnership between ABC, ARC, and Sahara Egypt. Expanding the partnership’s impact beyond agricultural development and environmental sustainability, the new pillar seeks to generate direct economic and social value for farmers and rural communities. Through two complementary programs, the initiative will directly support 200 farmers. The first program will provide 6.5 tons of certified high-yield barley seeds to 100 farmers in Fayoum and Kafr El Sheikh, supporting expected production of approximately 200 tons of grain, while also enabling the production of up to 10 tons of green fodder per farmer and helping increase household incomes by 25% to 35%. The second program will support an additional 100 farmers through knowledge-sharing and capacity-building initiatives designed to strengthen technical expertise, promote sustainable agricultural practices, increase technical knowledge by 30%, and reduce post-harvest losses by 15%.

Mr. Nikolay Mladenov, Managing Director at Al Ahram Beverages Company, said: “Today’s renewal marks another milestone in a journey that began more than 40 years ago in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Center and has continued to evolve into the integrated partnership we celebrate today with Sahara Egypt. By bringing together scientific research, agricultural implementation, and industrial application, we have built a local value chain that starts in the Egyptian field and ends with a high-quality product capable of competing regionally and internationally. Our reliance on 100% locally grown barley and sourcing more than 90% of our raw materials locally reflects our long-term commitment to supporting Egyptian agriculture, strengthening local manufacturing, and creating sustainable economic value. We are also proud that this plant transforms locally grown Egyptian barley into high-quality malt that meets local market demand and supports self-sufficiency, while approximately 40% of its production is exported to regional markets, reflecting the global competitiveness of Egyptian products and their ability to create sustainable economic value.”

Mladenov added: “The launch of this new social impact pillar reinforces our holistic approach to sustainable development and completes the value ecosystem we have been building over many years by supporting and empowering smallholder farmers as an essential part of its success. Alongside developing high-quality barley varieties and improving the efficiency of natural resource use, we seek to create sustainable economic and social impact by equipping smallholder farmers with the knowledge, expertise, and resources they need to grow and succeed. This, in turn, helps strengthen livelihoods, support rural communities on a broader scale, and create more opportunities for growth across the agricultural value chain. This milestone marks a new phase in the evolution of our long-standing partnership and reflects our commitment to continually expanding its positive impact in support of sustainable agricultural development and more inclusive and sustainable economic growth, in line with Egypt Vision 2030.”

Dr. Maher El-Maghraby, Vice President of the Agricultural Research Center, stated: “We are pleased to participate today in the signing of the trilateral partnership protocol with Al Ahram Beverages Company and Sahara Egypt for the 2026/2027 barley season, which reflects the success of the longstanding partnership between the three parties and the tangible results it has achieved over the past seasons. This collaboration has become a successful model of integration between scientific research, agricultural application, and industrial manufacturing, contributing to the development of barley cultivation in Egypt in line with the latest scientific principles and sustainable agricultural practices.”

He continued, “The partnership also serves as an important platform for supporting the agricultural sector, enhancing the efficiency of natural resource utilization, and protecting the environment, while contributing to improving farmers’ livelihoods and supporting rural communities. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to our partners for their continued commitment to advancing agricultural innovation and developing local value chains, reinforcing the role of scientific research in advancing sustainable agricultural development and contributing to the goals of Egypt Vision 2030.”

Eng. Mohamed Abdallah, Chairman of Sahara Egypt, said: “For the second consecutive year, it is my pleasure to join our partners at Al Ahram Beverages Company and the Agricultural Research Center in renewing this trilateral cooperation protocol, which represents one of the most structured and successful models of collaboration between industry, agriculture, and scientific research. The results achieved during the 2025/2026 season, particularly across crop production and environmental pillars, have reaffirmed the value of this partnership and provided a clear vision for expanding its scope through the introduction of a third pillar focused on social impact.”

He continued, “This new pillar reflects our shared commitment to supporting the communities we serve by helping improve the livelihoods of vulnerable families working in the agricultural sector through the combined expertise and capabilities of our three organizations. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to our partners for their unwavering support and continued collaboration in advancing the local cultivation of barley in Egypt, a significant step toward strengthening the role of agriculture in supporting the Egyptian economy and reducing reliance on imports.”

Through the renewal of this partnership, ABC reaffirms its leading role in building an integrated development model that connects manufacturing efficiency, research excellence, environmental sustainability, and community empowerment. By continuing to invest in local sourcing and expanding its positive impact across the agricultural value chain, the Company is helping strengthen the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of Egypt’s agricultural and industrial sectors.

It is worth noting that Al Ahram Beverages Company’s malt plant in 6th of October City, established in 2005, is the first and only malt manufacturing facility in the Middle East and North Africa. The plant holds several internationally recognized certifications in quality, food safety, environmental management, and occupational health and safety, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and FSSC 22000, in addition to its presence on the National Food Safety Authority’s whitelist. The plant meets the needs of the local market and exports around 40% of its production regionally. Beyond production, the plant contributes to circular economy practices by recycling malt by-products such as barley rootlets and broken grains for use in animal feed production.