AB InBev celebrates the local farmers and communities behind our beers

20.06.2025

Smart Agriculture

Making the world’s best beers starts with grains, hops, yeast and water. While simple, these natural ingredients require expertise and dedication to grow with quality.

“At AB InBev, brewing great beer starts with simple, high-quality ingredients, and it’s our farmers who make that possible,” said Michel Doukeris, CEO, AB InBev. “Thank you to our dedicated farmers, partners, and colleagues who bring our iconic brands to life each day.”

This month, AB InBev raised a toast to the more than 20,000 direct farmers in our supply chain – two-thirds of whom are smallholders – and our shared efforts to provide tools and technology that help improve their growing practices.

A first-hand look at our beers’ beginnings

From India to China, Mexico, Colombia and the U.S., we celebrated local farmers and our work to improve their livelihoods at 24 events globally, alongside our brewers, maltsters, local officials and partners.

In India’s Haryana region, we recognized the dedication and innovation of more than 350 barley farmers from three states. Through the country’s SmartBarley program, more than 2,000 farmers are learning the latest sustainable agriculture practices.

At Budweiser China’s annual Growers Day at Yuntai Farm in Jiangsu Province, we highlighted our partnership with JSNK Group that’s providing farmers with technology and regenerative agriculture practices to expand production of high-quality, locally grown malting barley and cultivation of hops grown indoors.

Mexico’s Grupo Modelo hosted 28 farmers alongside local partners and officials at Rancho Cermo, its agriculture innovation facility in Zacatecas, Mexico, and showcased progress in agricultural research, economic impact, water efficiency and digital innovation.

“Grupo Modelo is a company that’s given us so much support. We’re proud to collaborate and be part of it,” said Alejandro Torres, a barley farmer in Guadalupe Victoria, Durango.

At its annual US Rice Growers Day in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Anheuser-Busch celebrated the rice farmers whose crops are behind the crisp flavor and smooth finish of brands like Budweiser and Michelob ULTRA.

And at the Bavaria Agricultural Research and Development Center in Colombia, we featured Siembra Bavaria, a joint effort providing local farmers with technical advice, loans and other support that’s helped significantly improve their yields over the last eight years.

To a future with more cheers

Wherever they are enjoyed, every sip of our beers reflects the dedication of local farmers. At our ‘zythology’ dinner in Liège, Belgium—the birthplace of Jupiler—guests experienced the taste of exceptional brewing and locally sourced ingredients that have defined the brand since 1853.

Our farmers are essential to preserving our time-honored recipes and innovating for the future. With a growing portfolio and a network of nearly 100 R&D sites, model farms, and our Global Barley Research Center, AB InBev is harnessing innovation and expertise to enhance the livelihoods of farmers all over the world, continue to build our brands for the long-term and create a future with more cheers.