The Canadian malting industry is comprised of four firms – Canada Malting Co., Malteurop, Prairie Malt Ltd. And Rahr Malting Co. – which together operate six plants in Alberta (2), Saskatchewan (1), Manitoba (1), Ontario (1) and Quebec (1). The industry experienced great expansion in the early 1990’s with malting capacity increasing by 40% (350,000 tonnes). There has been no additional capacity added to the industry since 1995.

Total annual global malt production in 2014 was about 145 metric tonnes. Canada produces about 7% of this global production. The Canadian malt industry buys approximately 1.1 million tonnes of malt barley each year.

About 60-65% of the malt produced in Canada is exported (the remaining 35 -40% is sold domestically primarily to Canadian brewers). In 2014, Canadian malt exports were over 628 million tonnes valued at $414 million and Canada is the second largest individual country malt exporter in the world, after France. The EU member states together house 40% of global malt production capacity and are responsible for over 50% of world trade in malt, exporting over 2.1 million tonnes a year. Australia and China are also large malt exporters and with the EU are Canada’s main export competitors.

In 2014 the Canadian malting industry exported to 10 countries with just over 57% of exports destined to the United States.

For further information on Canadian malt, please see our member sites