Briess Malt & Ingredients Co. has announced that a US$17 million expansion of its barley processing and malting facility in Manitowoc, Wisconsin US, is scheduled to start immediately. The plan includes replacing an aging structure and installing a roaster and automated packaging line for the production and packaging of specialty malts.

“Now all Briess production sites will have roasting capability,” says President Ryan O’Toole. The project will also increase capacity, add system redundancy and improve the company’s supply chain efficiency. “It’s a capital investment by the Briess family that’s good for our customers and good for the community,” he continued.

Manitowoc was selected as the site for the company’s eighth roaster after more than a year of study and discussion. O’Toole explained that the barley processing operation in Wyoming was also thoroughly researched and considered.

“We selected our Manitowoc campus for several reasons,” O’Toole explains. “Manitowoc is a great community with great employees, and it offers a long history of malting. That fits well with the Briess malting tradition."

“The Manitowoc malting operation began in the 1860s, and the Briess family began malting in Czechoslovakia in 1876. Now in its fifth generation, the Briess family is excited to expand its North American specialty malt business in Manitowoc. It’s a great story.”

The city also played a key role in the selection, recently approving a Tax Increment Finance District that includes Briess and several other properties in downtown Manitowoc.

Over the past five years, Briess has expanded its position as a leading supplier of specialty malts to the American Craft Beer and Artisan Spirits communities. A growing number of food and petfood manufacturers are also turning to specialty malts for natural color and flavor, replacing artificial ingredients to produce better-for-you products.

“We hang our hats on quality and made in the US,” O’Toole explained. “Through acquisitions, we now source very high-quality barley directly from growers in Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota. We operate three malthouses in Wisconsin. We’re proud to say that all of our kilned and roasted malts are made in the US.”

Staffing is expected to increase by 8-10 employees when the plant is fully operational.