French cooperative VIVESCIA’s malting business, Malteurop, has acquired a malt plant in eastern China with annual capacity of 220,000 tonnes, adding production scale for brewers and export customers across Asia.
VIVESCIA announced the acquisition Oct. 23 and said it closed in summer 2026. The Chunlei Malting Co. facility is in the Yancheng area of Jiangsu, roughly 300 kilometers north of Shanghai. The group held an inauguration in Yancheng on Oct. 23.
VIVESCIA says the plant’s annual capacity could supply enough malt for about two billion liters of beer. The group expects the acquisition to support sales to Chinese and other Asian brewers, as well as overseas customers. It said the new site adds industrial and logistics reach near customers and export infrastructure.
The plant uses 100% locally sourced biomass, mainly rice straw, for process heat, VIVESCIA said. Wind and solar supply its electricity, with battery storage supporting those sources.
VIVESCIA traces its roughly 30-year presence in China to its Baoding operation. Reuters reported that Chunlei is Malteurop’s second production site in the country. Reuters also reported that financial terms were not disclosed.
Guillaume Mothe, VIVESCIA Group’s managing director, called the acquisition a “competitive and sustainable growth platform.” VIVESCIA left open the possibility of further investment to increase capacity but gave no timetable.
