This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
News
Anora boosts farming biodiversity
Nordic drinks group Anora will purchase 3.5 million kilograms of regeneratively-farmed barley to improve the biodiversity of its farming.
Regenerative farming is a set of methods that aim to improve soil health, biodiversity and enhance the sequestrating of carbon dioxide into the soil.
In the long-term, the fields can transform from emission sources into carbon sinks.
Regenerative farming benefits farmers through improving soil quality and reliability of yields, and increase profitability, said Anora.
The barley is sourced from Finnish farms.
The brand supports farmers in this transition to regenerative farming by offering training on regenerative agriculture.
“We organised a training session with Baltic Sea Action Group and ProAgria in November, which enabled us to start collaborating with new, enthusiastic farmers,” said Anora grain purchasing manager Kari Kiltilä.
“This is pioneering work that we are doing together. We believe that regenerative farming will become the new normal in the future. The improved soil health creates resilience to changing climate, more stable yields and enhances carbon sequestration.”
The brand originally began regenerative farming three years ago, with Baltic Sea Action Group and farmer Jari Eerola.
In its first year, 50,000 kg of carbon-farmed barley was produced for Anora’s Koskenkorva Distillery.
In 2022, 56,000 kg of carbon-farmed barley was produced.
The purchase this year of 3.5m kg will see 20 Finnish farmers transitioning to regenerative farming.
Regenerative farming is a key part of Anora’s Sustainability Roadmap, which has laid out plans to increase the amount of regeneratively-farmed barley used in its own grain-spirit based products to 30% by 2030.
“In addition to reducing emissions, we need to build carbon sinks in order to mitigate climate change,” marketing director Suvi Reinikkala said. “Regenerative farming sequesters carbon from the atmosphere into the soil instead of releasing it during the farming process.
“We are strongly committed to regenerative farming, and Anora’s – and the world’s – first product, Koskenkorva Vodka Climate Action, made fully from carbon-farmed barley is doing well in export markets. We hope that as many parties as possible will join us in promoting regenerative farming.”
The Koskenkorva Vodka owner recently revealed it saw spirits sales rise by 9% during the first quarter of 2023, led by double-digit gains in international markets.