Soufflet
Soufflet is a French agricultural and food production company and the world's largest malt producer, supplying major beer breweries and distilleries globally as a wholly-owned subsidiary of InVivo Group since 2021.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1900
- HeadquartersNogent-sur-seine, France
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Soufflet does
Soufflet is a French agricultural and food production platform operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of InVivo Group, the French agricultural cooperative that acquired it in 2021. The company runs three core divisions: Soufflet Malt, the world's largest malt producer, which transforms barley into malt ingredients for global beer breweries and distilleries; Soufflet Agriculture, focused on barley sourcing and farmer support programs; and Soufflet Vigne, serving the wine industry. The underlying technology is the industrial malting process — controlled steeping, germination, and kilning of barley to produce specification-consistent malt for brewing and distilling applications. The business operates as a B2B commodity ingredient supplier, generating revenue primarily through long-term direct supply contracts with major brewing groups such as United Breweries Limited (Heineken-controlled) and Carlsberg, with pricing handled on a contract basis not publicly disclosed.
Soufflet's go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting the largest beverage manufacturers globally, with no direct-to-consumer or retail channels. The company is currently executing a significant geographic pivot: expanding into high-growth markets — notably India via a €100 million malthouse investment in Rajasthan with United Breweries (Phase 1: 110,000 tonnes annual capacity, early 2028 commissioning, with potential to double) — while simultaneously restructuring its European footprint by closing plants in Germany and the UK in response to structurally declining European beer consumption. Soufflet sits within InVivo's Agroalimentaire vertical alongside Episens and Vinadeis, and benefits from the parent cooperative's €11.4 billion revenue base, ~15,000 employees, and presence across 38 countries. The strategic intent is clear: redirect capital from stagnant mature markets into emerging-market beer growth, particularly in India where UBL/Heineken holds roughly half the beer market and demand growth runs at ~10% annually.
Soufflet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Soufflet
- Legal name
- Groupe Soufflet
- Website
- https://soufflet.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1900
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Soufflet is a French agricultural and food production company and the world's largest malt producer, supplying major beer breweries and distilleries globally as a wholly-owned subsidiary of InVivo Group since 2021.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Soufflet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Malt Production
- NAICS
- Malt Manufacturing (311213), Flour Milling and Malt Manufacturing (31121)
- SIC
- Grain Mill Products (2040)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Malting Barley Production (Brewing/Distilling Supply) (AFAGAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Barley Farming (AFAGAAAD)
Keywords
Where Soufflet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nogent-sur-seine
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Soufflet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Malt Production and Sales: Soufflet Malt operates as the world's largest malt producer, supplying malt to major breweries globally. Revenue is generated through production and sale of malt products to beer and whisky manufacturers through long-term supply partnerships.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Soufflet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Soufflet produces malt through industrial malting of barley, supplying breweries and distilleries globally. Its core malt business (Soufflet Malt) is the world's largest, complemented by agricultural sourcing operations (Soufflet Agriculture) and vineyard activities (Soufflet Vigne). Customers include major beer and spirits manufacturers such as United Breweries (Heineken), Heineken, and Carlsberg Group, served through long-term supply partnerships.
Product overview
Soufflet operates as a multi-divisional agricultural and food production company under InVivo group (acquired in 2021), comprising three core product lines: Soufflet Malt (the world's largest malt producer serving beer and food industries), Soufflet Agriculture (barley sourcing and farming support), and Soufflet Vigne (vineyard operations). The company is undergoing strategic transformation, expanding into high-growth markets like India while restructuring European operations due to declining beer consumption in Europe.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Soufflet Malt Industrial malt production for the beer brewing and distilling industries. As the world's largest malt producer, Soufflet Malt supplies malt ingredients to major global breweries (Heineken, United Breweries, Carlsberg Group) and distilleries, with operations across Europe, India, and expanding into South Africa and other emerging markets.
- Soufflet Agriculture
Quantifiable outcome
- 110,000 tonnes annual malt capacity in Phase 1, potentially doubling to 220,000 tonnes
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Soufflet
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Soufflet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Soufflet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- United Breweries Limited (UBL)flagshipUBL and Soufflet Malt partnered to build a malthouse in Rajasthan's Kiit Industrial Area with 110,000 tonnes annual production capacity, scheduled for early 2028. The facility will supply malt for UBL's Kingfisher and Heineken brands. UBL is majority-controlled by Heineken and commands nearly half of India's beer market.
- United Malt GroupcoreMalteries Soufflet (a division of Soufflet Group) is acquiring United Malt Group, a significant strategic consolidation in the global malting industry.
- Government of Madhya PradeshminorSoufflet participated in Indo-French Investment Dialogue hosted by Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, signing Expressions of Interest for investment in food and agribusiness sector.
- Government of RajasthancoreSoufflet Malt India is working with Rajasthan government and RIICO for land acquisition to establish its €100 million malt production facility. The French Ambassador intervened diplomatically regarding delays and higher land prices proposed by RIICO.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Soufflet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Great Western Malting: Great Western Malting is a US-based malt producer serving craft and mainstream brewers across North America. Comparable as a B2B maltster but smaller and regionally focused versus Soufflet's global scale.
- Rahr Malting: Rahr Malting is one of the largest North American maltsters, supplying craft and macro brewers primarily in the US and Canada. It is comparable in business model (B2B malt for brewers) but primarily serves the Americas, giving it a regional rather than global footprint versus Soufflet.
- Simpsons Malt: Simpsons Malt is a UK-based fifth-generation maltster supplying brewing and distilling customers, including Scotch whisky producers. It is comparable in business model and barley sourcing approach but geographically concentrated in the UK—a market where Soufflet is actively retreating.
- Muntons: Muntons is a UK malt and malt extract manufacturer serving brewers, distillers, and food manufacturers. Comparable in malt production and value-added malt extracts, but with a regional UK and European focus rather than global reach.
Emerging players
- Briess Malt & Ingredients: Briess is a North American maltster specializing in specialty malts and malt extracts for brewing and food applications. It overlaps with Soufflet's downstream malt-extract and specialty malt offerings but at smaller scale and primarily US-focused.
Direct peers
- Malteurop: Malteurop is generally recognized as the world's second-largest malt producer and Soufflet Malt's closest direct competitor. Both are global B2B maltsters supplying major brewers; Soufflet's acquisition of United Malt Group was specifically framed as strengthening its lead over Malteurop.
- Boortmalt (AXEREAL): Boortmalt, the malting arm of French cooperative AXEREAL, is one of the world's largest malt producers with a similar cooperative governance structure to Soufflet's InVivo parent. Both serve global brewers from European bases and compete head-to-head in B2B malt supply.
- Viking Malt: Viking Malt is a European malt producer serving breweries and distilleries across Northern Europe, the Americas and Asia. It is a comparable B2B malt specialist competing with Soufflet for brewer offtake, particularly in specialty malt segments.
Others
- InVivo Agrosolutions (Soufflet Agriculture): InVivo's agriculture vertical, including Soufflet Agriculture, is the upstream barley sourcing and farmer training arm closely tied to Soufflet Malt. It is included as an ecosystem/adjacent participant that enables Soufflet Malt's integrated supply chain rather than as a competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Cargill (Cargill Malt): Cargill operates a global malt and grain origination/processing business as part of its broad agricultural commodity platform. While it competes in B2B malt supply, malt is one of many product lines within a much larger diversified agricultural conglomerate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Soufflet social profiles
Digital presenceSoufflet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Soufflet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Soufflet subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Soufflet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Soufflet M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Soufflet
What does Soufflet do?
Soufflet produces malt through industrial malting of barley, supplying breweries and distilleries globally. Its core malt business (Soufflet Malt) is the world's largest, complemented by agricultural sourcing operations (Soufflet Agriculture) and vineyard activities (Soufflet Vigne). Customers include major beer and spirits manufacturers such as United Breweries (Heineken), Heineken, and Carlsberg Group, served through long-term supply partnerships.
Is Soufflet a public or private company?
Soufflet is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Soufflet founded?
Soufflet was founded in 1900. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Soufflet based?
Soufflet is headquartered in Nogent-sur-seine, France, in the Europe region.
How does Soufflet make money?
One revenue line is on record: malt Production and Sales.
Who are Soufflet's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Great Western Malting, Rahr Malting, Simpsons Malt and Muntons. Briess Malt & Ingredients is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Malteurop, Boortmalt (AXEREAL) and Viking Malt. InVivo Agrosolutions (Soufflet Agriculture) is listed as an others. Cargill (Cargill Malt) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Soufflet have an API?
No public API is recorded for Soufflet.
What industry is Soufflet in?
Soufflet's product category is Malt Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGAAAJ, Malting Barley Production (Brewing/Distilling Supply), with a secondary code of AFAGAAAD, Barley Farming. Its NAICS code is 311213 and its SIC code is 2040.