HEINEKEN Ethiopia is committed to sustainably sourcing raw materials while improving the livelihoods of Ethiopian farmers through long-term partnerships and value chain development.

Since launching its local sourcing initiative in 2013 under the CREATE (Community Revenue Enhancement through Agricultural Technology Extension) program, later scaled up to BOOST (Barley Organization of Supply and Training), the company has supported farmers to increase malt barley productivity by providing high-quality seeds, agronomic training, access to finance, mechanization, and reliable market linkages.

The introduction of improved barley varieties significantly raised average yields from 2 to over 5 tonnes per hectare, contributing to food security and increasing farmers’ incomes by up to 150%. Building on the success of CREATE, which reached over 100,000 farmers, BOOST II is now being implemented in collaboration with IFC, Soufflet, and EUCORD across Oromia, Sidama, and Central Ethiopia, targeting emerging production areas.

In 2025 alone, BOOST II supported more than 16,000 farmers cultivating over 10,000 hectares of malt barley, strengthened seed multiplication and access to crop protection inputs, and secured contracts for thousands of tons of malt barley, reinforcing a resilient, sustainable supply chain while continuing to deliver meaningful socio-economic impact in rural communities.