Anora’s Long-Term Commitment to the Baltic Sea Through Regeneratively Farmed Barley

The goal is net zero emissions and an increase in the proportion of sustainably grown barley

Anora is the leading wine and spirits brand house in the Nordics. Its portfolio includes own wine and spirits brands, partner wines and spirits, and a wide range of other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The company also operates industrial activities in distillation, bottling, and logistics, as well as the production of technical ethanol, beverage-grade ethanol, feed ingredients, and barley starch. Anora exports alcoholic beverages to more than 30 countries.

The primary raw materials used in Anora’s alcohol production are Finnish barley and clean groundwater. The Koskenkorva distillery processes approximately 180 million kilograms of Finnish barley each year: about 15% of Finland’s total barley harvest and more than 30% of all barley sold domestically. Around 1,500 farmers supply sustainably grown Finnish barley to the Koskenkorva facility.

Anora has set science-based emissions reduction targets with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2050. In autumn 2024, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) officially validated Anora’s near-term, net-zero, and FLAG targets.

In addition, Anora has established its own separate ambitions to achieve carbon neutral operations at the Koskenkorva distillery by 2026 and across all own operations by 2030, without relying on carbon offsets.

A key objective in Anora’s sustainability roadmap is to increase the share of regeneratively farmed barley in the raw material of its own grain spirit-based products to 30% by 2030. This target not only supports the advancement of regenerative agriculture but also contributes directly to achieving value chain emissions reductions.

Long-Term Efforts for the Baltic Sea and Sustainable Agriculture

Anora has been a partner of BSAG since 2015, united from the beginning by a shared mission: a healthier Baltic Sea and more sustainable agricultural practices.

Anora’s Baltic Sea Commitment for 2026–2030 is already its third. In its first commitment, the company focused on reducing water consumption and supporting contract farmers in transitioning to more nutrient-efficient and environmentally friendly cultivation methods. The work continued under the second commitment, when Anora joined the Carbon Action platform to help advance regenerative agriculture.

During the commitment period, selected contract farmers took part in Carbon Action research by testing practical regenerative farming methods on their own farms. At the same time, Anora launched Koskenkorva Vodka Climate Action. It was the world’s first vodka made from barley grown using regenerative farming methods. Anora also strengthened its communication on regenerative agriculture across multiple channels, including events, trade fairs, newsletters, and its producers’ extranet.

In 2023, Anora and BSAG jointly organized regenerative farming training sessions that brought together motivated and forward-thinking farmers. By 2024, a total of 20 farms were already participating in Anora’s regeneratively farmed barley program.

In Anora’s Baltic Sea Commitment for the years 2020–2025, selected contract farmers attend to a Carbon Action research project as pilot farms. Farmers point out one hectare test plot for a five year research period. Anora pays the expences of analysing soil samples. After the research period, Anora and farmers will learn, how different farming methods have affected soil carbon sequestration.

Anora’s goals is to produce 30 percent of its own grain spirits with regeneratively farmed grain by 2030.

In the company’s first Baltic Sea Commitment, Anora focused on minimizing water use and encouraging contract farmers to sustainable and nutrient efficient agriculture. With its second commitment, Anora joined Carbon Action Platform.

Collaboration started in 2015, and it includes a significant donation to BSAG’s work for the Baltci Sea.