Firm backed by Anheuser-Busch plans $100 million facility

ST. LOUIS -- A new company backed by Anheuser-Busch that turns the remnants of barley from brewing into protein and fiber supplements is building a production facility on the brewery's St. Louis campus.

The company, EverGrain, announced the project Tuesday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. The firm is led by former Anheuser-Busch sustainability chief Gregory Belt.

"This announcement is a key milestone in EverGrain's journey to realize the full potential of barley," Belt said in a statement. "As we grow our operations in St. Louis, we will be able to deliver new options to consumers who seek a healthier and more sustainable future."

The project is part of Anheuser-Busch's plan, announced in January, to invest $1 billion in its U.S. manufacturing capabilities through next year, including about $100 million for sustainability projects.

It's also among several new investments Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev plans for its 170-year-old flagship brewery in St. Louis. It is expanding production capacity for hard seltzer beverages with construction of a new building. InBev also is moving the brewing of Stella Artois for U.S. consumers from Europe to St. Louis and three other U.S. breweries.

All told, brewery officials have said they expect about $175 million in investment in the St. Louis brewery over the next couple of years.

EverGrain launched last year. It produces EverPro, a barley-based protein powder for drinks, and EverVita, a barley-based supplement that adds fiber and protein to baked goods.

EverGrain currently has only a small-scale, $15 million production facility at Anheuser-Busch's brewery in Newark, New Jersey. It will continue to be used for testing and small-batch production after the St. Louis facility is operational.

Belt told the Post-Dispatch EverGrain opted to build its full-scale production facility in St. Louis because of the city's "deep roots in food and ag-tech," as well as the region's "great source of talent."

EverGrain expects to add about 50 jobs initially.