A red-brick building under construction at Anheuser-Busch’s St. Louis brewery complex looks much like the buildings surrounding it, but it has nothing to do with brewing beer.
Starting next year, the $100 million facility will use spent grains to produce barley protein and fiber for plant-based alternatives, such as barley milk and oat crackers.
Greg Belt, CEO of EverGrain and former sustainability chief at Anheuser-Busch, launched the company last year, and he said it’s part of a growing industry of local companies that are leading the way in producing plant-based alternatives that outdo the bland veggie burgers of the past.
“You will see that change dramatically with all the companies in St. Louis that are focusing on it,” Belt said. “That’s a really bright future for us as consumers that we’re going to get healthier, tastier and more sustainable products, but it’s also great for the St. Louis community too.”