KWS Vibe wheat confirmed as full Group 1 variety

UK Flour Millers has confirmed KWS Vibe winter wheat as a Group 1 variety, upgrading its provisional rating from 2024.

"Group 1 winter varieties are the backbone of UK milling wheat demand and are defined by good breadmaking quality that is stable across seasons,” said Joe Brennan, UK Flour Millers’ head of technical and regulatory affairs. “Our assessments have found that KWS Vibe fully meets these essential criteria. Over the three years of testing, it has shown high protein and a strong, consistent breadmaking quality."

This variety follows on the heels of SY Cheer, a winter wheat whose full Group 1 rating was confirmed in September 2024. For millers, the change in pace is welcome, as prior to this no new Group 1 winter wheats had joined the Recommended List (RL) since KWS Zyatt in 2017.

“In recent years we’ve seen the popularity of Group 1 wheats decline significantly, with projections for 2025 indicating this trend will continue,” Brennan said. “This has contributed to a deficit in supply of homegrown breadmaking wheat, with millers having to use more imported wheat to meet the steady demand for our flour. We hope new Group 1 varieties can help reverse this trend and expect that KWS Vibe will appeal to farmers given its strong agronomic package."

UK Flour Millers is the trade association representing the UK flour milling industry. There are 32 member companies operating 51 flour mills. Millers use 5 million tonnes of wheat to make 4 million tonnes of flour each year. In a typical year, 80%-85% of the wheat used by UK millers is homegrown and all will be assured under either Red Tractor or Scottish Quality Crops schemes.

Source: World Grain