PepsiCo has launched a comprehensive long-term partnership with Soil Capital to promote regenerative agriculture practices among farmers within its European supply chain, with a specific focus on rapeseed oil production across the UK, France, and Belgium.

Strategic Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture

This ambitious initiative represents a significant component of PepsiCo's broader sustainability commitment, targeting over 35,000 acres of farmland. The partnership is designed to provide farmers with essential tools and comprehensive support systems to facilitate their transition to more sustainable agricultural practices.

The collaboration addresses critical financial and structural barriers that traditionally prevent farmers from adopting regenerative practices. Through strategic provision of digital tools, comprehensive climate assessments, and targeted financial incentives, the program facilitates the transition from synthetic inputs to organic fertilizers and cover crop implementation.

Environmental Impact and Regional Customization

These transformative changes are projected to deliver substantial environmental benefits, including improved soil health, enhanced water efficiency, and reduced carbon emissions. The initiative ensures a sustainable supply of key ingredients for major PepsiCo brands including Lay's and Walkers.

The program incorporates region-specific customization to address local agricultural challenges, such as the heavy rainfall experienced in France during 2024 and soil compaction issues prevalent in the UK. This tailored approach aims to create a more resilient and sustainable agricultural ecosystem across participating regions.

Measurable Environmental Results

Initial program results demonstrate significant environmental improvements. Participating farmers have achieved remarkable greenhouse gas (GHG) balance improvements, with emissions reductions of 38% in France and 36% in the UK.

Cover crop adoption has increased substantially, rising from 49% to 65% in France and from 22% to 34% in the UK. These practices contribute to enhanced soil organic matter and improved water retention capabilities, while simultaneously decreasing mineral phosphorus fertilizer requirements by 50% among participating French farmers.

Industry Leadership and Global Commitment

"Farmers are at the heart of a sustainable food system and regenerative agriculture is key to building resilience for our food supply and farming communities," stated Archana Jagannathan, chief sustainability officer at PepsiCo Europe.

The initiative aligns with PepsiCo's ambitious global goal to drive regenerative practice adoption across 10 million acres by 2030, building upon the successful implementation of practices on 3.5 million acres achieved by 2024.

Chuck de Liedekerke, CEO of Soil Capital, emphasized the partnership's farmer-centric approach: "This partnership is founded on putting farmers first and transforming the food system at scale."

Technology-Driven Monitoring and Verification

To ensure program transparency and impact measurement, the initiative employs a sophisticated digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system. This advanced system utilizes satellite technology and sophisticated modeling to track GHG emissions and soil carbon storage, providing farmers and companies with data-driven insights to continuously refine their approaches.

David Fuller-Shapcott, a UK farmer participating in the program, shared his positive experience: "With the right support, I've introduced cover crops and reduced tillage, cutting my farm's emissions by 360 tonnes between 2022 and 2023 and becoming a net carbon storer."