PepsiCo: Scaling Regenerative Agriculture Across Europe

PepsiCo and agronomic firm Soil Capital have embarked on a long-term partnership to increase the adoption of regenerative agriculture in the UK, France and Belgium.

The initiative opens access for farmers in PepsiCo’s European supply chain to Soil Capital’s technical tools and consultancy support. These tools are designed to enable practical steps toward regenerative farming, including reducing synthetic input use, switching to organic fertilisers and adopting cover crops.

Ultimately, the focus is on improving soil health, supporting water efficiency, preventing land degradation and lowering carbon emissions. These measures are aimed at securing  the long-term supply of key raw ingredients such as rapeseed oil, used in popular consumer brands including Lay’s and Walkers.

Archana Jagannathan, Chief Sustainability Officer at PepsiCo Europe, the Middle East and Africa, explains: "Farmers are at the heart of a sustainable food system, and regenerative agriculture is key to building resilience for our food supply, the environment and farming communities.

"Scaling these practices requires practical solutions tailored to local challenges. By working across the value chain, we can help remove barriers, accelerate adoption and drive meaningful progress, reducing agricultural emissions while ensuring the long-term sustainability of our key ingredients."

Financial support for farmers

PepsiCo and Soil Capital's project covers more than 35,000 acres (14,000 hectares) of farmland and provides solutions tailored to local challenges.

In France, that includes coping with heavy rainfall in 2024; in the UK, the focus is on overcoming soil compaction issues. This region-specific approach is designed to break down the structural and financial barriers that often limit farmers from switching to regenerative practices.

Farmers who join the programme are given access to financial support to help cover the cost of introducing methods such as reduced tillage (minimal soil disturbance), cover cropping (planting crops to improve soil between harvests) and switching from synthetic to organic fertilisers. They will also receive tailored agronomic guidance from Soil Capital’s advisors.

Growers can also use digital tools that track carbon emissions across their operations. The system is supported by monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) technology, which includes satellite data and modelling tools, providing evidence-based reporting to monitor progress on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and soil carbon storage.

Instant impact 

Initial outcomes from the first phase of the scheme show clear environmental impacts.

Across participating French farms, GHG balance has improved by 38%. In the UK, the figure stands at 36%.

Use of cover crops, which help boost organic matter in the soil and improve its ability to retain water, is also increasing. In France, adoption has risen from 49% to 65%. In the UK, it gas grown from 22% to 34%. 

French participants have also halved their use of mineral phosphorus fertiliser, a key contributor to environmental degradation. Cutting this input reduces dependency on resource-intensive materials and supports more circular nutrient cycles in farming systems.

Scalable outcomes

Soil Capital CEO Chuck de Liedekerke highlights shared objectives between his company and PepisCo. 

He says: "PepsiCo and Soil Capital have come together around the shared ambition to make regenerative agriculture the norm, not the exception. This is a partnership founded on putting farmers first and working to transform the food system at scale and with pace.

"Backed by science and measurable environmental benefits, we look forward to supporting the transition, building resilient agricultural supply chains and reimagining the relationship between society, land-use, food, and nature."

The results resonate with participating farmers. David Fuller-Shapcott, a grower in the UK, says: "Regenerative farming has changed the way I work. 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. Seeing these changes firsthand proves that sustainable practices don’t just work – they make a real difference for farmers like me."

PepsiCo and Soil Capital's partnership forms part of a broader commitment to sustainable agriculture.

PepsiCo has increased its target for regenerative agriculture to 10 million acres globally by 2030, building on 3.5 million acres already reached by 2024. The approach aims to support more growers through transparent systems, data-led insights and financial support that makes sustainable production models viable.

By focusing on evidence-based, locally adapted measures, this collaboration sets out a framework for how multinational food companies can work with technical partners and farmers to shift farming practices while securing critical ingredients for global supply chains.