PepsiCo and Soil Capital have announced a long-term strategic partnership to accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture among rapeseed oil farmers in the UK, France, and Belgium.
This initiative will give farmers in PepsiCo’s European supply chain access to Soil Capital’s expertise and tools to implement more sustainable practices, such as moving away from synthetic inputs towards organic fertilizers and growing cover crops. These efforts will improve soil health, enhance water efficiency, prevent land degradation, and reduce carbon emissions, while ensuring a sustainable supply of key ingredients for popular brands like Lay’s and Walkers.
The partnership will cover over 35,000 acres (14,000 hectares) of farmland, helping farmers tackle local challenges such as the heavy rainfall seen in France in 2024 and soil compaction experienced in the UK.
By tailoring solutions to regional needs, the collaboration aims to also reduce financial and structural barriers to regenerative agriculture. It provides financial incentives to support the costs of adopting practices like reduced tillage, cover cropping, and organic fertilization. Farmers will also receive expert agronomic guidance throughout their transition, along with access to digital tools to track their carbon footprint.
The first phase of the collaboration has already demonstrated tangible environmental benefits:
- Farmers in France improved their greenhouse gas balance by 38%, while those in the UK improved by 36%.
- Cover crop adoption increased from 49% to 65% in France and from 22% to 34% in the UK, improving soil organic matter and water retention.
- Mineral phosphorus fertilizer needs decreased by 50% among participating farmers in France, reducing environmental impact.
“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,” said Archana Jagannathan, Chief Sustainability Officer at PepsiCo Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. “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.”
Chuck de Liedekerke, CEO of Soil Capital, commented, “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 program is supported by a digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system, which uses satellite technology and advanced models to track GHG emissions and soil carbon storage. This ensures transparent, data-driven insights, allowing farmers and companies alike to measure impact and refine their approach.
“Regenerative farming has changed the way I work,” said David Fuller-Shapcott, a UK farmer participating in the program. “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.”
