More than 250 farmers across France, Spain and Türkiye are participating in locally tailored programs designed to strengthen farm resilience and support the long-term sustainability of food production.
PepsiCo and Earthworm Foundation today announced significant progress in their collaboration to support the transition to regenerative agriculture across Europe. More than 250 farmers across France, Spain and Türkiye are now engaged in locally tailored programs designed to strengthen farm resilience, support long-term productivity and advance regenerative agriculture in some of the region's most important growing areas.
How the Collaboration Is Taking Shape Across Europe
Through a collaborative approach that brings together farmers, suppliers, cooperatives and local stakeholders, the initiative is helping drive the adoption of regenerative practices that strengthen farm resilience, support thriving agricultural landscapes and advance a more sustainable future for food production, while ensuring a sustainable supply of key ingredients for popular brands like Lay’s and Doritos.
While each program is different, they share a common principle: scaling regenerative agriculture requires collaboration across the value chain, practical support for farmers, and solutions that reflect local growing conditions. By combining practical support, local expertise and shared learning, the collaboration is helping advance regenerative agriculture in ways that reflect regional agricultural realities while creating benefits that extend beyond individual farms.
France: Building on Established Farmer Networks
In France, that approach is reflected in RE'COL'TE, a €1.5 million initiative supporting 175 farmers in the Hauts-de-France region. Led by Earthworm Foundation, the program brings together PepsiCo, Nestlé, Tereos, cooperatives Agora and Unéal, grain trader Groupe Carré, and ADEME – France's ecological transition agency, around a shared approach to soil health and regenerative agriculture. By combining public funding, private investment and agronomic expertise, the initiative helps farmers access coordinated support while reducing some of the barriers that may slow adoption.
The program builds on Earthworm Foundation's successful Sols Vivants (Living Soils) initiative, connecting PepsiCo with a network of rapeseed growers already implementing regenerative agriculture practices. By leveraging existing farmer communities, local expertise and on-the-ground infrastructure, the collaboration helps accelerate learning, increase efficiency and expand the reach of regenerative agriculture across crop rotations and farming systems, delivering benefits for both farmers and the environment.
Paul Pontfort, a farmer taking part in the program in France, stated: “As farmers, we must constantly strike the right balance between long-term investments and the day-to-day economic realities. Programs such as RE'COL'TE help us to reduce the risks associated with adopting new practices by providing financial and technical support. This gives us the confidence we need to take the leap and invest in the resilience of our farms for years to come."
Spain: Shaping Programs Around Farmer Insights
In Spain, PepsiCo and Earthworm Foundation have focused on understanding the practical and financial barriers to adopting regenerative practices. This involved assessing suppliers working across rapeseed, sunflower and corn, conducting field visits and interviewing farmers, with the insights then used to develop tailored support that meets farmers’ specific needs, rather than applying a standard model across different crops and regions. The result is a program shaped by farmer and supplier input from the outset.
Türkiye: Supporting Hands-On Implementation
Meanwhile, in Türkiye, the program focuses on practical hands-on implementation with sugar beet farmers, combining field visits, soil assessments, technical training and ongoing support to help farmers introduce regenerative practices suited to local growing conditions. The program currently covers around 480 hectares and continues to expand as new practices are introduced and tested in the field.
Archana Jagannathan, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo Europe, Middle East and Africa, stated: “Agriculture is at the core of our business, and farmers are at the center of our efforts to help build a more resilient and sustainable food system. Their success is critical not only to the future of farming, but to the long-term security of the ingredients, communities, and ecosystems that food production depends on.”
“That's why we're committed to advancing regenerative agriculture in ways that work for farmers. Across France, Spain and Türkiye, we're partnering with farmers, suppliers, cooperatives and local experts to develop approaches that reflect local conditions and priorities. While each program is different, the goal is the same: to empower farmers with the knowledge, tools and support they need to strengthen resilience, improve productivity and help shape the future of agriculture.”
Bastien Sachet, CEO, Earthworm Foundation, stated: “Over the years, we've come to see soil for what it truly is: one of nature's most valuable infrastructures. When soil is degraded, it doesn't only put agriculture at risk; it affects water, biodiversity, climate resilience and, ultimately, society as a whole. Across France, Spain and Turkey, we've learned that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. By building programs around local realities and farmers' needs, we can strengthen resilience and create lasting value for farming communities and the wider food system. But we cannot do it alone. Accelerating the transition to regenerative agriculture requires the entire ecosystem to move together, which is why it's so encouraging to see companies such as PepsiCo investing in and supporting this transformation.”
Scaling Local Action
PepsiCo and Earthworm Foundation will continue to expand these efforts across Europe, bringing together farmers, suppliers and local partners to help advance regenerative agriculture at scale. Through collaboration, knowledge sharing and farmer-led innovation, the initiative aims to strengthen farm resilience, support thriving agricultural communities and accelerate the adoption of practices that can help build a more resilient food system. These efforts contribute to PepsiCo's ambition to drive the adoption of regenerative, restorative and protective practices across 10 million acres globally by 2030, building on the 4.7 million acres achieved in 2025.
