Nestlé’s Purina Drives Regenerative Agriculture in Europe

Nestlé’s Purina is committing to regenerative agriculture across its European pet-care sectors. 

The commitment consists of partnerships with Sols Vivants in France and LENS in the UK, Italy, Hungary and Poland.

These partnerships come as part of the commitment to source 20% of key ingredients from farmers, adopting regenerative agricultural practices by 2025 with a target of 50% by 2030.

The pact by Purina 

Nestlé Purina Petcare Europe supports schemes that encourage farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices, with more than 450 farmers on board since 2020.

The adoption of regenerative agriculture practices like the use of cover crops (crops that are planted between ‘cash’ crops to improve soil health and fertility) and decrease in tillage (the overturning/digging of soil, usually by farm machines) help to achieve primary soil health.

The use of regenerative agriculture will allow Purina Europe to restore soil fertility, protect water quality, reduce soil erosion, enhance biodiversity and contribute to the well-being of farming communities.

Cécile Doinel, Head of Regenerative Agriculture for Purina Europe comments: “At Purina Europe, we acknowledge the importance of doing what we can to support farmers to transition towards regenerative agriculture.

"We aim to mitigate our impact on the environment and build more resilience to our sourcing, helping to create a more regenerative food system.  

“We have seen that working with key partners and a collaborative approach within the food industry is key to the success of the programme. The sponsorship of farmers  is essential to the adoption of regenerative practices amongst the agricultural community.” 

Purina's regenerative agriculture efforts are part of the company's commitment to continue delivering high-quality nutrition whilst reducing its climate impact. 

A key example is Purina France, becoming the first pet food company in France to participate in the "Sols Vivants" programme.

The programme raises awareness, provides training and supports farmers in implementing regenerative agriculture practices – since joining in 2021, 250 farmers producing cereals for Purina have joined. 

LENs’ use across Europe

Purina supports the improvement, productivity and resilience of sustainable landscapes with the help of LENs.

LENs is a system launched with 3Keel, allows businesses to join forces and protect the planet through nature-based solutions like, carbon sequestration and biodiversity outcomes.

In the UK, Purina Europe along with Nestlé UK, Nestlé Cereal Partners UK and Anglian Water, have invested in LENs programmes since 2022.

The collaboration focuses on improving soil health, reducing GHGs and improving water quality and water resilience – more than 110 farmers have been involved in these this year.

Purina Italy, Hungary and Poland also support LENs’ programmes, aiming to utilise the tool to connect businesses, society and local communities in order to preserve and regenerate rural areas.

Purina Italy is working in collaboration with other funders, as well as LENs, which has resulted in 57 farmers participating in this collaborative network, since the launch in 2022. 

Continuing to scale up, Purina Hungary is focusing on regenerative methods in the Western Transdanubian region, preserving natural assets and improving ecosystem services – with 22 farmers joining LENs in 2024. 

Purina Poland recently joined the LENs community, showcasing their commitment to regenerative agriculture by onboarding 24 farmers during 2024. 

Isabel Ross, Principal Consultant at LENs, adds: "It's great to see Purina boosting its regenerative agriculture partnerships across Europe. The regenerative agriculture practices enabled by LENs help to promote soil health, increase soil carbon, boost biodiversity, mitigate flood risk and create habitats for pollinators.

“All positive outcomes that help businesses to source ingredients in the long term. The commitment of funders such as Purina is essential to the collaboration at the heart of LENs’s success." 

Nestlé’s recent report

As part of Nestlé, Purina shares the same outlook and goals when it comes to tackling climate change. 

Nestlé’s recent ‘Creating Shared Value and Sustainability Report’ outlines the significant impact its had:

• Climate action: Achieved a 13.58% net reduction in GHG emissions compared to the 2018 baseline, advancing toward the goal of net zero by 2050
• Deforestation-free supply chains: 93.4% of primary supply chains for key commodities, including cocoa and coffee, are now assessed as deforestation-free, reflecting Nestlé's commitment to responsible sourcing
• Regenerative agriculture: 15.2% of key ingredients are sourced from farmers adopting regenerative agricultural practices – promoting soil health and biodiversity
• Water stewardship: Reduced water usage in factories by 3 million cubic meters between 2021 and 2023, underscoring water conservation
• Packaging and circularity: 83.5% of plastic packaging is designed for recycling, moving closer to the target of 100% recyclable/reusable packaging by 2025
• Youth economic opportunities: Since 2017, Nestlé has provided access to economic opportunities for 7.78 million young people worldwide, fostering the next generation of leaders.

These initiatives reflect Nestlé's dedication to integrating sustainability into its business model, aiming to create shared value for both society and shareholders.

As Purina Europe continues on its sustainability journey, the company looks forward to creating a common transition towards a regenerative food system that fosters sustainability and nurtures the well-being of people, pets and the planet.

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