Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, has announced two new collaborations aimed at scaling regenerative agriculture globally and attracting young people to farming. The initiatives were launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, and mark a significant step towards making regenerative agriculture a mainstream corporate priority.
The first collaboration is with The Nature Conservancy, which builds on Nestlé’s existing “Agriculture Framework” to help farmers improve crops, earnings, and environmental outcomes. The partners will refine and expand the framework, encouraging more industry stakeholders to participate. The second collaboration is with Goodwall, a youth-learning platform, which will support the development of an agriculture curriculum that uses gamification to teach young people about regenerative agriculture and practical skills.
While Nestlé did not disclose financial terms, the announcement signals the company’s commitment to regenerative agriculture. The concept has moved from a niche idea to a mainstream priority, with Nestlé aiming to make it the norm across its sourcing footprint. However, the press release lacked specifics on which crops, origins, farmer groups, or verification methods will be involved.
In the coffee industry, regenerative agriculture has become increasingly prominent, with Rainforest Alliance rolling out a regenerative standard for coffee in 2025. Nestlé-owned Nespresso plans to bring Rainforest Alliance Regenerative certified coffee to market, with a certification seal expected on select products this year. A report by TechnoServe, funded by Nestlé and Nespresso, found that transitioning to regenerative agriculture in major coffee-growing countries could increase smallholder farmer income by 62% and boost production and exports by 30%.
The report emphasized the need for substantial private-sector investment in regenerative agriculture, as well as collaboration among investors, industry, government, and service providers. Notably, Nestlé is exploring the sale of California-based Blue Bottle Coffee, which had planned to invest in regenerative agriculture. The company’s commitment to regenerative agriculture is a significant step towards promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in the food and beverage industry.
Nestlé’s initiatives demonstrate the company’s recognition of the importance of regenerative agriculture in promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. By collaborating with The Nature Conservancy and Goodwall, Nestlé aims to scale regenerative agriculture globally and attract young people to farming. The company’s commitment to regenerative agriculture is expected to have a positive impact on the environment, farmers, and the food and beverage industry as a whole.