Footprint and Nestlé Professional call for collective action in new report to scale regenerative agriculture across the food system
Footprint, the UK’s leading sustainability and ESG expert in the food and drink industry, in collaboration with Nestlé Professional, has launched Growing Regenerative Agriculture: How Businesses Can Help Deliver Impact at Scale. This new report examines how organisations across the hospitality and foodservice sector can help accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture and deliver meaningful environmental and social impact.
With 2024 recorded as the hottest year on record and extreme weather continuing to disrupt food supply chains, it highlights the urgent need to rewire farming systems to build resilience and restore nature.
Through detailed analysis and interviews with farmers, manufacturers, and foodservice operators, the report explores how businesses can support the transition to regenerative farming, while ensuring impact is measurable and credible. It features case studies from organisations including Nestlé, McCain, McDonald’s, Compass Group, Fresh Direct and Wahaca, each demonstrating the power of partnership to deliver systemic change.
The research shows that industry-wide alignment on practices and outcomes is needed, as well as financial support for farmers, and consistent market demand. Businesses across the food system must engage beyond sustainability teams, ensuring cross-functional commitment. Transparency is key for companies to show how they’re delivering real benefits for people and planet.
For Nestlé Professional, regenerative agriculture is central to its sustainability strategy, with 20% of key ingredients already sourced from farms adopting regenerative agriculture practices, a target met a year ahead of schedule in 2024. The business is now aiming to source 50% regeneratively by 2030.
Julia Jones, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Communications at Nestlé Professional UK & Ireland, said:
“Regenerative agriculture represents one of the most powerful tools we have to protect the food system. But scaling it requires partnership and collaboration between farmers, manufacturers and hospitality operators to share risk, align on measurement, and drive real, lasting change. This report offers the insight and evidence needed to help the industry turn ambition into action.”
The report also highlights growing consumer interest in sustainability, with younger people leading the shift. However, it cautions that public understanding of the term ‘regenerative’ remains low, underscoring the need for businesses to communicate transparently and back claims with evidence to maintain trust.
The report provides practical recommendations and case studies to guide foodservice leaders in supporting farmers, de-risking the transition to regenerative systems, and embedding nature-positive principles into sourcing strategies.
