PepsiCo partners up to boost regen ag in Brazil

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PepsiCo partners up to boost regen ag in Brazil

12 Nov 2025

Maddie Lambert

Maddie Lambert is a copywriter and editor from Joplin, MO. She graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English – literary studies. When she’s not poring over the magazine or lost in the pages of a new novel, you can find Maddie exploring her local bookstores, spending time with her husband, or sharing her latest literary discoveries with fellow book enthusiasts.

PURCHASE, NY — In collaboration with Griffith Foods and Milhão, PepsiCo announced the launch of a pioneering, farmer-incentive pilot program to advance regenerative agriculture in Brazil’s Cerrado region, one of the world’s most biodiverse climates and a vital agricultural frontier.

The Cerrado region produces significant volumes of corn and accounts for more than 60% of Brazil’s soybeans, marking it as a vital piece to addressing global food security. However, with soil degradation, climate stress and deforestation, the high-impact sourcing area faces mounting threats.

For PepsiCo, this creates an opportunity to introduce a regenerative agriculture program. The new hybrid pilot program directly compensates farmers for adopting regenerative agriculture practices, such as composting, biological inputs and chemical fertilizer reduction. Farmers will receive upfront payments to offset the cost of sustainable inputs, with additional performance-based bonuses to follow.

“This program tackles one of the biggest barriers to the adoption of regenerative agriculture: the financial risk farmers face when transitioning to new practices,” said Thais Souza, sustainability lead at PepsiCo Brazil. “By providing direct economic incentives, we’re helping facilitate outcomes such as improved soil health, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience.”

“This program tackles one of the biggest barriers to the adoption of regenerative agriculture: the financial risk farmers face when transitioning to new practices.” — Thais Souza | sustainability lead | PepsiCo Brazil

The pilot program will cover 7,000 acres, with plans to hit 30,000 by year three. The total investment is expected to reach $1 million by the same year.

“At Griffith Foods, we see this collaboration as part of our journey to help nourish the world and transform the food system, an essential part of the climate equation that demands both courage and collaboration,” said Nicholas Costa, regional sustainability director at Griffith Foods Central and South America. “Guided by our 2030 aspirations, we’re turning that vision into action by moving beyond ‘do no harm,’ thinking to embrace a regenerative mindset that restores soils, strengthens communities and proves that business can truly be a vehicle for greater good.”

Guided by PepsiCo’s Climate Resilience Platform — an open-access tool designed to help agricultural stakeholders mitigate the impacts of climate change — the pilot program targets high-impact, region-specific practices to help strengthen climate adaptation, secure long-term supply and support resilient farming communities.

“This collaboration shows how science, innovation, and shared purpose can turn ambition into a positive impact and help nourish both people and the planet,” Costa said. “By sharing costs and aligning on sustainability ambitions, PepsiCo, Griffith Foods and Milhão are demonstrating how competitors can work together pre-competitively with the aim of helping drive systemic change.”

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