Unilever’s Knorr rice and seasonings brand has publicized plans to begin 50 projects to implement regenerative agriculture across its global supply chain that will address 80% of its key ingredients by 2026.
The effort starts this year with three projects, including one that is introducing farming techniques to preserve water and decrease carbon emissions at Knorr’s biggest rice supplier, Riviana, in Arkansas. Other projects include improving soil health with a Knorr tomato supplier in Spain, and enhancing climate resiliency with a vegetable supplier in France.
Regenerative agriculture aims to increase biodiversity, protect natural resources and fight climate change by drawing carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and into the soil. Unilever has announced its program ahead of the United Nations’ COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland, for which it is one of the principal partners.
Unilever is aware of some potential challenges around implementing regenerative agriculture across its supply chain. There are different types of soils, different practises going on between the farmers, so programmes need to be designed with flexibility. An approach that prioritises the differing conditions of the local areas where particular grains or vegetables are grown is crucial.
Knorr, which Unilever acquired in 2000, said in its press release that its agriculture efforts over the past 10 years have culminated in 95% of the vegetables and herbs it uses around the world being sourced sustainably.
In the past few years, Unilever has positioned itself as being ahead of other food CPGs when it comes to sustainability by announcing ambitious goals and programs. By 2025, the food giant has vowed to cut food waste in half, from factory to shelf. It also aims to cut virgin plastic packaging by 50% by 2025, with one-third coming from absolute plastic reduction. And it is working toward having a deforestation-free supply chain by 2023.
Unilever has also announced that it aims to have zero emissions in its operations by 2030, and be fully net zero across its value chain by 2039.