PepsiCo Case Study - Carbon & Water
Over the last decade, PepsiCo has committed to its principle of 'Performance with Purpose'; a set of goals which helps deliver sustainable long-term growth.
Launched in 2010,
’50 in 5’ is one example of how PepsiCo has been working with
growers to make food
systems more sustainable. The aim was to cut carbon and water used to grow
potatoes for Walkers
crisps in water-stressed areas by 50 percent. The programme was a success and,
with PepsiCo being
one of the biggest potato buyers in the UK, it was a big milestone.
PepsiCo collaborated with the University of Cambridge and the University of
Aberdeen to create
two key pieces of technology:
- iCrop, which allows farmers to precisely measure soil moisture levels to
understand how much
water was in the soil, and when rain was next due, to minimise water wastage
during field irrigation.;
and
- Cool Farm Tool, a digital carbon calculator which allows growers to understand
where their carbon
consumption was high, so they can model different scenarios and strategies to
limit their impact on
the environment.
PepsiCo took this new technology to 90 of its British potato growers in
water-stressed areas.
PepsiCo provided ongoing support to growers, ensuring the technology was
properly adopted and
integrated.
PepsiCo achieved its goal of reducing the carbon and water used to grow its
potatoes by 50
percent over 5 years. This means the 340,000 tonnes of British potatoes
purchased each year to
make Walkers crisps are now grown using half the water and carbon, benefitting
the environment
now, and for years to come.
The growers who took part in ’50 in 5’ continue to use iCrop and
Cool Farm Tool to
maintain their water and carbon reduction.

PepsiCo is now exploring how learnings from ’50 in 5’ can be adapted
and applied
to other UK growers it works with, such as apple and oat farmers. One
development is Opti-Oat
technology, a data-gathering drone that makes it easier for growers to maximise
productivity.
PepsiCo is also sharing learnings across other European markets, though its
Sustainable Farming
Initiative (SFI). PepsiCo’s SFI programme works with growers to encourage
sustainable
agricultural practices.

“Developing a sustainable supply chain has always been one of our top
priorities at
PepsiCo."
“Through our ambitious ’50 in 5’ programme, we removed 50
percent
of the water and carbon used to grow potatoes to make Walkers crisps. This
initiative, coupled with
ongoing programmes to reduce our impact on the environment, from factory to
shelf, are important
ways in which we’re proudly contributing to Ambition 2025.”
Martyn Seal European Sustainability Director, PepsiCo
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Ambition progress report
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Last reviewed: 05 Apr 2019