Innocent Drinks is launching a £1m fund to support regenerative fruit and vegetable farming within its supply chain.
The grants, made available through the smoothie giant’s enhanced Farmer Innovation Fund, will provide funding to its ingredient suppliers for projects that support the transition to low-carbon farming, higher biodiversity and fairer farming practices.
Funding will be offered to all of Innocent’s ingredient suppliers with a special focus on those providing priority fruits such as apples and oranges, which produce the highest levels of the brand’s scope three emissions.
Of the total £1m fund, grants will be made available between £20,000 to £500,000.
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The move comes as Innocent plans to decarbonise its supply chain. As over half of the brand’s carbon footprint comes from its ingredients, investing in sustainable farming practices will help to achieve a 50% reduction of Innocent’s scope three emissions by 2030.
The fund, which first launched in 2021, aims to address the lack of funding options available to commercial farmers, by making funding available to cover losses associated with trialling new innovative farming practices.
Longer term, the fund will also cover grants for advocacy, education, and collaboration beyond Innocent’s supply chains.
Innocent Drinks CEO Nick Canney said: “We’re on a mission to help people live well through the delicious goodness of fruit and veg, working to ensure everyone gets enough today and in the future.
“We see the Farmer Innovation Fund as a great opportunity to weave a strong connection from our drinkers to our farmers by working with our suppliers to safeguard the future supply of fruit and vegetables. So, they can continue to play their role in delivering sustainable and healthy diets.”
