Innocent Drinks has unveiled the winners of its £1m regenerative agriculture Farmer Innovation Fund for 2024.

Eleven recipients will begin to receive the fruit juice brand’s financial support for the sustainability projects which are designed to protect the long-term supply of fruit and veg.

The fund will span ten countries, with each winner growing a unique ingredient with their regenerative agricultural project addressing key agricultural challenges, including soil health biodiversity, climate change, and water use.

The recipients of the fund include four previous winners of the Farmer Innovation Fund – Spanish grape supplier Agrarias, Polish apple supplier Time 4 Bee, Costa Rican pineapple supplier Frutilight and British blackcurrant supplier Pixley Berries – which Innocent says represents a commitment to investing in long-term partnerships.

Innocent Drinks CEO Nick Canney said: “We’re on a mission to help people live well through the delicious goodness of fruit and veg. Our Farmer Innovation Fund enables us to build meaningful partnerships with our suppliers to help make sure we can keep enjoying fruit and veg for years to come.

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“This year’s winners are embarking on some truly innovative projects that show real potential for playing a part in the future of farming. I’m proud that we’re able to support them in delivering sustainable and healthy diets.”

The funding has been awarded to suppliers by Innocent’s external advisory board, with assessed applicants alongside Innocent’s internal Steering Committee.

The seven first-time recipients on the fund include: Greek peach supplier Aspis; Belgium Germany Netherlands carrot supplier GNT Group; Spanish peach supplier IBERFRUTA, Indian mango supplier Mother Dairy; Netherlands chicory root fiber supplier Sensus; Nicaraguan passion fruit and dragon fruit supplier Sol Organica; and Spanish strawberry supplier SVZ.

Pixley Berries managing director Anna Ralph: “Regenerative farming is a learning curve and being a winner for the second year running means we can advance our work to identify pragmatic approaches with deliverable benefits to blackcurrant growing and other crops.

“By combining biostimulants, measuring chlorophyll, microbials, and focusing on minimum cultivations we’re pioneering a new approach. Through this we hope to develop a revitalised agronomy fit for our times, both adapting to and mitigating climate change.”