Find out why PepsiCo is helping farmers plant wildflowers

No one has to tell Gary Collins to stop and smell the flowers. It’s part of his job as an Agriculture Technical Manager for PepsiCo. In addition to improving potato growing methods, he’s helping spread wildflower seeds across the U.K. countryside as part of a sustainability project for the company. "My passion for this work really started when you look at the environment and you just see lack of hedges, lack of wildlife. It just got me thinking that there's a lot we could do,” Gary says.

In collaboration with local farmers, Gary and his team developed the PepsiCo Biodiversity Mix, a specialized blend of wildflower seeds designed to attract pollinators. Blooms of blue phacelia, crimson clover and white buckwheat attract honeybees, birds and beneficial insects which help create a more sustainable ecosystem.

“Pollinators are feeding us. They pollinate the crops that we rely on for food. Without pollinators, there are going to be issues with food production. But beyond this, it’s about protecting wildlife that would otherwise be struggling for food and habitat,” Gary explains.

The strategy is simple: Farmers plant the mix where their land is uneven, on the borders of the fields, or close to paths and buildings on their farms. The project kicked off in 2023 but grew in scope this year after incorporating a new idea from Cockerills Farm in Northern Yorkshire, England where local farmers have been growing potatoes for Walkers crisps for more than 50 years.

Based on the farmers’ input, Gary’s team developed a second roadside mix that contains meadow flowers, such as cornflower and corn marigold, that looked more striking.

Since launching in 2023, almost 40 local farmers around the country have grown close to 200 hectares of the Biodiversity Mix — that’s nearly the equivalent of over 200 football pitches. This year, we exceeded our goal by more than 50 hectares. “It’s just a testament to the passion of our farmers to want to do more,” Gary says.

A key part of making this project successful is building strong relationships and trust with the farmers who have been working with PepsiCo for decades. Gary sets up meetings for farmers to connect about their crops, share their learnings and visit each other’s farms. “When we see crops that are doing well or crops that are struggling, I think bringing everyone together to talk about how we overcome some of the issues and some of the new innovations that are being developed is really important,” Gary explains.

Gary says the benefits of the wildflowers extend way beyond the fields’ borders. “What I like about this project is that it's an example of PepsiCo doing the right thing. It’s not benefiting our crop directly, our yield or our quality. It's benefiting the environment,” he explains. “If flowers weren’t there and it was just bare soil, there'd be no insect life at all. There's no habitat, no food source for pollinators and other insects. We have a wonderful opportunity to make a difference.”