UK supermarket chain Waitrose is stepping up efforts to put regenerative agriculture in the spotlight, partnering with National Geographic CreativeWorks on a new two-part YouTube series filmed at its Leckford Estate farm.
The series aims to bring the challenges facing the global food system to a wider audience, while showcasing how regenerative farming can help build a more resilient and nature-friendly approach to food production.
The collaboration comes as Waitrose continues to develop its Farming for Nature programme, which is designed to support around 2,000 British farmers in adopting practices that improve the natural environment. The retailer has set a target for all its own-brand UK meat, milk, eggs, fruit, vegetables and horticulture to be sourced from farms using regenerative practices by 2030.
The Leckford Estate in Hampshire, which has been using regenerative practices since 2020, is central to the programme. Its orchard and vineyards have also become the first in the UK to achieve Regenified certification.
Waitrose recently expanded Farming for Nature through partnerships with Soil Association Exchange and Regenified, giving the retailer greater scope to measure and verify progress across its farming network. Soil Association Exchange will monitor indicators including soil health, biodiversity, water, carbon, animal welfare and social impact, while 100 farms will be offered free access to the Regenified framework.
The National Geographic series provides another element to Waitrose’s approach, moving beyond the practicalities of farm-level change to communicate why regenerative agriculture matters to consumers.
Andrew Hoad, director of the Leckford Estate, said the collaboration would help demonstrate that Waitrose was “living” the future of farming, while highlighting the importance of transforming the food system.
The two-part series is available globally on National Geographic and Waitrose’s YouTube channel from 19 August.
[image credit: John Lewis Partnership/Waitrose]
