It’s Regenuary! Let’s take a closer look at our partnership with Wildfarmed

27 January 2025

This Regenuary, we’re shining a light on the role regenerative farming can play in building a more sustainable future. As the UK’s largest group procurement organisation, we’re committed to partnering with suppliers who align with our vision of creating positive environmental impact. That’s why we’re proud to be partners with Wildfarmed—a pioneer in regenerative agriculture - to help our members deliver more sustainable, delicious food while supporting nature-friendly farming practices.

We caught up with Wildfarmed to explore how they have become an industry leader, why regenerative farming matters, and how this partnership supports our shared goal of making a positive difference for people and planet.

HOW DID WILDFARMED HAPPEN?

“Our story begins in a field in France, where Andy Cato, one-half of the iconic duo Groove Armada, sold his music rights to buy a farm after reading about the horrors of the industrial food system. The current, mainstream food system is the leading cause of soil degradation, water pollution, drought, deforestation and biodiversity collapse. After the fossil fuel industry, it is the biggest contributor to climate change. And we’ve been duped into thinking there’s no alternative - that food has to be made this way.”

Fast forward to 2018, and Wildfarmed was formed when Andy joined forces with Edd Lees and George Lamb to found a business designed to transform lives and landscapes by producing delicious, healthy, and regenerative flour, bread, pizza, and everything in between.

“Today, our ever-growing, full-of-life team is partnering with bakeries, restaurant chains, caterers and supermarkets, and working with over a hundred growers, spreading the buzz of the birds, bugs, and bees to fields across the land.”

WHAT MAKES WILDFARMED DIFFERENT?

“We are a regenerative farming & food business that grows food in a nature-friendly way that’s better for you and the planet. 100% traceable from field to focaccia, we know exactly who grew the wheat and how. Wildfarmed’s community of farmers grow food in a way that works with nature, not against it: improving soil health, reducing carbon and bringing fields back to life.

Wildfarmed is pioneering a new approach to agriculture—one that makes food production and nature work in harmony. Regenerative Farming is fast becoming seen as a solution for improving sustainability outcomes for brands.

Regenerative agriculture simply put is about returning something that has been lost. It is a mistake to only focus on reducing Carbon as a key outcome of the process. Farming in a nature-friendly way means focusing on the complex network and relationship between soil, diversity of plants, water and farming techniques. By creating a framework which supports farmers to transition to methods which take all of these elements into account we:

• Guarantee our grain is pesticide free
• Reduce carbon
• Increase biodiversity and improve soil health
• Minimise river pollution
• Support farmers in a mindset shift towards working with nature not against it
• Increase food security
• Are 100% traceable from field to fork

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OUR MEMBERS ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD CHOOSE WILDFARMED?

“Wildfarmed isn’t just a movement; it’s a scalable solution for businesses looking to make real, measurable change. Here’s what we offer operators:

• End-to-end Supply Chain: Wildfarmed has built the largest network of third-party audited regenerative wheat in the UK, consolidating over 100 farmers and 1000+ customers in just three years. This unmatched reach gives operators the ability to integrate regenerative practices at scale.
• Scarcity in a growing market: While the regenerative agriculture movement is gaining momentum, Wildfarmed is ahead of the curve. Search interest in "regenerative agriculture" is projected to surpass "organic farming" by 2027, but farmers converting to regenerative agriculture is still in its infancy. Wildfarmed’s strong partnerships, like those with Foodbuy, can lead this transition.
• Guaranteed Outcomes Standards: Wildfarmed doesn’t just talk about sustainability—it measures it. With third-party audits and a commitment to working with top-tier partners like Trinity Ag Tech and Bristol University, Wildfarmed ensures that every grain of wheat delivers to a set of guaranteed outcomes for your customers.
• Customer-Centric Branding: For operators, adopting sustainable practices is essential, but it’s not enough if consumers don’t connect with it. Wildfarmed has disrupted the traditional sustainability narrative by making regenerative farming culturally relevant. Launching in craft bakeries and food establishments that champion provenance and care, Wildfarmed has created a buzz that resonates with early adopters and influencers alike.
• Building a community: Wildfarmed isn’t just about growing wheat; it’s about growing a movement. By supporting farmers in their transition to nature-friendly practices through online and in-person guidance, Wildfarmed is creating a community of regenerative farmers united by a shared goal—working with nature, not against it.

We have invested significantly in progressing consumer awareness and understanding of these complex outcomes and are perfectly placed to make a switch to regenerative wheat a meaningful choice for brands and their customers.”

HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO SCALE UP WILDFARMED TO BECOME AN INDUSTRY LEADER?

“Connecting regenerative agriculture to culture, we have built a disruptive, iconic brand. Our green W is quickly being recognised as the symbol of nature friendly farming and we invest significantly in our brand.

Research shows consumers are increasingly favouring businesses that align with their sustainable values. For example, among 18-35-year-olds, Wildfarmed flour resonates. 79% trust it, 81% see it as high quality, 75% think it’s cool, and 75% believe it improves the world. A further 42% said they’d choose a product labelled ‘made with regenerative agriculture” (Source: Widlfarmed Brand Impact Survey, 2024).

CAN YOU GIVE A DAY-TO-DAY EXAMPLE OF IMPLEMENTING REGENERATIVE PRACTICES AND THE REAL-LIFE BENEFITS OF THIS?

“Flour is a fundamental ingredient in the UK food industry, encompassing everything from bread, biscuits, and cakes to soups, sausages, and sauces. Therefore, switching to Wildfarmed regenerative flour is a small yet impactful change that can transform supply chains and significantly cut operators’ carbon emissions.

According to Zero Carbon Forum, if every operator across the UK hospitality and brewing sector switched to regenerative flour and barley, over three million tonnes of carbon could be saved by 2030. That’s the same as cancelling more than 5.5 million one-way flights between London and New York. For operators, this simple switch represents an opportunity to contribute to sustainability while offering customers high-quality, eco-friendly menu options."

Andy Cato, Co-Founder of Wildfarmed said:

"Farming, which combines food production and nature recovery, offers a massive opportunity to address issues of existential importance: biodiversity, water and health. I have yet to meet a farmer who wouldn't want to grow food in nature-rich landscapes if they could be fairly rewarded for doing so.

How do we do so while ensuring that food from this kind of farming is affordable for all? By measuring and valuing all the other things a regen farmer is doing at the same time as producing food: water quality, biodiversity, carbon, and food quality.

The Wildfarmed team works with best-in-class partners to measure nature outcomes and turn them into value for farmers."

Don’t take our word for it! Thomas Rhodes, Executive Head Chef at Allianz Stadium, said:

“Over the past 18 months we have been solely using Wildfarmed flour in our breads, baking, and general cooking. Over this period, we have noticed a substantial improvement in flavour, taste and nutrition. This paired with the environmental factors through regenerative farming and ensuring the farmers as the heroes are suitably compensated for the love and care in the production are key factors to our drive and usage of Wildfarmed as a product.

I genuinely believe that the mindset and farming change that Wildfarmed have brought to the industry will have huge positive impacts for many years to come! I am proud to use produce from a company with similar ethics and drives as us!”

To find out more about Wildfarmed, visit: https://wildfarmed.com/