Nestlé UK & Ireland and Cargill have launched a two-year pilot project to assess the feasibility of using cocoa shells from a confectionery factory in York to produce low-carbon fertilizer. If successful, up to 7,000 tons of low-carbon fertilizer could be produced and offered to farmers in Nestlé's UK wheat supply chain.

As part of the project, Cargill will supply the cocoa shells, which will be processed and pelletized by Swindon-based CCm Technologies. The trials will take place on arable farms in Suffolk and Northamptonshire and will be designed and supervised by York-based Fera Science. Fera Science will assess the fertilizer's performance in terms of wheat yield and quality, as well as its impact on soil biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions, compared with conventional products used on the same farms.

The project is part of Nestlé's goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and to source 50% of its key ingredients from regenerative agriculture by 2030.