Kind Snacks has reached a sustainable sourcing milestone for its almond-based snacks, with about 50% of its almond volume now coming from farms using regenerative agriculture practices on a mass-balance basis. Almonds are a key ingredient for Kind, and operators may want to highlight the initiative when merchandising Kind snack bars and better-for-you snacks. The company said the pilot was designed to test whether regenerative agriculture could support commercial-scale almond production while improving soil health, resource efficiency and farm resilience.

The company announced the update after completing the three-year Kind Almond Acres Initiative, a regenerative agriculture pilot launched in 2023 with ofi, a global food and beverage ingredients company. The pilot supports Kind’s goal to source 100% of its almonds from farms using regenerative agriculture practices on a mass-balance basis by 2030.

The work took place in California, which Kind said is home to about 80% of the world’s almond production. During the pilot, water management efficiency improved by 19.5%, nitrogen fertilizer needs declined by 33%, and overall carbon intensity decreased by 28% after three years. Kind also reported improved soil health, including increased soil organic carbon and reduced compaction across all pilot plots.

Kind said the results support the use of practices such as cover crops, compost and subsurface irrigation across its almond supplier network. The company is now working to expand those practices across its top almond suppliers as it advances toward its 2030 almond sourcing pledge.

The milestone could be relevant for convenience services operators, micro market providers and vending operators that merchandise snack bars, better-for-you snacks and products with sustainability positioning. It also gives operators a fact-based sourcing update to consider when evaluating snack assortments for workplaces and on-the-go consumers.

“We are incredibly proud to hit the halfway mark in our almond sourcing pledge. The Kind Almond Acres Initiative has proven that regenerative agriculture is a scalable, operational engine,” said Daniel Calderoni, CEO of Kind North America in a release. “By sharing our outcomes and learnings, we are aiming to move the needle in encouraging the industry to build a more sustainable supply chain — one that’s better for the planet and for business.”

Zac Ellis, senior director of agronomy for ofi North America, said regenerative practices can support almond quality and resilience.

“Kind is moving quickly from a test environment to large-scale implementation,” Ellis said. “In almond orchards, a variety of regenerative practices such as cover crops, lower-carbon fertilizers, compost, and biochar can directly enhance ingredient quality and resilience.”

Kind also worked with the University of California Merced, the University of California Davis, the California Water Action Collaborative and Mad Agriculture during the pilot.