Key Takeaways
- KIND has announced that its three-year KIND Almond Acres Initiative regenerative agriculture pilot, run in partnership with ofi, has concluded with approximately 50% of KIND's almond volume now sourced from farms using regenerative practices on a mass-balance basis.
- The pilot delivered a 19.5% gain in water use efficiency, a 33% reduction in nitrogen fertiliser use, and a 28% decrease in overall carbon intensity across participating acres.
- Soil health improvements — including increased soil organic carbon and reduced compaction — were recorded across all pilot plots over the three-year programme.
- KIND's 2030 goal is to source 100% of its almonds from farms using regenerative practices on a mass-balance basis; the 50% milestone puts the company on track to meet that target.
- The next phase will expand validated practices — including cover crops, compost, and subsurface irrigation — across KIND's top almond suppliers, moving from pilot to large-scale implementation.
KIND Reaches 50% Regenerative Almond Sourcing After Three-Year Pilot with ofi
KIND has announced the conclusion of its KIND Almond Acres Initiative, a three-year regenerative agriculture pilot run in partnership with ofi, confirming that approximately 50% of its almond volume is now sourced from farms using regenerative practices on a mass-balance basis in 2026. The milestone puts the brand halfway toward its 2030 commitment to source all of its almonds from regeneratively managed farms.
Launched in 2023, the initiative was designed as a field-scale learning programme in California — home to around 80% of global almond production — testing the viability of regenerative agriculture practices at commercial scale. As one of the largest almond buyers in the United States, KIND sources millions of pounds of almonds annually.
What the Three-Year Pilot Delivered
The pilot generated quantified outcomes across four key areas. Water use efficiency improved by 19.5%. Nitrogen fertiliser use was reduced by 33%, demonstrating that improved soil management can directly cut input costs. Overall carbon intensity across pilot acres fell by 28% over the three-year period. Soil health metrics including soil organic carbon and compaction improved across all plots.
Data was collected using ofi's Carbon Trust-certified Digital Footprint Calculator, part of its AtSource sustainable sourcing solution. In year two, the initiative was doubled to nearly 1,000 acres by expanding from Madera, California, to an additional 500 acres in Bakersfield, testing how regenerative practices perform under different regional growing conditions.
“The KIND Almond Acres Initiative has proven that regenerative agriculture is a scalable, operational engine. 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,” said Daniel Calderoni, CEO of KIND North America.
KIND Vows To Scale from Pilot to Supply Chain
With the pilot concluded, KIND is expanding the validated practices — cover crops, compost, biochar, lower-carbon fertilisers, and subsurface irrigation — across its top almond suppliers. The next phase moves from a test environment into large-scale implementation across the almond supply chain.
“KIND is moving quickly from a test environment to large-scale implementation. 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. We are proud to partner with KIND to help demonstrate a model that can be replicated and scaled across the broader industry,” said Zac Ellis, Senior Director of Agronomy at ofi North America.
The programme was supported by research partnerships with the University of California Merced, UC Davis, the California Water Action Collaborative, and Mad Agriculture.
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