TRAILS are underway to make low-carbon fertiliser from cocoa shells used to make KitKats and Aero bars in York.

The two-year trial is to evaluate the fertiliser’s performance on crop production, soil health and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction.

If successful, Nestle says up to 7,000 tonnes of low carbon fertiliser could be produced and offered to farmers in its UK wheat supply chain- about a quarter of the firm’s UK fertiliser use for growing wheat.

The cocoa shells are supplied by US company Cargill, which processes the cocoa at the York facility to become key ingredients in iconic products like KitKat and Aero.

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A trial amount of cocoa shell has been processed and pelletised by Swindon-based CCm Technologies. 

The trials, which were designed and are being overseen by York-based Fera Science Ltd, are currently taking place on arable farms in Suffolk and Northamptonshire.

They will investigate the performance of the fertiliser in terms of wheat yield and quality. They will also assess the impacts on soil biodiversity and GHG emissions in comparison to conventional products.

Nestle has a target to reach zero emissions by 2050 and to source half of its key ingredients from regenerative agricultural methods by 2030.

Matt Ryan, Regeneration Lead at Nestle UK & Ireland

“Farmers often find themselves to be among the first groups to be exposed to global issues, and these risks are then borne by the food system we all depend upon.

We have to find ways to build more resilience into the system and optimising our use of natural resources is a critical part of this.”

“This project is a small, but very meaningful step towards a net zero future, where farmers, local enterprises, and nature all stand to benefit,” added Ryan.

Richard Ling, farm manager at Rookery Farm, Wortham in Norfolk, who supplies wheat to Nestlé Purina, said: “We have now finished harvesting and we’ve successfully grown a Winter wheat crop using this new fertiliser.

“We’ve compared two parts of the field, one which used the cocoa shell fertiliser, and one which used with the conventional fertiliser, and there is no significant difference in the yield so we can see that it works! 

He added: “"It’s an exciting and promising time and we are pleased to be taking part in these trials to help reduce the carbon emissions from our farming.” 

Nestlé adds its focus on regenerative agriculture is underpinned by its work with the Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs).  LENs is an independent trading community which connects businesses with a common interest to protect and restore the environment in which they operate. 

Regenerative agriculture is also a key element of Nestlé’s Cocoa Plan, as it works closely with farmers in countries like Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana to create a more sustainable supply chain for cocoa, the company added.