Regenerative Pasta, Crackers, and … Seafood? Is Patagonia Provisions Really That Sustainable?

When you think of Patagonia, it’s unlikely that the first image you conjure up is of crackers or pasta, but rather insulated jackets, windbreakers, and backpacks. It is, of course, an outdoor recreational clothing brand first. But Patagonia isn’t just committed to helping you get out and about safely in the great outdoors—it also claims it’s committed to protecting that same environment, too. And one of the best ways to do that is to change the food system. Here’s more about Patagonia’s food division, Patagonia Provisions, and its aim to not just create a sustainable food system but a regenerative one.

What is Patagonia Provisions? And is it vegan?

Patagonia Provisions is Patagonia’s food brand. While it’s actually been going for around a decade, you may have only recently heard of it, and that’s because its products only started showing up in mainstream grocery stores in the last couple of years. Patagonia Provisions sells everything from dairy-free cheese sourdough crackers to organic pasta to mussels and mackerel.

So no, Patagonia Provisions is not vegan—far from it, actually. But it does claim to be climate-conscious. In fact, transforming the food system is its main motivation. According to Birgit Cameron, co-founder of Patagonia Provisions, who is no longer with the brand, Patagonia wanted to meet people where they’re at. And for most people, it’s normal to buy meat and fish products.

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Why does Patagonia Provisions sell seafood?

“We know that less meat is the better way to go, but we also know that that’s going to be an evolutionary process, that there’s always going to be people who are eating these kinds of things,” Cameron said to Eater. “Can we show the better and more humane way of dealing with that side of our plate?”

According to Patagonia Provisions, it focuses on smaller fish, like anchovies and mackerel, in order to support local fishing communities in Spain and to take the pressure off of larger fish, like tuna and swordfish, which have been overfished in recent years. According to Oceana Europe, years of “relentless overfishing” has wiped out 70 percent of swordfish stocks in the Mediterranean Sea.

The brand also sells sockeye salmon and pink salmon, both of which are taken from the wild rather than fish farms (which have a devastating impact on animals and the environment, read more about that here).

But while there’s no doubt that Patagonia Provisions is making far more of an effort than most major food companies when it comes to sustainable sourcing, many maintain that there is no sustainable way to mass-produce fish products, because it still involves removing thousands of fish from underwater ecosystems.

Lee Rigby, the head of investigations at Viva!, told Sentient Media in 2021 that, when it comes to fishing, the only “sustainable” way to do it is “just one man and his net pulling up enough to feed his family.” And of course, there are ethical concerns, too. Research suggests that just like land animals, fish do feel pain.

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It’s not all fish: regenerative and plant-based products at Patagonia Provisions

Patagonia Provisions doesn’t only sell fish. The brand also offers plenty of plant-based products, including pasta made from organic Kernza, which, it claims, is a “revolutionary” new grain with a deep root system that nourishes the soil all year long.

Nourishing the soil is vital; due to intensive agriculture, the world’s soil is being destroyed at a rapid rate. In fact, right now, a third of soil around the globe is moderately to highly degraded. But crops like Kernza don’t just help the soil to last longer, they actually help to repair and revitalize it—they are a step beyond sustainable, they are regenerative.

“[Kernza] helps hold onto nitrogen that would otherwise flow into the rivers, causing dead zones. It draws down carbon, it helps restore the soil. There are so many benefits to growing it.” —Birgit Cameron, co-founder of Patagonia Provisions 

Patagonia Provisions offers penne, shells, and fusilli, all of which are made with durum wheat flour and Kernza flour. According to the brand, its pasta range is the first ever to be Regenerative Organic certified. The brand’s cracker range, which it acquired from Moonshot last year, is also plant-based, and again, is also made with organic and regeneratively grown wheat. Flavors include Rosemary Garlic, Margherita, Sourdough, and Vegan Cheddar Cheeze. 

Patagonia Provisions is far from done when it comes to launching new regenerative products. Just recently, it partnered with several breweries, including Pure Project in California, to launch new beers made with Kernza. Speaking about the collaboration, Pure Project co-founder Winslow Sawyer told Brewbound: “It provides an opportunity to expand the conversation about how beer is created, moving the industry towards brewing with organic and regenerative ingredients that are better for the planet.”