By Timothy S. Donahue
Top Takeaways:
Digital shift: Pyxus launched Pyxus Alliance, a mobile app to handle crop contracting and grower services.
Efficiency gains: Early pilots demonstrate up to an 80% decrease in administrative time for growers.
Global rollout: The platform is currently undergoing testing in Brazil before a wider rollout.
Pyxus International is advancing more into digital agriculture with the launch of a new mobile platform designed to modernize tobacco crop management and contracting.
The company announced the launch of Pyxus Alliance, a proprietary app designed to let contracted growers input data, manage crop services, and handle administrative tasks through a single digital interface.
“We are excited to launch the Pyxus Alliance app, marking an industry milestone as the first digital solution of its kind,” said Pyxus President and CEO Pieter Sikkel. “This tool will streamline the crop contracting process by allowing growers to self-submit contract-related data.”
Sikkel said the platform aims to lessen administrative burdens and enable growers to concentrate more on production. “This means growers can spend less time on administrative tasks, shifting the focus to what matters most—the production of high-quality, sustainable and compliant crops,” he said.
The app also allows users to request crop inputs, access agronomic information, and update personal records, reducing reliance on paper-based systems and enhancing data accessibility. Pyxus is currently testing the platform with contracted growers in Brazil as part of a larger global rollout plan.
Samuel Krambeck, a Brazilian grower taking part in the pilot, said the platform is already boosting efficiency. “With less time spent on administrative tasks, I can focus my efforts on crop management, quality and productivity,” Krambeck said. “This app will make a real difference in my day-to-day work and help contribute to a more organized and efficient crop.”
Krambeck estimated the app has cut the time spent on contracting-related processes by about 80% compared to previous seasons.
Pyxus, a global leaf tobacco supplier and agricultural company, has increasingly focused on digital tools and sustainability initiatives across its supply chain, as manufacturers and regulators place greater emphasis on traceability, compliance and efficiency.
The app is now accessible to participating growers via both the Google Play and Apple App Store platforms, with wider rollout planned as the pilot program grows.
