Swiss impact asset manager responsAbility Investments is doubling – make that tripling – down on Latin America’s agricultural exports with three investments under its Sustainable Food Latin America strategy.
The Zurich-based fund manager backed Álamos Group, a Chilean producer of avocados, citrus and walnuts that employs regenerative agriculture practices to supply premium international markets. It also invested in Proserla, a Peruvian grower of table grapes and avocados, and Mega Greenhouses, a Mexican producer and distributor of tomatoes and peppers for North American buyers. Launched in early 2023, responsAbility’s Sustainable Food Latin America strategy has committed more than $110 million to export-oriented fruit and vegetable producers in Mexico, Peru and Chile.
IDB Lab, the venture arm of the Inter-American Development Bank, is anchoring the fund with a $15 million allocation.
Nearshoring
Latin America’s agrifood sector has benefited from the shift in supply chains spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic, when shipping costs surged and delivery timelines broke down.
“The word everyone is talking about is nearshoring,” says Álvaro Guerra of Alcasa, a Nicaragua-based sourcer and distributor of cassava (see, “Building a supply chain and boosting farmers’ incomes in Nicaragua”). “Most manufacturers in the US, Central America and Mexico are looking to move away from dependencies on Asia.”
