Supporting a Fair and Efficient Food Market in Latin America
Jacksonville, FL and Mendoza, Argentina – April 12, 2023: The Kirchner Impact Foundation, through its Kirchner Fellowship Mexico program, announced today that it has completed an investment in Agrojusto, a digital platform that connects small producers with customers.
Agrojusto, based in Mendoza, Argentina, and with growing operations in Mexico, builds connectivity between small agricultural producers and retailers, cooperatives, and consumers. The startup offers agriculture, AgTech, food, and wholesale market services by leveraging technology to facilitate direct food marketing that links efficiently, intelligently, and fairly to all the players in the food production and supply chain channels.
The Kirchner Impact Foundation’s investment in Agrojusto will further support the digitization of rural producers and enterprises in Latin America through the platform. The funding will allow the company to expand its operations and further develop its software-as-a-service (SaaS) cloud-based marketplace, making it easier for producers and entrepreneurs to digitize their operations and access new markets. The Kirchner Fellowship program invests in innovative and sustainable ventures that address pressing social and environmental challenges in the region.
“We are delighted to welcome Kirchner Impact Foundation as an investor in Agrojusto. It is a great step for us to have an investor who shares our purpose of improving market access for small farmers in Latin America,” commented Maria Fernanda Bonesso, CEO of Agrojusto. “It will be key for our growth to have the extensive expertise of the Kirchner Impact Foundation’s team, as well as their commitment to improving agriculture. We are thrilled to have them as part of our investor family.”
The UN recently awarded Agrojusto, Best Small Business: Good Food for All, recognizing its efforts in creating a fairer and more efficient marketing channel in the region.
“We were looking to invest in a company with high impact in the small and medium-scale sectors of agriculture and food market retailers; a solution that can reduce the digital divide that this sector has been subject to,” added Jorge Alejandro Nieto Alvarez, Kirchner Fellow 2021-2022. “Agrojusto’s offering is built in accordance with the needs of its clients, thanks to a deep understanding of the local and regional agri-food ecosystem, as well as a deep-rooted connection of its founders with the problems they are trying to solve.”
Kirchner Impact Foundation
The Kirchner Impact Foundation (KIF) is a non-profit organization that serves as one of the “returning” arms of Kirchner Group. KIF harnesses the positive power of enterprise to make a difference in addressing some of the most important issues of today and reflects our belief that all businesses should contribute to a positive human future. The primary activities of KIF include the Kirchner Fellowship and Kirchner Investment Academy as well as other initiatives primarily across three sectors: Agriculture/Food, Health/Life Science, and Education. Through the Kirchner Impact Model (“returning” with head, hip and heart), the Foundation promotes capital efficiency and sustainable enterprises, while aiming to generate measurable, social and environmental benefits.
The Foundation is always looking for like-minded organizations and individuals to help it continue to expand its training programs and impact. Click here to donate now.
Hattie Brown | Co-Manager, Kirchner Impact Foundation | hbrown@kirchnergroup.com
Adrian Garcia-Casarrubias | Lead Director, Kirchner Fellowship Mexico | adrian@kirchnerfellowship.com
Agrojusto
Agrojusto is a triple impact startup that seeks to promote sustainable and fair agriculture in Latin America. The mission of the startup is to digitize the food market for fair and efficient trade, connecting small farmers, food producers, and small food businesses with all tables in Latin America. Agrojusto works directly with actors in the value chain to help them sell their products at fair prices and offer them access to tools, knowledge, and technologies that allow them to improve their production and increase their income.
Agrojusto has developed a SaaS platform for ecommerce, production, and commercial planning that allows for a simple, dynamic, more efficient, and fair exchange between the production and commercial sectors. Producers can intelligently determine to whom they should offer their product and have traceability tools to improve their value proposition to their buyers. Food businesses can create a specialized online store for food and a management system with a direct link to producers and business management. Consumers can align their desire to buy healthy and genuine food with an agile and simple experience. www.agrojusto.com.ar
Maria Fernanda Bonesso | CEO | Agrojusto | fernanda@agrojusto.com.ar
Kirchner Group
Kirchner Group was founded in 1985 as a boutique advisory firm and today operates various subsidiaries, providing advisory services (M&A, assessments, diligence) and operational support (interim management, workouts, turnarounds) as well as asset management (dedicated, underperforming funds) – all leveraging a proprietary approach that dovetails domain and process expertise.
Throughout the decades Kirchner Group has been internationally recognized for its unique business model centered around creating value while promoting values – “earning while returning”. The firm has also established a reputation for building and rebuilding important business and social paradigms based on its deep entrepreneurial orientation.
Kirchner Group’s clients and partners include early stage to mid-market companies, venture capital and private equity firms as well as family offices and some of the world’s largest insurance companies, commercial banks and institutional investors. www.kirchnergroup.com
Blair Kirchner | Managing Director & Co-Head of Impact Activities | Kirchner Group |