From Los Tiempos by A. D. Hans Soria O.:
CONTRIBUTION | The participation of a Dutch cooperation agency will allow to share the risk of the investments, consolidate the European market and secure raw materials with fresh capital
The Netherlands attracted by scent of Bolivian fruit tea
Fruit tea that produces a Cochabamba Naturaleza [nature] company and the market expansion they achieved, aroused the interest of the Dutch cooperation that seeks to invest in the company through the strengthening of its network of providers.
It is thus that the ICCO & Kerk In Acti, Dutch agency, refined a strategic alliance with Naturaleza that will enable the Dutch cooperation to acquire between five to eight percent of the shares of the company and invest about 80 thousand euros in strengthening its network of suppliers, says the Chairman of the Board of Naturaleza, Adolfo Mier.
In seeking to realize the strategic alliance, the Chairperson of the International Advisory Board of ICCO, Pauline Meurs, arrived in this city last week with the purpose of confirming, at the processing plant located in Tarata, all the technical information received regarding the production processes, market and Naturaleza’s legal condition.
“We have identified Naturaleza as a potential partner of ICCO because a company is retro-progresive, with great social, postmodern, eco-influence of its suppliers, shareholding of its workers and organic production”, says its program and financial services officer, Fernando Durán, who mentioned that “it was thought to buy some shares in Naturaleza and support with funding for working capital”.
In this regard, Mier points out that the transfer of shares to ICCO will share the risk of investments, consolidate the European market and strengthen the network of providers of material raw material with fresh capital.
When the strategic alliance materializes, the stock package of Naturaleza will be divided by 50 per cent for the partners; 35 percent for the institutional partners (SME Capital and Innovation Foundation in Social Entrepreneurship); 10 percent for workers of the company and five percent for the ICCO Agency.
Mier explains that to respond with greater specificity the growth of the company, on November 1st, Naturaleza created the Ajayu Naturaleza Foundation, with the specific mission of boosting the network of providers nationwide.
Duran says the third visit of the Dutch cooperation to Naturaleza, accomplished seven days ago, corresponds to the last phase that will conclude next week with a productive, commercial and financial assessment of the company.
Clarifies that the shareholding of ICCO will allow to participate and assist in the process of development and expansion of the company and “in no case stay or appropriating the company, because our mission is to generate growth, stability and development”, with funding for a period of five to 10 years.
Naturaleza processes annually 700 tons of fresh fruit and medicinal herbs. Produces 150 tons of infusions of apple, pineapple, peach, banana, mango, passion fruit, green tea, maca, chamomile, coca, kidron and anise, of which 60 per cent is traded in Bolivia and 40 percent is distributed among Italy, Canada United States, Costa Rica and Colombia. Last year achieved sales amounting to approximately $1 million, $600,000 more than five years ago.
“20 Years ago, the first purchases of pineapple from the Apami Association of the tropics, were 300 kilos a year; they now border 300 tons”, said Mier.
Agency ICCO/KIA
Presence in 44 countries
ICCO & Kerk In Actie is a Dutch agency which is present in 44 countries and offers financial support and advice to organizations local and networks in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, committed to provide access to basic services, contributing to an economic development fair and promote human rights and democracy.
ICCO & KIA finds its inspiration in the tradition and the Christian mission and is a member of several national and international ecumenical networks.
500 families provide raw material to Naturaleza
In the past 15 years and through trade agreements, more than 500 families, grouped into 13 associations of small producers, became suppliers of organic raw materials of Naturaleza Corporation, which produces more than 50 varieties of natural teas with inputs coming from the valleys, altiplano, the tropics, eastern lowlands and highlands of Bolivia.
To consolidate this network of organic producers, Naturaleza corporation created the Ajayu Foundation which in a first stage of 6 months will receive a financial contribution of 60 thousand euros, destined to various immediate tasks as broadening the organic certification, resolve difficulties of irrigation, expand crop areas, improve productive infrastructure and install small units dehydrators on grower associations of the ICCO.
Adolfo Mier, Chairman of the Board of Naturaleza, adding that the Foundation will give the producers technical advice, support in technology transfer and technical assistance, through the joint development of projects related to ecological production, good agricultural practices, post harvest and logistics of transport, management, quality assessment, dehydrated, food standards and labelling.
It is clear when there is efficiency and competitiveness, Bolivian producers reach foreign markets and capture investors, kudos and best wishes to Naturaleza!!
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