Nestlé is announcing the launch of a partnership with The Yield Lab Latam, a specialized venture capital fund investing to help transform the food sector in Latin America.
The Yield Lab Latam invests in technology-based startups that operate in the agri-food industry to bring innovative technology solutions from food production to agricultural methods. It connects investors, startups, corporates, farmers, public sector, and research communities to promote the sustainable transformation of the industry.
Nestlé has committed investment to The Yield Lab Latam from its Sustainability Fund. The Fund invests in innovative startups and organizations working in two key areas: promoting packaging solutions and recycling infrastructure that contribute to circular economies; and helping the food sector transition to regenerative agriculture.
"The investment from Nestlé and the partnership with The Yield Lab Latam will help us progress on finding sustainable solutions for the food industry. Investing in technological innovation in the agri-food sector and drawing on the energy and creativity of startups can help meet common goals such as reducing emissions and increasing biodiversity. This complements our own research work in the area, for example through our new Institute of Agricultural Sciences." said Maxence de Royer, vice president of Strategy, Business Development & ESG for Nestlé Latin America Region.
Nestlé is committed to reduce its carbon footprint in the Latam region throughout its supply chain and its operations. One area of particular focus has been the implementation of regenerative agriculture practices, especially in the dairy supply chain, where the company has already launched over 80 projects across 11 countries.
In 2021, the company trained over 7,400 young farmers through its agripreneurship program and by 2030, it aims to help 10 million young people around the world access economic opportunities. Nestlé works with partners on supporting young people to develop livelihoods in farming, so it can also help develop knowledge of regenerative agriculture methods from the start of their practice.
"The relationship with Nestlé reflects the common vision of committing ourselves and the food production ecosystem to jointly help address the challenges of the industry. We are leveraging our proximity to local entrepreneurial talent and the reach of our network of innovation centers," said Santiago Murtagh, managing director of The Yield Lab Latam. "From this local position and the regional experience of having invested in seven Latin American countries, we can act as a bridge between investors in the food industry and innovative solutions for the sustainable production of healthy, nutritious, safe and accessible food for the next generations."
Yield Lab Latam was founded in 2017 with offices in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. It is part of The Yield Lab, a global network of venture capital firms that has been operating since 2014 based in St. Louis, MO.
