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Confirmed Amount = 252.813,91 €
Reserved Amount = 18.165,43 €

270.979,34 €

54% Funded
500.000 €

54 days left to close

Artisan Tropic

Location Pin Svg
Armenia, CO

instalment

monthly

term

2 anos

yearly interest

10.05%

risk rating

C+

Regenerating the tropical snack industry from the ground up

Description

Artisan Tropic is a snack company that sells plantain and cassava-based products made in Colombia in partnership with smallholder farmers. While the brand is based in the US, sourcing, processing, and export are managed in Colombia by Grupo Colnatu SAS, which is part of the same group. The company works with Acceso, a regional sourcing partner, to promote regenerative agricultural practices and supply chain transparency.

The funds raised through this campaign will finance the construction of a new food-grade processing facility and the acquisition of integrated production equipment. The goal is to expand Artisan Tropic’s processing capacity in Colombia and support its vertical integration strategy.

The new facility will cover 3.000 sq ft and include integrated lines for plantain peeling, dough preparation, and tortilla production. It will be equipped with the necessary utility infrastructure to allow for phased expansion. 

The investment will also support upgrades to the existing chip production line, including a palm olein filtration system, a seasoning-by-weight dispersion system, and a third packing machine. 

These improvements are expected to increase production efficiency, reduce food waste, improve profitability, and create more value for producers, workers, and the land. 

The Impact

Direct

  • Ensuring equal opportunities and reducing inequalities of income: Colnatu has established sustainable value chains that improve the livelihoods of farmers by integrating regenerative agricultural practices, ensuring fair market access, and promoting environmental stewardship. This approach is further developed by the partnership established, in April of this year, with Acceso. A pioneering social business builder whose mission is to create fundamental and lasting economic change in the lives of rural smallholder farming families. 
  • Key Elements of the Partnership:
    • Seed-to-Market Model: Implementation of a proven model that supports smallholder farmers with technical assistance, post-harvest support, and guaranteed market access—ensuring dignity-driven participation in formal markets.
    • Fair Pricing & Stability: Farmers receive fair and stable prices, with transparent negotiations and shared commitments to long-term purchasing.
    • Joint Impact Monitoring: Definition of shared impact metrics (e.g., income improvement, hectares under regenerative transition) for internal reporting and to share with partners and financiers.
    • Field-to-Facility Traceability: Every harvest is tracked from field collection points to the processing facilities.
    • Approximately 400 smallholder farmers will benefit from the increased purchasing volume induced by this investment – due to the scaling up of operations.
  • Promotion of sustainable and resilient food production systems: While Colnatu is not yet certified for it, it has already implemented regenerative agriculture practices in the 95 hectares managed by the partnered farmers. The estimates show that since 2017 with these practices in place, Colnatu has been able to capture approximately 82 metric tons of CO₂ and remove approximately 18,000 litres of chemical inputs associated with synthetic fertilizer. To ensure the effective application of regenerative agriculture, Colnatu partnered with Terra Genesis, an international firm specializing in the design of regenerative systems. Terra Genesis operates at the intersection of agriculture, ecology, and business, supporting individuals and organizations in driving innovation.
  • Creating awareness for more sustainable consumption habits: Colnatu is committed to demonstrating that healthy, sustainably produced snacks have a rightful place in today’s market. The company specializes in plantain and cassava strips and crackers, crafted with a strong focus on using natural ingredients from sustainable sources. Colnatu's dedication to health and sustainability is reflected in the numerous certifications its products have earned, including the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the USDA Organic Certification, among others.
  • Promotion of fair work opportunities in underserved Colombian communities: Since it’s creation Colnatu has already created 346 jobs in an underserved Colombian community. The business expansion that this investment will promote, is expected to create up to 12 new full-time roles across peeling and processing facility, with hiring prioritized to be women from surrounding communities. 

Indirect

  • Community engagement and support: Established in 2014 by Artisan Tropic, Loves Bloom serves as the organization’s nonprofit branch dedicated to the development of community programs. Its primary objective is to enhance the impact made within the communities it serves. Since its inception, Loves Bloom has supported initiatives in the areas of food, health, education, and sports.

Impact Indicators

Metrics Svg

12

jobs created

Sustainable Development Goals

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8 image
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Financial viability

The improvements financed by this campaign are expected to increase Artisan Tropic’s production capacity and improve efficiency across its operations. This will enable the company to produce and sell a higher volume of products. 

The additional revenue generated is expected to support the repayment of the financing from the Goparity investors.

This project has a minimum target of 400.000,00€.

As stated in Part B of the KIIS document (Key Investment Information Sheet), the minimum targeted loan amount is 400.000,00€, this means the funding campaign can close with any amount between 400.000,00€ and 500.000,00€ on the end date.

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Download the Financial Statements for the promoter here

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Download Key Investment Information Sheet

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Guarantees

    The loans granted to the promoter GRUPO COLNATU S.A.S. by the investors will be guaranteed as follows in the loan agreements associated with the campaign:

  • Autonomous personal guarantee under Colombian law (pagaré) from the shareholder, Camilo Guzman Posada with the following NIT 19370107, for the total amount of the debt. 
  • Autonomous personal guarantee under Colombian law (pagaré) from the shareholder, Maria Margarita Perdomo Palmera with the following NIT 35467505, for the total amount of the debt.
  • 1st degree commercial pledge, under Colombian law, provided by GRUPO COLNATU S.A.S. of movable assets to be purchased with the amount borrowed from this crowdlending campaign, totalling an LTV (Loan To Value) of 100%, namely: 
    • Equipment (peeling stations, washing tanks, transport system, steamers, cold store (10-12 pallets), cooking oven, box maker, manual packing station, master case printer, palm olein filtering system, packaging machine, and fully automatic sweet potato frying line) with a total purchase value of 500. 142 euros (converted from COP using the COP/EUR rate of 0.000213 and from USD using the USD/EUR rate of 0.86).

The Promoter

About Grupo Colnatu SAS

Artisan Tropic is a family-owned company founded in 2014. Based on its Colombian heritage, the company focuses on producing plantain and cassava-based snacks using ingredients sourced through long-term partnerships with smallholder farmers.

Artisan Tropic is the consumer-facing brand of a vertically integrated supply chain managed by the Guzman family. Operations in Colombia are led by Grupo Colnatu S.A.S., which oversees sourcing, processing, and export. Artisan Tropic LLC, based in the U.S., handles distribution and brand development. Both companies are part of the AT Food Group Inc. holding structure, which enables full control from farm to shelf.

The company operates across Colombia and the United States, where it has established a presence in the natural snack market. Artisan Tropic’s product range includes plantain and yuca chips, as well as organic, gluten-free crackers. Their products are certified under standards such as Gluten-Free, Seed Oil Free, Paleo, USDA Organic (applies only to Crackers), Non-GMO Project Verified (applies only to Strips), Glyphosate Residue Free, and Kosher.

Since its founding, Artisan Tropic has contributed to job creation and community development in Colombia. The company reports having supported over 340 direct and indirect jobs and invested in local initiatives such as meal distribution, youth sports programs, scholarships, and infrastructure improvements.

In collaboration with its sourcing partner Acceso, Artisan Tropic focuses on promoting regenerative agricultural practices. These efforts currently cover 95 hectares of farmland and aim to reduce chemical inputs and improve soil health.

The team

Juan Guzman

linkedin
Co-Founder / CEO

CEO of a fast-growing snack brand, leading growth, fundraising, and cross-border ops. Former pro athlete turned regenerative food entrepreneur. Fluent in Spanish/English, with deep CPG experience and a mission to transform food systems.

Margarita Guzman

linkedin
Co-Founder / Controller

Co-founder of a national snack brand and a successful distribution company sold to Grupo Bimbo. 42+ years in accounting, business ops, and leadership. Scaled Artisan Tropic nationally. Mentor to LatAm entrepreneurs. Known for precision and positivity.

Camilo Guzman

linkedin
Co-Founder / COO

Founder of 5 companies across the U.S. and Colombia. Scaled Artisan Tropic to 6,000+ U.S. stores. Oversees our state of the art manufacturing facility. Expert in cross-border logistics, ops, and growth. 45+ years in global trade and supply chains.

Greg Krupa

linkedin
Partner / Investor Relations

18 years in social entrepreneurship and impact investing, scaling high-impact ventures across the Americas through capital and blended finance.

Eric Fishel

linkedin
CFO

20+ yrs finance, ops & sustainability leadership. Scaled regenerative spice biz in Tanzania 4x and built supply chain for 700+ farmers. Ex–Wells Fargo VP, UChicago MBA. Expert in impact-driven growth, supply chains & capital strategy.

Business Model

Artisan Tropic produces plantain and cassava-based snacks in Colombia and exports them primarily to the United States. The company sources raw materials from smallholder farmers through long-term partnerships and processes them locally in its own facility.

The production team includes workers from surrounding communities, with a focus on employing women heads of household. The facility operates under international food safety and quality standards, including SQF certification.

Finished products are exported to the United States, where they are distributed through retail channels including supermarkets and natural food stores. Artisan Tropic reports a presence in over 6.000 points of sale, including major retailers such as Costco, Whole Foods, HEB, and Sprouts.

Revenue generated from international sales is reinvested into the company’s operations in Colombia, supporting production capacity, agricultural partnerships, and community initiatives.

Active since

2014

Fiscal country

CO

Operating In

US, Colombia

Industry

Agriculture

Women Shareholders

Yes

Updates

2025-06-30

Open for investment

This campaign is open for investment

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