Description

NR Nature was founded in 2011 to focus on the production of shiitake mushrooms on wooden logs. 

Its production is located in Mosteiró, Vila do Conde, in 2200m2 of greenhouses. The promoter aims to contribute to a balanced and healthy diet for its consumers, to the sustainability of natural resources, and to boost local economy.

This campaign's goal is to co-finance the purchase of 3 refrigerated containers to increase production capacity, grow the incubation capacity of the mushroom substrate, and improve quality control throughout the process. The refrigerated containers allow for better control of incubation conditions such as temperature and ventilation.

This is the promoter's second campaign after Solar mushrooms, through which the company has reduced energy costs by installing solar panels. 

NR Nature predicts that the investment will enable the company to achieve two main objectives:

• A 15% reduction in the cost of raw materials. Until now, the company had to buy the substrate already incubated at a significantly higher cost than without incubating it, and had to keep it frozen until it was used, with significant energy costs. 
• A 10% increase in substrate yield by controlling incubation, which will result in a reduction in production costs per kg of mushrooms.

The Impact

Direct 

• Productivity improvement: the purchase of the three refrigerators will allow NR Nature to have better control over their production process and reduce raw materials costs. The promoter will be able to perform the incubation of the substrate, instead of purchasing it from suppliers, which grants them the possibility to use the substrate in its freshest state. These improvements will allow NR Nature to increase its profits and become more competitive. 
• Promotion of a sustainable and organic food production system: NR Nature implements resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and maintain ecosystems, strengthening the capacity to adapt to climate change. The products are organic and certified with label PT-BIO-10. The production is highly efficient and is made from forest waste, so that 30% to 40% of the substrate's weight results in mushrooms. 

Indirect 

• Efficient waste management: after use, the substrate is dried and used to heat the greenhouses in winter, resulting in a low volume of waste from this production. 
• Efficient management of natural resources: the greenhouse production reduces water consumption, and the aim is to use the water from the greenhouse gutters for further use. The wood used in the production is used in the first phase to produce mushrooms on logs, in the second phase to produce mushrooms on a substrate made from wood, and in the third phase the substrate used is used to heat the greenhouses. In the end, the ashes from its combustion are integrated back into the forest as a natural fertilizer. 

Contribution to the Sustainable
Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals

Financial viability

Goparity investors will finance 24.000 euros, approximately 55% of the overall project cost. This investment will lead to an improvement on the company's production capacity, allowing for better quality control throughout the entire incubation process, and reducing production costs by 17%. The loan will be repaid with income the promoter will generate through its operations.

Download the Financial Statements for the promoter here: Financial Statements - NR Nature.pdf

Capital at risk - investing involves the risk of losing part or all of the money you invest.  Although Goparity implements risk-mitigation measures, to further reduce the risk of capital loss, please remember to diversify your portfolio to limit your exposure to specific projects. Learn more about risk mitigation here >

Download Key Investment Information Sheet

Guarantees

Loans granted to the promoter NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, LDA by investors will have the following guarantees, provided for in the loan agreements associated with the campaign:

• Personal guarantee, under Portuguese law, from the quota-holder, Ricardo Manuel da Silva Lopes with the following NIF 193686562, for the total amount of the debt.
• 1st degree commercial pledge, under Portuguese law, provided by NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, LDA of assets(three refrigerated containers) with a purchase value of 35.250 euros (without IVA), to be supplied by CONTENTORES, MÓDULOS PRÉ FRABRICADOS LDA. with the following NIPC 508829623

The Promoter

About NR NATURE - NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, LDA

NR NATURE (NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, LDA) is a Portuguese company, located in Vila do Conde, specializing in the production of Shiitake mushrooms on wooden logs, active since 2011.

The promoter decided to dedicate itself to mushroom production for the following reasons:

• Healthy food with high nutritional value
• Margin for growth, with a market where demand exceeds supply
• Efficient production in terms of resource consumption and production capacity
• Continuous production, without seasonal variability
• Low carbon footprint
• Low water requirements
• Suitable soil and climate conditions

After several tests, at the end of 2021, the promoter innovated his production method by switching to wood substrate, which proved to have several advantages over traditional production on wooden logs, without compromising the quality of the end product: reduced waiting time from purchase to production; less labor required; increased production capacity of the facilities (ten times higher). 

The consumption of shiitake has been growing in Europe and Portugal, due to its properties and in line with a general increase in mushroom consumption.

Over the last few years, the developer has been adapting to market demand. At the moment, NR Nature is working with producing partners to whom they offer training, technical support, and access to their substrate, in order to increase production while maintaining centralized marketing. NR NATURE's aim is, on the one hand, to support producing partners to guarantee high-quality mushrooms in competitive quantity and conditions and, on the other, to enable growers to achieve a stable business in the medium term.  

With this model, NR NATURE has increased its capacity to compete in larger markets, and the company is now exporting to several European countries.

The team

Ricardo Lopes

Founder and Manager

Business Model

Updates