Description

The first and largest organic supermarket in Setúbal wants to grow and innovate (again)!

Eight years ago, when little was said and done with regard to bringing organic and sustainable products at a fair price to Portuguese tables, Paula and Emanuel, moved by their passion for Macrobiotics and healthy food, opened a small organic supermarket in front of Jardim do Bonfim, in Setúbal.

Since then, Gasshô has grown and more than tripled in size, consolidating its position as the leading supplier of organic food in the city and surrounding areas. The goal now is to continue growing and to focus on scale, strengthening the community, and sharing knowledge to support innovation and entrepreneurship.

This is Gasshô's third campaign, after having raised 71,000 euros (in Gasshô I and II), the goal now is to raise another 89,000 euros to finalize the amount needed for expansion.

The funds raised through this campaign will be used to:

• To increase scale on a national level by creating a central purchasing facility and offering better prices to customers by lowering prices and offering a wide range of private label products.
• Create more opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship for small local producers through a mini incubator for sustainable businesses.
• Diversify supply and eliminate food waste by opening an organic cafeteria and a takeaway service so that organic food reaches more families.

Ghassô considers that at a time when we all feel the impact of global problems like the pandemic and war, it is important to support the growth, autonomy, and resilience of local economies for the sake of food sovereignty.

 The store currently has a lot of unused space, practically 400mts2 are spare. In addition to the business plan that foresees an optimization of what already exists, Gasshô will expand its business to other areas as a way of cross-selling. This will include increasing the product offer and optimizing current waste (namely food waste of fresh produce).

The store has 2 floors each with about 300mts2.

Floor 1 - Will accommodate the Supermarket, and a coffee shop:

• Cafeteria/Takeaway

Healthy organic "quick" lunches and snacks to take advantage of the current customer base that already uses the supermarket. The idea is to invite clients to enjoy the comfort of freshly prepared snacks, increasing the average ticket per customer and providing access to healthy and organic food in the region.

Floor 0 (Basement) - Will accommodate the Mini Incubator and the self-made product factory:

• Mini Incubator for startups

Mini incubator for startups with 25m2, that can host up to 4 projects for the development of new sustainable businesses related to the agri-food industry. As a trainer and mentor of hundreds of projects, Barbara (one of the members of the team) will create an opportunity for the development of the best business ideas in a safe and structured space for them to flourish in a financially sustainable way. The incubator will also participate with investment for these startups.

• Factory of own products

A space for the production of food products with their own brand to be sold in the supermarket and via resellers (such as pasta, vegetable-based proteins, kombucha, and bread). Taking into account that the great majority of organic processed products are imported mainly from Germany and Italy, there is a need for Portugal to create autonomy and better prices in this market.

Gasshô's history of nearly a decade of operation in this area has allowed them to clearly identify specific food segments where high demand and shortage of supply create the opportunity to increase profit margins and sell to other supermarkets, expanding the scope of the business. Gasshô believes that scaling the bio market is scaling benefit for all!

Gasshô hopes to continue its path of sustainability and promotion of a healthy lifestyle, cooperating with local and national suppliers and, above all, developing this continuously growing sector.

Watch this video (in Portuguese) for more details about the project:

The Impact

Direct

• Increase accessibility to healthier and sustainable food through its own label with more affordable prices.
• Job creation: creating one full-time job; and contributing to the indirect income to dozens of couriers because for the takeaway operation.
• Foster local entrepreneurship by supporting the creation of at least 8 new sustainable businesses in the next 4 years and improving the profitability and management practices of small local producers.

Indirect

• Promotion of sustainable consumption: more than 1000 organic products are sold in the supermarket, promoting circular and local economy, and whenever possible zero waste. The products come from more than 100 partners and have the potential to boost local sustainable production. The plan is also to open an online store, encouraging conscious consumption.
• Conscious waste management: with the bio cafeteria, products that are not sold on time will be converted into tasty meal options for the community. The commitment to zero food waste in the kitchen and dining spaces, using bulk bought produces, and composting the surpluses are Core work principles at Gasshô.
• Processing and distribution of organic food: by supporting producers who use agroforestry methods and plant organic, Gasshô will indirectly support biodiversity in the local community; by serving over 10,000 organic meals per year Gasshô also hopes to promote education on the subject;
• Promotion of regeneration activities and personal development: the goal is also to provide a platform for the local community to share their practices and solutions in a safe place where everyone shares the same ideals: sustainability and regeneration.

Contribution to the Sustainable
Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals

Financial viability

Gasshô has been a financially sustainable and profitable business for eight years. The loan from Goparity's investors will allow the supermarket to be able to quickly diversify its offer and bring organic and sustainable products to more people, thus increasing its impact.

This project combines the security and stability of a known supermarket, operating for almost a decade, with the innovative potential of an expansion plan focused on strengthening the community, powering small producers, and offering organic food and products with a solid price-quality ratio.

Download Key Investment Information Sheet

The Promoter

About Gasshô, Unipessoal Lda

Founded in 2013, Gasshô is a Portuguese retail company, that has its headquarters in the city of Setúbal, where it occupies a store with more than 300m2. The company owns the brand Gasshô, the website Gassho.pt.  

"Gasshô is an organic produce store, open with every sun since November 2013.

We have bread, vegetables, fruit, yeast, wines, teas, vegan, macrobiotic, and gluten-free products, cosmetics, and smiles from ear to ear.

The store you see is only the leading edge. The less visible part of the cycle includes a family farm and several partners, and farmers who respect the planet and our biodiversity.

Our (and your) store is inspired by the gesture of joined hands - gasshô - that symbolizes greeting, gratitude, and respect, sentiments that guide our daily lives."

This is a family business that has contributed to the development of the organic market in the region and in the country. Consistently maintaining a somewhat conservative policy of solidity, it has developed its value and grown its business consistently and has acquired the trust and loyalty of its customers.

The team

Bárbara Carvalho

Managing partner

Bárbara is a social entrepreneur. She holds a master in management from NOVA SBE and has with over 10 years of academic and professional experience in sustainable consumer behavior. She also finished a Ph.D. in marketing for conscious consumption, and today she mentors hundreds of conscious and socially innovative businesses through several national incubators and accelerators. Barbara dedicates her life to transforming the national sustainable and regenerative ecosystem. She is also co-founder of Biovilla (promoter of the Goparity campaigns Biovilla will grow I and II).

Diego Pereira

Managing partner

Diego has a bachelor's degree in advertising and marketing from the Universidade Catolica in Rio de Janeiro, and a master's degree in environmental and sustainability studies from ISCTE. He opened his first company while still in college and since then has undertaken projects in various fields, including the social sector as co-founder and project director of Conexão Lusófona. He has experience working in financial markets, marketing management, real estate, forestry, and beekeeping. Diego is very passionate and a practitioner of healthy eating, he has been studying and following the sustainable food sector for over 20 years.

Business Model

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