Vallata Growth

Increase farm productivity and citrus production.

Investment overview

Impact category

Agrifood Systems

Investment type

Loan

Yearly interest

9.25

Term

months

Risk level

B-

Vallata is a Colombian organic citrus (oranges and limes) producer and exporter. Vallata is focused on the sustainability of their processes and the social impact of their activity.

The funds raised by this campaign will keep financing the expansion and productivity improvements of six citrus farms - Montenegro, Las Palmeras, Turin, Balcanes, Llanogrande, and Pomarosa. These farms, operated by Vallata, aim to support increased organic citrus production. The goal is to expand cultivated land, improve infrastructure, and optimize production systems.

Many Colombian farmers can’t reach the scale needed to compete in the citrus markets and are not able to reach the quality certifications needed for exporting. As part of its strategic expansion, Vallata is increasing its production capacity by renting and improving six farms, helping them scale operations and enhance productivity.

These farms, already populated with thousands of citrus trees, are leased from small farmers who traditionally lack the scale and infrastructure needed to access international markets. By integrating these farms into Vallata's production system, the promoter will increase their production volume, and the local farmers will benefit from better infrastructure, access to larger markets, and better income. Vallata will implement a series of improvements on the six farms, including soil and foliar fertilisation, phytosanitary treatments, tree pruning, irrigation systems, updated tools and equipment, and infrastructure development.

Learn more about the farms here: VALLATA_2025.pdf

This is the promoter's fourth campaign, after raising 525.500€ in Lime Packing House to co-finance the construction of a cutting-edge lime packing house in Valle del Cauca, 370.000€ in Lime Packing Hous e II to support the promoter's export business, and 350.000€ in Lime Packing House III to scale operations across six citrus farms - the foundation for this campaign, which continues expanding and optimizing these farms.

What is the impact?

Direct

Promotion of sustainable and resilient food production systems: Vallata adopts an organic production model for limes and other fruits, managing both its own cultivation and that of certified smallholder producers, who comply with organic standards and Good Agricultural Practices (Global GAP certification). With the new financing, the company intends to expand the cultivated area on the 7 farms leased (120 new hectares), in the last project, and invest in supporting infrastructure.
Improve resources use efficiency in consumption and production: Vallata focuses on the efficiency of natural resources in its production. The promoter uses manual irrigation systems (that are water-use efficient) at the farms, maintains a relatively low intensity of energy consumption, which comes from hydroelectric plants in Antioquía, and composts residues from the farm to use as organic matter and fertilizer for the production. In Vallata IV the company plans to expand the irrigation system to the farms that were rented from the previous project.

Indirect

Implementation of an environmental and social management system: Overall Vallata implements a broad set of practices as part of their sustainability policies, including soil and groundwater quality management, pollution, waste management, biodiversity, workers rights and fair compensation and water supply.

Impact indicators
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jobs

created by our projects

Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
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About the Promoter

About

Vallata SAS

Created in 2017 by the Escobar Santa Maria family, Vallata S.A.S. is a testament to their founders' agricultural passion.

In 2009, a family from Antioquia bet on their land and planted their first citrus tree. Over time, what started as a small plantation became a citrus exporting company. Today, Vallata has hundreds of hectares planted and managed by highly trained agronomists and many farmers. The promoter closed 2024 with 135 full-time workers.

Under Alejandro Escobar Santa Maria’s leadership, the company has grown with operations in Medellin’s headquarters, Antioquia’s farms, and Valle del Cauca’s packing facilities.

The promoter's main activities are the production and sales of citrus fruits, especially limes, oranges, and lemons. From the planting of the trees in the nurseries to the delivery to the final customer. Vallata also plans to produce avocados, vanilla beans, and cashew nuts.

Main export destinations include the USA, the European Union, and the Caribbean. Their mission is to grow in the international market, contributing towards sustainable development in different regions in Colombia, specifically Antioquia and Valle del Cauca.

In addition to agriculture, the Santamaría family group also develops real estate projects through affiliated entities such as Origin Land Company, focused on sustainable land use, tourism, and community development.

To establish a production method that respects the environment, Vallata has dedicated years of effort to certify their processes, endorsing their commitment to environmental excellence and social responsibility:

Global G.A.P: sets standards for agricultural production, covering aspects such as food safety, product quality, environmental management and worker health, safety and welfare.
Global G.A.P GRASP: assesses aspects such as working conditions, worker training and participation, occupational health and safety, and compliance with local labor legislation.
Mayacert Ecologic Standard: sets standards for environmentally friendly production, ensuring compliance with specific ecological criteria to promote sustainability.

Promoter website

https://www.instagram.com/vallata_sas/

Team
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[{"id":219,"promoter_id":328,"name":"Alejandro Escobar","description":"After finishing his bachelor's in Business Management Alejandro became Colombia's first organic orange grower and exporter to Europe, co-founded a major agricultural startup, and later focused on expanding his family's business, Vallata.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandro-escobar-santa-mar%C3%ADa-aa006b56/","role":"CEO","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/665/9d5/b80/6659d5b80bbba483377902.jpeg","avatar_id":144116},{"id":220,"promoter_id":328,"name":"Diego Lopera","description":"As Director of Operations and Agricultural Engineer, Diego combines financial and operational management skills to optimize the production and sustainability of farms specializing in Tahiti Lime citrus. His focus is on ensuring operational efficiency, environmental sustainability, and product quality in all operations.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-mauricio-lopera-mar%C3%ADn-6600721a4/","role":"COO","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/665/9d4/a8c/6659d4a8c33e9034145512.jpeg","avatar_id":144114},{"id":221,"promoter_id":328,"name":"Rafael Santa María","description":"Rafael leads the development of new business models and ensures that every project is executed with excellence. He has directed initiatives in livestock management, sustainable agriculture, and rural development, bringing a strategic vision that integrates growth, efficiency, and long-term impact.","link":"","role":"Co-founder","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/692/84c/0f5/69284c0f5b34c535104407.jpg","avatar_id":206837},{"id":222,"promoter_id":328,"name":"Maria Fernanda Díaz","description":"With a solid background and over 6 years of experience coordinating administrative and accounting tasks, Maria Fernanda's proactive and detail-oriented approach enables her to optimize company resources and ensure the fulfillment of organizational objectives.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/mar%C3%ADa-fernanda-d%C3%ADaz-salas-3a5a02254/","role":"Management Coordinator","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/665/0b0/1ce/6650b01ce820b277520320.jpeg","avatar_id":142593},{"id":223,"promoter_id":328,"name":"María Isabel Sabas Jiménez","description":"María, experienced in managing logistical operations, is responsible for coordinating and optimizing the functioning of the property, ensuring that processes are efficient and smooth within the plant.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/mar%C3%ADa-isabel-sabas-jim%C3%A9nez-36357230b","role":"Estate Logistics Coordinator","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/665/9d4/8ce/6659d48ced9c1471745296.png","avatar_id":144112},{"id":224,"promoter_id":328,"name":"Zulay Rengifo Peña","description":"With a background in Public Accounting and Administrative Sciences, Zulay combines her academic experience with her logistics management and coordination skills to ensure efficiency and quality in the plant's processes.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/zulay-rengifo-pe%C3%B1a-65b868239","role":"Plant and Logistics Coordinator","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/665/9d4/846/6659d4846c40a073172111.jpeg","avatar_id":144111},{"id":225,"promoter_id":328,"name":"Emmanuel Muñoz","description":"Emmanuel is a Certified Public Accountant and leads the accounting department. With experience in the financial sector, he is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of records and compliance with financial regulations.","link":"","role":"Head of Accounting","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/692/84a/775/69284a7754bcf524756786.jpg","avatar_id":206836},{"id":386,"promoter_id":328,"name":"Sara Escobar","description":"With a master's degree in Digital Marketing, Sara has led large-scale marketing projects in the food industry across Latin America, Mexico, and Spain. Her experience combines strategy, brand development, and digital execution to strengthen positioning and drive growth across multiple markets.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/saraesm/?locale=en_US","role":"CMO","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/692/84d/24c/69284d24cff59127211336.jpg","avatar_id":206838}]

Business Model
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