Artisan Tropic

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.

A Artisan Tropic é uma empresa familiar fundada em 2014. Com base na sua herança colombiana, a empresa centra-se na produção de snacks à base de banana-da-terra e mandioca, utilizando ingredientes obtidos através de parcerias de longo prazo com pequenos agricultores.

A Artisan Tropic é a marca voltada para o consumidor e faz parte de uma cadeia de fornecimento verticalmente integrada, gerida pela família Guzman. As operações na Colômbia são lideradas pelo Grupo Colnatu S.A.S., que supervisiona o fornecimento, o processamento e a exportação. A Artisan Tropic LLC, sediada nos Estados Unidos, trata da distribuição e do desenvolvimento da marca. Ambas as empresas fazem parte da estrutura da AT Food Group Inc., o que permite um controlo total desde a exploração agrícola até à prateleira.

A empresa opera na Colômbia e nos Estados Unidos, onde estabeleceu uma presença no mercado de snacks naturais. A gama de produtos da Artisan Tropic inclui chips de banana-da-terra e de mandioca, bem como bolachas orgânicas sem glúten. Os seus produtos são certificados de acordo com normas como Sem Glúten, Sem Óleo de Sementes, Paleo, Orgânico do USDA (aplica-se apenas às Crackers), Verificado pelo Projeto Não-GMO (aplica-se apenas às Strips), Sem Resíduos de Glifosato e Kosher.

Desde a sua fundação, a Artisan Tropic tem contribuído para a criação de emprego e desenvolvimento comunitário na Colômbia. A empresa relata ter apoiado mais de 340 empregos diretos e indiretos e investido em iniciativas locais, tais como a distribuição de refeições, programas desportivos para jovens, bolsas de estudo e melhorias nas infraestruturas.

Em colaboração com o seu parceiro de fornecimento Acceso, a Artisan Tropic foca-se na promoção de práticas agrícolas regenerativas. Estes esforços abrangem atualmente 95 hectares de terras agrícolas e visam reduzir os produtos químicos e melhorar a saúde do solo.