Accordingly, SWOF will buy 30 percent of stake in Organicato become its strategic shareholder. It will also assist Organica in financialgovernance and offer it a long-term loan for market expansion.
SEAF Senior Managing Director Jennifer Buckey said her firmis a global investment management group based in the US. It provides growthcapital for promising small- and medium-sized enterprises in emerging markets.In Vietnam, SEAF has invested in over 20 companies operating in different fields,with Organica as the first organic food company it has invested in.
Apart from trade and financial factors meeting SEAF’srequirements, the Organica trademark has come to be highly trusted by customers.Its collaboration with farmers in many localities to switch from traditional toorganic farming will ensure local sustainable development, she said.
Organica Executive Director Pham Phuong Thao said Organicais one of the pioneering trademarks in organic food production and supply inVietnam, adding that the loan from SWOF will help Organica open more retailoutlets, upgrade online sales system to bring more organic products toVietnamese consumers, as well as improve its financial and workforce capacity.
Thao wished that more foreign funds and investors would investin organic food and agriculture for mutual development. She said though thedemand for organic food has increased, SMEs in organic agriculture still meetdifficulties in capital, business strategy, and access to consumers. –VNA