I offer a broad range of services to
investors, farmers & suppliers
Investment Vetting
I have walked alongside farmers, processors and suppliers all my life, and I bring a deep understanding of their needs and challenges. This insight, and my strong networks, allow me to efficiently qualify investments in regenerative food systems.
For example, a food recovery business was seeking investment to expand their offerings into natural farming inputs and regenerative farming consultancy. An impact investor wanted to understand the financial proposition and impact outcomes of the offering.
In the first visit, I provided financial analysis and subject matter insights. I developed an assessment of the financial flows, scalability and replicability of the business proposition as well as an assessment of the supply chain inputs. I delivered a full review of the capability and capacity of the consultancy program.
Dealflow
Investment into regenerative food systems is an emerging market. I understand that finding quality and trustworthy investments is not an easy task. I work closely with investors to identify suitable investment opportunities and provide trusted support in their decision-making.
For example, a fund with a focus on regenerative food had a blended finance product that they wanted to deploy into the Canadian market, however they lacked access to a quality network that could support deal flow.
I am linked into a network of farmers, supply chain operators and financial intermediaries across Canada and New Zealand. This allows me to easily access information about farmers financial needs. I was able to tap into my network to support this fund to introduce a full system scale investment opportunity for farmers across Canada.
Design & Validation
I worked with a client who was designing a new financial product to incentivise farmers to shift to regenerative practices. This product needed to demonstrate how investment in farmers could be both profitable and have impactful outcomes.
I worked as part of a team to conduct a stakeholder assessment of dairy farmers in Aotearoa New Zealand in order to understand which pain points could be resolved with a new financial product. We discovered that dairy farmers interested in shifting to regenerative practices felt the financial risk of shifting to a regenerative system was too great.
We worked with the product development team to design and launch a line of credit that became available to farmers once they provided data to prove their shift to regenerative practices. Access to this credit removed the perceived barrier for farmers to transition to a regenerative agricultural system.
The team was successfully able to design a fit for purpose product, fundraise, then deploy the product to multiple farmers.
Education & Training
A regenerative meat aggregator was considering scaling their business, however they didn’t have all the information required to make the decision. We discussed the need for a strong processing capacity and financial margin analysis in order to make sound business decisions.
We conducted an in depth analysis of the process and packing capacity in the region, this included a carcass cut out margin analysis across meat types. We provided them with the appropriate labeling, inventory management and traceability systems to be able to apply at various scales of business in order to meet their needs.
A selection of clients I have worked alongside:
-
The CCFE connects supply-side food system partners with their ideal audience. Inspiring people to take action with food.
I advised the CCFE on the high level market dynamics of Canadian agriculture, the structural barriers for regenerative food systems, and regional examples of food systems moving to more ecologically sensitive practices.
-
Young Agrarians is a program of Agrarians Foundation whose mission is to educate the public by providing courses, seminars, workshops, and counselling about agriculture, farming, food processing, entrepreneurship, community economic development and environmental sustainability.
I completed due diligence on an emerging carbon credit marketplace that wanted to engage with the Young Agrarians network of farmers.
I performed a product market fit analysis of financial facility needs for emerging market farmers, specifically new entrants, young farmers, and leasing farmers using ecological farming practices.
-
SVX runs impact investment education programs, raises and manages funds for social benefit.
I completed due diligence on the externalities of various investment opportunities in the regenerative food system.
I designed a regenerative food system real estate investment trust to meet the needs of regional food systems.
-
I launched a Savory Institute hub in Canada, and successfully wove the hub into the existing structure of Holistic Management Canada.
This merger has brought an international perspective and the Ecological Outcome Verification protocol to Canadian graziers.
I envisioned the regenerative accelerator program and sourced ongoing funding for it in 2019. Since then, Holistic Management Canada has deployed training and baseline measurement to dozens of farms in Manitoba.
-
I lead the regenerative agriculture portfolio for Toha, a start up climate venture that exists to make regenerative action valuable.
I supported the design of new tradable products that track, quantify and verify outcomes being achieved on regenerative farms in Aotearoa New Zealand.
I was integral to the delivery of a first-of-a-kind pilot transaction of a government agency purchasing data about ecosystems benefits being achieved on farms.
I successfully onboarded cohorts of farmers into opportunities that resulted in substantive payments to each farm.