Invest International is providing €3.5 million in financing to the Dutch SME ByBlue, a specialist in the import, distribution, and development of blueberry varieties. With this loan, ByBlue will establish a sustainable, high-tech blueberry farm in the strategically located Ica Valley in Peru to cultivate new types of blueberries. The investment also addresses a supply gap in the market and strengthens the Netherlands’ position as a central hub in international fruit trade. The knowledge gained from cultivating new blueberry varieties will be shared with other growers to promote more sustainable farming practices.
Demand for blueberries continues to grow, especially in Europe and Asia. However, there is a recurring annual supply shortage from September to December, when the harvest season in the Northern Hemisphere ends and supply from the Southern Hemisphere has yet to start. ByBlue’s new production site in Peru is specifically designed to fill this gap. The Ica Valley offers a unique, greenhouse-like microclimate that enables a long harvest season from August to December, ideal for supplying the European market during this period.
New types of blueberries
“Although ByBlue was successfully financed in the Netherlands, securing capital for expansion into Peru proved challenging. Commercial banks typically do not finance such transactions, or only partially, as they are often small in scale and carry a higher risk profile. Invest International provides additional financing options for the international activities of Dutch SMEs. In doing so, we contribute to the earning capacity of the Netherlands,” says Michiel Slootweg, Director Private Sector at Invest International.
Michiel continues: “ByBlue is filling a gap in the food supply chain and combines Dutch innovation with global impact. This is the kind of entrepreneurship we support through the Dutch Good Growth Fund, which we manage on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A project with potential that might otherwise struggle to get off the ground.”
“We’re not just growing blueberries; we’re building a future-proof and sustainable supply chain,” says Horacio Ozer Ami, founder of ByBlue.
“We’re not just growing blueberries; we’re building a future-proof and sustainable supply chain,” says Horacio Ozer Ami, founder of ByBlue. “With Invest International’s financing, we can cultivate our own developed varieties in the climate of the Ica Valley. This gives us greater control over the supply chain and allows us to guarantee top quality year-round.”
Horacio Ozer Ami, co-owner and founder of ByBlue, checking the quality of certain types of blueberries.
Local impact & sustainable technology
The new farm, developed in collaboration with local partner Wellness Fruit, will initially cover 30 hectares. The project will create 20 full-time jobs and around 600 seasonal positions in a region where the blueberry sector is the largest agricultural employer; particularly for women. The farm will use state-of-the-art technology for efficient water and energy use to help mitigate the region’s water challenges.
