Asai Naidi

Asai Naidi produces and exports frozen açaí berry pulp to North American for use in food, cosmetics, and paint. They partner with the local Afro-Colombian community to sustainably harvest the fruit.

Market Opportunity:

• Asai Naidi recognized a business opportunity when they learned that global demand for açaí was not being met. Brazil is a main supplier of açaí, but internal demand in Brazil for the fruit is high and current Brazilian exports are not enough to meet global demand.

• The demand for açaí in Brazil is approximately 30,000 tonnes per year. The demand in the United States is expected to grow, and the exotic fruits market in Europe is opening up.

Unique Business Solution:

• Business Model: Asai Naidi partners with local communities, who since 1991 have collective ownership of the Pacific coastal lands, to harvest the fruit. After selection and cleaning, the fruit pulp is extracted and pasteurized before being exported via cargo ship.

• Competitive Advantage:

  • Geographically, Asai Naidi has an advantage over other açaí exporters. Their position near the Panama Canal creates easy access to the Western United States and Asia.

  • Asai has a cost advantage over Brazilian exporters because the cost of the açaí input material is higher in Brazil.

  • The Afro-Colombian community are partners of Bosque Humedo, Asai’s main fruit supplier. Because Bosque Humedo owns shares of Asai Naidi, they have an incentive to supply only Asai Naidi.

• To deal with potential flooding that regularly occurs in the region, Asai Naidi has built the plant on barges to withstand the increase and decrease in water level of the nearby river.

Environmental & Social Impacts:

• Asai Naidi develops an environmental management plan in conjunction with the local community to sustainably harvest the açaí berry.

• The açaí palm has several stalks on which the berries grow. The entire palm tree is not cut to harvest the fruit; only half of the stalks are cut to collect the berries. Cutting these stalks has the additional benefit of decreasing the competition for sunlight, allowing the palm tree to receive more light and grow stronger.

• In the next five years, Asai Naidi plans to sustainably manage 1,000 hectares of forest. As production increases Asai Naidi will be able to protect more areas.

• Asai Naidi provides economic opportunity for the Afro-Colombian communities of the Pacific Region that have previously been isolated from the mainstream economy, suffer from high unemployment rates and live in poverty. Asai directly employees 15 people and indirectly employees 70 fruit collectors.

• Asai Naidi washes the açaí berry with organic detergent. Water that is used in operations is treated and brought to equal or higher quality before being returned to the river.

Future Plans & Challenges:

• Asai Naidi is currently exploring the possibility of using nanotechnology to export a product richer in antioxidants and to switch to operations that are less energy-intensive.

• Asai Naidi is also testing the feasibility of switching to run of river hydropower.

Partnering with New Ventures:

• Asai Naidi attended the New Ventures Colombia Investor Forum held in August of 2010.

• Through New Ventures Asai Naidi met investors interested in the region and learned how to present to and negotiate with these investors.

• Asai Naidi had the opportunity to meet other entrepreneurs and exchange ideas and concerns.

Profile Updated: February 2011