Invest International will provide €3,5 million to the Dutch company ByBlue, a company specializing in the import, distribution, and development of blueberry varieties, to finance the establishment of a sustainable, high-tech blueberry farm in Peru's strategically located Ica Valley. This investment aims to address a supply gap in the market and strengthen the Netherlands' position in the international fruit trade. The knowledge gained from cultivating new blueberry varieties will be made available to other producers to achieve more sustainable cultivation.

Demand for blueberries continues to grow rapidly, especially in Europe and Asia. However, each year, supplies become scarce between September and December, as the harvest season in the Northern Hemisphere has ended and supplies from the Southern Hemisphere have not yet begun. ByBlue's new production center in Peru is specifically designed to fill this gap. Thanks to a unique, greenhouse-like microclimate, the Ica Valley offers a long harvest season from August to December, ideal for supplying the European market during this period.

Dutch innovation closes the market gap
"Although ByBlue has successfully financed itself in the Netherlands, finding capital to expand into Peru proved challenging. Commercial banks typically don't finance these types of transactions, or only partially, given the limited scope and higher risk profile. Therefore, Invest International offers the possibility of additional financing for the international activities of Dutch SMEs. In doing so, Invest International is helping to improve the Netherlands' revenue generation capacity," argues Michiel Slootweg, Director of Private Sector at Invest International.

He continues: "ByBlue not only closes a gap in the food chain, but also enables Dutch innovation to have a global impact. It's a business initiative of the kind we support through the Dutch Good Growth Fund, the fund we manage on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It's a project with potential that would otherwise have less chance of getting off the ground."

"We're not just growing blueberries; we're building a sustainable, future-proof supply chain," says Horacio Ozer Ami, founder of ByBlue. "With funding from Invest International, we'll be able to grow our own varieties in the Ica Valley's climate. This gives us greater control over the supply chain and will allow us to guarantee the highest quality year-round."

Local impact and 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 approximately 600 seasonal jobs in a region where the blueberry sector is the largest agricultural employer, particularly for women. The farm uses state-of-the-art technology that ensures maximum water and energy efficiency, helping to mitigate the region's well-known water supply challenges.