The entity announced a few days ago that it is buying 5% of the capital of Kimitec Group and its MAAVi Innovation Center, the largest natural biotechnology hub in Europe. The operation, carried out through the Agro Smart Fund, responds to the bank’s strategy of supporting the development of innovative and sustainable companies with high growth potential.
Since the launch of the green pact and approval of the agri-food strategy “Farm to Fork” of the European Union, the Spanish company Kimitec, with a turnover growth of 80% in the last year, is considered one of the key companies for achieve real sustainability in the agriculture and agribusiness sectors at European level.
The CEO of Santander Spain, Antonio Simõesexplained that “This is a strategic operation for Santander: we are not only entering the biotechnology sector, but we are doing it hand in hand with one of the scaleup companies with the greatest chance of becoming the most profitable unicorn in the coming years. With this agreement, we will add value to our portfolio of agro-industrial clients”.
In turn, Félix García, CEO of Kimitec, stated: “At MAAVi Innovation Center we have a vision: to change the way food is produced. The current production model has come to an end. In a context marked by the demands of Europe Regarding the reduction of the synthesis chemistry, supermarket chains that speak of zero waste and consumers who are increasingly demanding and concerned about health and sustainability, agribusiness is forced to transform. We knew how to anticipate this reality and for more than 15 years we have been working discovering the power of nature to achieve this challenge of changing the productive model based on nature.”.
Proof of this are the numerous agreements reached by Kimitec and its MAAVi IC with leaders in the sector such as Bollo, GS Spain or Pescanova, and with the giants of the agrochemical sector such as UPL, which have chosen MAAVi IC as a strategic partner in their transition to natural . Likewise, Kimitec is the only company in the sector that has with 5 Horizon projects of the European Union for its strategic capacity to promote the transition from chemical to natural in agribusiness.
broadening of horizons
After agriculture, the Spanish scaleup has made the leap to other sectors such as aquaculture and livestock (substitution of antibiotics in the area of animal health and increased productivity), as well as accompanying agribusiness in its transition from chemical to natural. In the long term, his plans are to also enter the cosmetics sector (replacement of pigments and active ingredients) and the pharmaceutical industry (replacement of active ingredients).
In the field of agroindustry, the added value of MAAVi IC is encompassed in three main areas: achieving zero waste in the production of raw materials (thus avoiding chemical traceability in its products); Accompany the agro-industry in the challenge of achieving clean labels of E numbers (chemical food additives) and revaluing the by-products that produce a negative impact on the environment and on the company’s income statement.
Santander’s entry into the capital of Kimitec will boost the international growth of the Almeria-based company, which will rely on the bank’s advice to win over new customers in the different geographies in which Santander operates.
“After 15 years of proof of concept in agriculture in which we have become a benchmark in the transition from chemical to natural, now is the time to fully approach agribusiness to fulfill our vision: to change the way food is produced. . Our goal in this strategic agreement with Santander is to become partners with each and every one of its agribusiness clients”emphasizes Felix Garcia.
The agreement between both groups also provides for collaboration in the social field, in which Kimitec has the MAAVi Foundation, a non-profit organization that believes in diversity as a source of social and business wealth, and contributes to the creation of a field of opportunities based on values such as respect, equality and loyalty for more than 400 children and their families through axes such as sports, education, healthy nutrition and job placement.
