PG Impact Investments acquires stake in Runa LLC

PG Impact Investments, a global impact investment firm, has completed its acquisition of a minority stake of US-based Runa LLC (“Runa”, “The Company”) on behalf of its clients. The stake was acquired in a series C financing round and provides Runa with an injection of growth capital which will support the Company’s expansion plan.

Founded in 2009, Runa is a producer and marketer of 100% Organic, Fair Trade and Non-GMO certified “ready-to-drink” teas and energy drinks. Runa’s core ingredient is Guayusa tea (pronounced “gwhy-you-sa”), a rare leaf from the Ecuadorian Amazon that contains as much caffeine as coffee and double the polyphenol antioxidants of green tea. As a social enterprise, Runa is improving livelihoods for over 3,000 indigenous farming families in the Amazon who sustainably grow guayusa in the rainforest, and has planted in excess of 1.2 million guayusa trees. In 2015, Runa sold 4.5 million RTD bottles and energy cans in over 10,000 stores in the US including Whole Foods and Safeway. Runa has been featured in National Geographic, Men’s Fitness, Fast Company and Dr. Oz.

Watch a National Geographic video about RUNA: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/140703-news-guayusa-tea-vin

PG Impact Investments will work closely with Runa’s management team, led by founder and CEO Tyler Gage, as it carries out its expansion plan. This includes further strengthening its brand and distribution capabilities, supporting the national and international expansion plans, as well as securing additional growth capital.  Tyler Gage comments: “In the last few years, we have built the world’s only supply chain for guayusa and established the Runa brand in the US. We are now ready for the next phase of our expansion and believe that PG Impact Investments, with its access to Partners Group’s global network, is the ideal partner to help us realize our potential for growth and social impact.”
Urs Baumann, Co-Founder and CEO of PG Impact Investments, comments: “We are impressed by Runa’s dedication to building a sustainable social enterprise. Runa is proving that businesses in the Amazon can be good for the environment and for the preservation of traditional cultural practices, while also helping local producers to advance and connect with consumers around the world.”
Urs Wietlisbach, Co-Founder and Chairman of PG Impact Investments, comments: “Runa is the first investment in our new impact fund and we couldn’t be more excited about it. With its combination of business focus and social conscience, we believe Runa is a great fit with our mission to deliver attractive financial and social returns to our clients.”

About PG Impact Investments

PG Impact Investments was founded in 2015 with the vision that private investment, innovation and entrepreneurial talent can provide solutions to the challenges faced by our society, as well as create sustainable growth.

PG Impact Investments is a private sector, mission-driven, global investment firm specializing in investment solutions aimed at delivering financial returns as well as creating a positive social and/or environmental impact. It manages investment strategies for an international clientele of professional investors who are seeking investment solutions that offer market-rate returns, while also helping to address pressing social or environmental challenges.

All profits from the business activities of PG Impact Investments are transferred to PG Impact Investments Foundation. The Foundation supports social initiatives and social businesses ventures that otherwise would not receive funding through commercial investors or investment funds.

Whilst being independent from Partners Group, PG Impact Investments entities are backed by Partners Group and its employees, and benefit from the global infrastructure, investment know-how and specialist resources of this leading global private markets investment manager.December 10th, 2015|Agriculutre & Food, Investment News