Pink Farms

Pink Farms is a Brazilian company operating in the urban vertical farming sector, positioning itself as a key player in Latin America's ag-tech landscape. Founded in 2016 by engineers Geraldo Maia, Mateus Delalibera, and Rafael Delalibera, the company was born from their observation of the inefficiencies and high post-harvest losses in Brazil's traditional vegetable supply chain. The founders, with backgrounds in industrial and electrical engineering, developed their proprietary vertical farming system due to the lack of existing expertise and technology in the region.

The company's core business revolves around producing pesticide-free vegetables and leafy greens in a controlled indoor environment. This method utilizes multi-level structures, hydroponics, and a combination of red and blue LED lights—creating its signature pink glow—to optimize plant growth. This technology allows for a production yield up to 100 times greater per square meter compared to conventional farming, while consuming 95% less water and 50-60% less fertilizer. By establishing its farm in an urban warehouse in São Paulo, Pink Farms significantly shortens the supply chain, reduces transportation-related losses, and delivers produce that can be harvested the same day it reaches the consumer, thereby extending shelf life.

Initially, Pink Farms targeted restaurants, but the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a strategic pivot towards direct-to-consumer sales through online channels and partnerships with major retailers like Carrefour. The company's revenue is generated through the sale of its produce, which includes microgreens and a growing variety of leafy greens. The business has successfully raised over $5.13 million in funding through multiple rounds, attracting investments from venture capital firms such as SP Ventures, Capital Lab, and SLC Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Brazil's largest agricultural producer, SLC Agrícola. These funds are being used to expand production capacity, increase its range of SKUs from leafy greens to potentially include strawberries, mushrooms, and tomatoes, and further develop its technology with the long-term goal of becoming a technology provider for the broader Latin American market.

Keywords: vertical farming, urban agriculture, ag-tech, hydroponics, controlled environment agriculture, sustainable farming, food technology, Brazilian startup, fresh produce, leafy greens, microgreens, direct-to-consumer food, retail food supply, venture capital, food supply chain, pesticide-free, water conservation, LED lighting in agriculture, São Paulo food production, Latin America agriculture