Green Coffee Company secures $8 million USD insustainable financing from BBVA

Green Coffee Company (GCC) is the largest coffee producer in Colombia, with over 4,000 hectares offarmland and a presence in seven municipalities in southwestern Antioquia.

In 2023, BBVA closed its sustainable portfolio with $1.8 billion USD under management, whichrepresented an increase of 98% compared to the $891 million USD achieved in 2022.

GCC has spent years developing new, innovative strategies to generate additional value using organicbyproducts resulting from the coffee production process.

BBVA in Colombia recently delivered $8 million USD in debt financing to GCC. Given the company’s focusenvironmentally and socially responsible coffee production, BBVA was able to take advantage of itssustainable financing credit line, allocated for the continued growth and development of companieswith a sustainable mission.Green Coffee Company (GCC) is a vertically-integrated coffee producer that is bringing new investment, technological innovation and a fresh perspective to the sector. As the largest coffee producer in Colombia, they have created jobsfor more than 450 people, with over 500 coffee growers participating within their supply chain.

The company cultivates, processes, and exports its excellent coffee to North America, Europe and Asia.Additionally, GCC has spent two years on research and development into the creation of innovative new productsfrom coffee cherries and other organic material left over in the production process. These efforts allow GCC to generate additional value while also contributing to the advancements of innovative, closed-loop systems in the coffee sector alongside the reduction of potential environmental impacts.At the beginning of 2024, GCC obtained sustainable financing totaling $8 million USD with BBVA that will be used to purchase farmland and implement regenerative agricultural techniques to increase production and improve climate resiliency in accordance with verified sustainable practices for coffee production."For GCC, sustainability is a core strategy of the business, where ESG criteria have been involved in pre-feasibility,design, production, and operations associated with the coffee supply chain. This has allowed the company to effectively engage with communities through shared value, creating positive impact in the territory with the potential to generate formal and inclusive employment," said Gustavo Gómez, Director of Sustainability at the Green CoffeeCompany.

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For these reasons, the BBVA team concluded that the Green Coffee Company met the profile necessary to beincluded as an ag-sector investment within its sustainable portfolio. In 2023, the financial institution closed the yearwith the sustainable portfolio’s total holdings surpassing $1.8 billion USD, representing an increase of 98% comparedto the $891 million USD achieved in 2022. Of this portfolio, the fastest growing segments were individuals and SMEs,with a growth of 144% in one year, reaching more than $232 million USD. Through these innovative financingvehicles, BBVA can ensure that its business maintains its commitment to supporting Colombian entrepreneurs whoare committed to a more sustainable future.

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