👊🏽 Special Edition: Ganas and I invested in Manzana Verde!
This is a special edition of Lolita's Newsletter, monthly newsletter of curated actionable insights and resources for over 20,000 underestimated founders, funders, and friends.
Ganas Ventures is excited to announce our investment in Manzana Verde's seed round, a deal sourced by Ganas Deal Partner Meetash "Max" Narayan! We're joining forces with prominent regional funds like Amplifica Ventures, Salkantay Ventures, Mr. Pink, and Matterscale to back this innovative foodtech company. This marks our 15th investment since launching, adding to our growing portfolio that includes Latitud, Around, Shappi, Leadsales, Masa, Storybook, Ask Alex, Distribute, Papaya, Chptr, The Swarm, Careerflow, and Vitrinnea. We're thrilled to support Manzana Verde's vision for leveraging community in the food space and remain committed to investing in passionate founders who are building the future of Latin America and the US.
💰 Founders, apply for investment here. 👊🏽 LPs, apply to invest in Ganas here.
TL;DR on Why We Invested in Manzana Verde
Massive market: Targeting the $244B Latin American market with a high-growth subscription model.
Profitable from day one: Strong double-digit margins after kitchen and delivery costs.
Lean operations: Virtually zero capital expenditure thanks to local kitchen partnerships for standardized, healthy meals.
Tech-powered efficiency: Proprietary technology streamlines recipes, quality control, and delivery, minimizing waste.
Experienced team: Seasoned CEO with food/wellness expertise, a financially savvy co-founder, and a strategic tech lead.
🍏 Manzana Verde
Manzana Verde offers a healthy meal subscription service for busy people in Latin America. With a monthly plan, customers get nutritious meals prepared by trusted local kitchens, all managed through Manzana Verde's smart tech platform. By partnering with these kitchens, the company delivers quality food quickly and efficiently while reducing waste. It's a simple, hassle-free way to eat well and live healthier without the stress of cooking or finding nutritious options daily.
Team. The Manzana Verde team is led by CEO Carlos Andrade, a data-driven serial entrepreneur in the food and wellness space, and Larissa Arias, a former financial auditor who co-founded the company after realizing the urgent need for healthy and accessible meals in Latin America. Itamar Garcia, the Tech Lead, brings a strategic technological vision that drives the company's efficient development, while Alejandra Rojas, Manager of People, empowers the team with her blend of experience in proptech and multinationals. This well-rounded leadership group leverages complementary skill sets to build a scalable and community-driven food tech business.
Market. The total addressable market (TAM) for Manzana Verde's healthy meal solutions in Latin America is an estimated $244 billion, with about 222 million adults potentially interested due to the region's high obesity rates. The serviceable addressable market (SAM) targets the 80 million adults who earn over $800 per month, creating an $88 billion opportunity. Focusing further on urban, middle-class consumers aged 25-45, the serviceable obtainable market (SOM) narrows to 13.5 million people across major cities, representing a $15 billion market segment.
Traction. Manzana Verde has seen impressive traction, reaching six figures in monthly recurring revenue (MRR). Their efficient partnership model and scalable tech ecosystem have driven significant growth, with a high monthly subscription value and healthy double-digit margins. Their tech-driven, standardized process has enabled them to outpace competitors in terms of efficiency and revenue per dollar raised, marking them as a standout player in Latin America's burgeoning foodtech market.
Leveraging the Power of Community. Manzana Verde harnesses the power of community by partnering with local kitchens to deliver high-quality, healthy meals. Customers who love their subscription service eagerly spread the word, creating organic growth. Their franchising model empowers local entrepreneurs, while B2B relationships strengthen connections with businesses that value employee wellness. Manzana Verde is quickly and effectively scaling by actively engaging with customers through their tech platform and promoting positive community impact, driving sustained growth.
Roadmap & Unicorn Potential. Manzana Verde’s roadmap includes aggressive growth plans like expanding monthly sales into the seven figures, franchising without the need for CapEx, and increasing B2B engagements. With a clear strategy for scaling operations and entering new markets, Manzana Verde is on a path that could very well lead them to achieving unicorn status, transforming the landscape of healthy food services in Latin America.
🙌🏽 You can also join the Manzana Verde family
To join the Manzana Verde family as a customer here or as an investor by becoming a Ganas Ventures LP at ganas.vc.
✨ Lolita Taub, GP at Ganas Ventures | X | luma
Ganas Ventures is actively investing $100K into pre-seed and seed community-driven startups in the US & Latin America. Learn more at ganas.vc.
Disclaimer: Ganas Ventures is a 506c fund that allows us to publicly solicit for our raise. All are welcome to apply to become an LP; however, commitments to Ganas Ventures will only be accepted by accredited investors.