Farmerline, the agtech startup, has been selected for the inaugural cohort of the Unreasonable Food programme.
Founded in 2013 by Alloysius Attah and Emmanuel Addai, Farmerline provides farming education, access to inputs, and traceability solutions to improve smallholder farmer incomes significantly. Farmerline empowers growers with tools that translate into sustainable, healthy incomes for their families, transforming their lives.
What does the Unreasonable Food programme offer?
The Unreasonable Food programme is a strategic collaboration between Mars, the global snack conglomerate, and Unreasonable Group, the venture builder that seeks to support growth-stage ventures and their leaders in driving sustainability at scale across the food value chain. The multi-year partnership will help the portfolio of globally scalable solutions at the intersection of science, technology, sustainability, and regeneration.
Selected founders will join the Unreasonable Fellowship, gaining access to its global network of advisors and mentors, connections to the more than 2,200 investors and support through its international community. Additionally, founders will gain relational access to Mars Snacking’s global leadership team, which seeks to integrate solutions uniquely positioned to help them achieve their sustainable goals in their products, supply chains, brands, and operations.
Are such corporate-backed venture programs worth the hustle?
Corporate-backed venture programs like Unreasonable Food can be instrumental in addressing global challenges like climate change and food sustainability. When Mars becomes a customer of these startups, it can provide significant opportunities for the startups to scale their businesses and increase their impact. As a major global food company, Mars offers a vast distribution network, market insights, and resources to help startups reach new customers and markets.
Additionally, partnering with corporates can provide startups with valuable feedback and guidance on product development, helping them tailor their offerings to meet the needs of a broader consumer base. However, startups must also navigate the complexities of working with a large corporate customer, including meeting rigorous quality and compliance standards, negotiating contracts, and potentially adapting their operations to align with set requirements.
Source: Mars
