Text: Maxi Media Communication
Image: Disclosure/Tribo Superfoods
A symbol of the Amazon and beloved in the global superfood market, açaí is today one of the strongest production chains in the Brazilian bioeconomy. In Pará alone, the state that produces the most of the fruit in the country, more than 150,000 families depend directly on the activity to generate income. The product, which has already won over nutritionists, athletes, and consumers worldwide for its nutrients and distinctive flavor, is now taking a new step towards innovation: it is entering the world of tokenization.
THE Tribe Superfoods and the ForestiFi, both startups supported by Amaz Impact Accelerator, completed the first tokenization operation for açaí, carried out in Igarapé-Miri (PA). The private issuance raised R$$ 200,000 in resources, with the sale of 8,000 tokens, all acquired by qualified investors. The amount will be allocated to the local production chain, strengthening the relationship between producers, industry, and the market.
Tokenization is a blockchain-based technology that allows a real asset—such as an açaí harvest—to be transformed into a digital asset, the "token." Each token represents a fraction of the asset's value, allowing investors to support the operation and receive returns tied to the actual production performance. More than just a way to raise capital, tokenization ensures traceability and transparency throughout the entire chain: from the producer to the end consumer.
According to Maurício Pantoja, co-founder of Tribo Superfoods, this innovation aims to solve a historical problem in the açaí supply chain: the low value passed on to small producers.
“Açaí is a product with high demand, but it's treated as a commodity. Small producers end up losing profit margins, while the consumer at the end of the chain is willing to pay more for a fruit with quality, provenance, and a positive impact. Tokenization ensures that this difference in value is distributed fairly, benefiting those who truly care for the forest,” explained the businessman.
THE Tribe Superfoods The company operates by producing pure, additive-free açaí pulp, which is sold to other companies, including for export. ForestiFi, in turn, was responsible for structuring and issuing the tokens. According to Macaulay Abreu, co-founder of the investment platform, the operation seeks not only to raise capital but also to test and improve a scalable investment model for the socio-bioeconomy chains of the Amazon.
“The açaí supply chain has enormous potential for investment initiatives via tokenization. This initial operation helps us understand the specific challenges of the sector and plan for increasing investment volumes in the coming years,” he stated.
According to Macaulay, tokenization also brings direct efficiency gains for the operator, in this case, Tribo Superfoods, allowing for the anticipation of resources and
guaranteeing immediate working capital for the purchase of production from the cooperatives. "Before, payments could take days. Now we can pay on the same day, which makes it easier for producers and gives agility to the operator," he explained.
For producers in Igarapé-Miri, the advancement of tokenization represents a milestone for a chain that sustains thousands of families and keeps the local forest-based economy alive. Producer Leubaldo Costa, from the Caepim cooperative in Igarapé-Miri (PA), emphasizes that açaí has always played a central role in the municipality. According to him, the fruit is both the staple food for families and the main economic engine of the region.
“"Açaí ensures that we can clothe our children, send them to school, improve our homes and our transportation. It helped the municipality overcome periods of great difficulty. Today, it's what keeps our families going," he stated.
Leubaldo emphasizes that the partnership with Tribo Superfoods has contributed to strengthening this sustainable model. According to the producer, the company brought technical knowledge and new tools to enhance the quality and value of the product, along with the community's own commitment to good production practices and environmental preservation.
“We already produce with awareness and respect for the forest. Tribo has arrived to add to that, with innovation and new experiences, strengthening what we already do. This model brings hope for a fairer income and a better future for producers and the forest,” he concluded.
Partnerships that yield good results.
Tribo Superfoods and ForestiFi are startups being accelerated by Amaz Aceleradora de Impacto, a program whose mission is to boost businesses in the Amazonian socio-bioeconomy and promote sustainable development in the region.
Both companies began their acceleration journey this year, and the initiative reinforces one of the program's pillars: fostering strategic connections between entrepreneurs, investors, and local communities to strengthen business models that generate positive impact and income in the forest.
“Beyond strengthening each of the supported and invested businesses individually, Amaz's objective as an ecosystem facilitator is to enable collective solutions – that entrepreneurs and businesses find a collaborative and safe environment to implement innovations that leverage their positive impacts and also their business model. The joint operation between Tribo and ForestiFi demonstrates that, when well-articulated and intentional, cooperation has the potential to generate a significant competitive advantage for the sector,” explains Gabriela Souza, operations manager at Amaz.
