A total of 100 single mothers who are heads of households will benefit from the sales of the products of the first “social business” (Empresa Social in Spanish) in Costa Rica, Nutrivida, through a sustainable production model, but nonprofit.
The company, which will begin operations next week and plans to begin marketing its products before December 15, will generate 10 direct and 100 indirect jobs.
Nutrivida will sell food at cost in order to eradicate malnutrition in Costa Rica.
The company comes to life through an alliance by Costa Rica’s Florida Ice & Farm (owner of Florida Bebidas) and Bangladeshi banker, economist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Muhammad Yunus, with a start up capital of US$600.000 dollars. The plant, located in Barreal de Heredia, was inaugurated on Monday
Ten full time employees will handle the production and packaging of products, a group of 100 single mothers will earn 30% commissions on their sales mainly to poor urban communities in San José, through the MANU (Mamás pro Nutrición) – Pro Moms Nutrition – network.
Nutrivida will manufacture food products that will be sold at a low price, is good tasting and fortified with vitamins and minerals. The products include infant cereal, instant chicken soup and a beverage powder. In addition, there will be a nutripak, containing soup and drink.
Through a collaboration with the Instituto Mixto de Ayuda Social (IMAS) and the NGO “Techo“, Nutrivida products will be also available throughout the rest of the country.
Nutrivida is also expected to be sold in the Musmanni bakeries and convenience stores, and a network of pulperias trough a distribution network of the Disal company.
Sources: El Financierio, Amelia Rueda, La Nacion
