responsAbility finances strategic facility acquisition by specialty tomato producer Rising Farms in Mexico

Zurich / Mexico City, May 15, 2025 – As part of its Sustainable Food Latin America Strategy, Swiss impact asset manager responsAbility Investments AG (responsAbility) has provided financing to Rising Farms, a high-tech greenhouse operator in Mexico, to acquire a state-of-the-art facility in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The transaction supports Rising Farms’ expansion in response to increasing demand for specialty tomatoes from the United States and Canada and further sustainable agricultural practices in the region.

Rising Farms operates high-tech indoor greenhouses which ensure a steady, year-round supply of high-quality specialty tomatoes. Its farming model supports the availability of healthy food and promotes efficient resource usage. Compared to traditional open-air farming, high-tech indoor agriculture significantly reduces water consumption while increasing yields, providing a more sustainable approach to food production. Controlled-environment farming also mitigates the impact of meteorological events, ensuring more stable and resilient food production despite climate variability.

Expansion supports local employment and regional development

The investment will enable Rising Farms to add a third production site, expanding its footprint and creating new employment opportunities in the communities of San Luis Potosí. The company’s growth strategy and operating philosophy aligns well with responsAbility´s sustainability goals.

Shared commitment to long-term impact and resource efficiency

Emiliano Vargas, Investment Officer, Sustainable Food Latin America Strategy at responsAbility, said: “We are excited to support the growth of Rising Farms. Their focus on food quality and sustainability practices aligns well with responsAbility’s objective to support companies driving long-term positive impact in food systems, particularly with respect to resource efficiency.”

Pablo Ricaud, Co-Founder and CEO of Rising Farms, said “We are committed to our mission of scaling up the future availability of food by doing more with less, as we strive to become the highest-growing company in the high-tech, specialty tomato category worldwide”

responsAbility’s Sustainable Food Latin America Strategy

responsAbility’s Sustainable Food Latin America Strategy supports vertically integrated agribusinesses in Latin America that produce export-oriented agricultural products, primarily fresh fruits and vegetables. The strategy provides long-term capital in the form of customized structured credit solutions to finance the growth and expansion of export-focused enterprises.

Through this strategy, responsAbility has previously invested in Agrovision, a leading vertically integrated fresh produce exporter with main operations in Peru and Mexico; Campos Borquez, a pioneer in regenerative organic farming in Mexico; and FLP Global, a producer and exporter of fresh fruits across Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. The latest investment in Rising Farms aligns with this approach, strengthening the agricultural value chain and reinforcing the strategy’s commitment to sustainable food production.

Latin America – The Globe’s Garden

Latin America is a region with a competitive advantage in natural resources. It boasts immense biodiversity and diverse climate zones, making it ideal for several production windows across both tropical and temperate fruit and vegetable varieties. Combined with an increasingly health-conscious consumer market, the export volume for fruit and vegetables has greatly increased in recent decades. It is expected to continue growing due to rising consumer demand in the future. Through investments in sustainable agriculture, responsAbility's Sustainable Food Latin America Strategy supports environmentally friendly practices that have a long-term positive impact on local communities and ecosystems.