IMPACTASSETS 50™
An Annual Showcase of Impact Investment Fund Managers
ImpactAssets 50
An Annual Showcase of Impact Investment Fund Managers
InvestEco Capital Corp
Fair Trade
Food Systems and Agriculture
Health and WellbeingFirm Overview
InvestEco is a venture capital fund manager focussed on high-growth North American companies that promote health and sustainability in the food and agricultural sector. We seek to deliver strong financial returns to our investors while helping our portfolio companies build a better world.
Years of Operation: 10 years or more
% of Capital from Top 3 Investors: 25% – 49%
In the food sector, the positive social or environmental impact of a company often forms an essential part of the company's brand value. By helping these companies increase sales, InvestEco thereby helps increase that positive impact while at the same time providing good financial returns to investors.
As an impact investor in the food sector, InvestEco seeks to help build businesses that make a positive contribution to our food system. These businesses make a wide range of positive contributions, be it to healthy diets (such as through organic plant-based food), the environment (such as through GHG emission avoidance), or to equity and fairness (such as through fair trade or diversity initiatives), but they all have in common that positive impact is an important part of what makes their products attractive to customers. In other words, impact is an essential driver of their sales. Accordingly, the positive impact of our investee companies is fully aligned with the financial interests of our investors.
InvestEco is differentiated both in its length and depth of its experience and its specialization in food sector impact investing. InvestEco was founded in 2003, many years before the concept of sustainable investing became popularized. In the time since then, InvestEco has developed unparalled (i) insights into the value of impact when investing, and (ii) impact investment networks and leadership. InvestEco is also unique in Canada as a food industry impact venture capital investor.
Investment Example
Vital Farms is an Austin, Texas-based egg producer dedicated to sustainable pasture-raising of chickens. Pasture-raising chickens is better for the environment than conventional methods in that it uses fewer chemicals and antibiotics; it is more humane in that pasture-raised chickens are given up to 108 square feet of living space per hen, whereas caged hens have less than ½ square foot; and it produces healthier eggs that are higher in Omega 3s, and vitamins A, D and E. InvestEco made its initial investment in Vital Farms in 2014 and after 6 years of incredible growth, InvestEco exited the investment following Vital Farm's successful Nasdaq IPO in 2020.
Leadership and Team
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Andrew Heintzman – Managing Partner More Info
Andrew Heintzman is a Managing Partner and co-founder of InvestEco Capital. Andrew sits on a number of corporate boards, including NadaMoo, Maple Hill Creamery, Le Grand and Mama Earth Organics. Andrew is also a director of the Tides Canada Foundation (where he is also board chair) and CanadaHelps, and a member of the Steering Committee for the Smart Prosperity Institute. |
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Alex Chamberlain – Managing Partner More Info
Alex joined the InvestEco team in 2002 and is a Managing Partner. Alex is both a lawyer and CFA charterholder. Prior to InvestEco, Alex practiced law at Smith Lyons (now Gowlings WLG) and worked in the Corporate Finance & Investment Banking Group at Pricewaterhouse Coopers Securities. Alex has sat on a number of portfolio company boards and is currently a director of LesserEvil and Chickapea, and a board observer of Sol Cuisine and The Jackfruit Company. |
Financial Performance
Impact Performance
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Percentage of Total Assets Under
Management that are Impact Investments: |
100%
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100% of InvestEco's investments are impact investments. When making an investment, InvestEco only selects food-related companies that have a positive impact on the environment, health, or social equity in the food system. A portion of the firm's due diligence process is dedicated to verifying this positive impact and selecting impacts metrics on which to report on an ongoing basis. The Limited Partnership Agreements for its funds further require that the impact be formally confirmed.
When assessing whether a company has a positive impact to the environment, health, of social equity in the food system, the firm's intrafirm practices are considered (for example, intrafirm sustainability initiatives, diversity and inclusion practices, and/or charitable contributions).
Impact Tracking and Monitoring
Learn More
Suite 400, 70 the Esplanade, Toronto, ON M5E1R2, Canada
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