We’ve followed up our first co-investment with Key Fund, in 2022, with a joint investment in Farm Urban, alongside Sumerian Partners.
Kindred’s long-term relationship with Farm Urban led to us connect them with Sumerian Partners, supporting a new partnership between the two organisations. The Kindred team has worked with Farm Urban for more than eight years during the pilot phase of Kindred, alongside support from other local infrastructure organisations, getting to know Farm Urban’s approach and requirements.
Now, Sumerian has invested £125,000 to support Farm Urban’s mission to revolutionise food systems in cities. The investment will help the Farm Urban team scale its partnerships with local authorities, schools, businesses, and community organisations – these help them enhance ESG (environmental, social and governance) practices, support their workforces, and demonstrate the feasibility of growing and delivering fresh, nutritious superfoods.
Kindred’s director, Jen Van der Merwe, says: “Kindred has invested patient and flexible blended finance and provided non-financial support to Farm Urban over the last three years – and we’ll continue to do so. We’re proud to witness the growth Farm Urban has made since our initial investment and see the impact that it creates within communities.”
Collaboration is one of Kindred’s founding principles, with STOs agreeing that collaboration is a key activity, leading to stronger communities and a stronger social economy. As a result, Kindred has actively sought other like-minded social investors to collaborate and co-invest, to ensure that all the needs of STOs are met, and to attract inward investment. The Farm Urban co-investment is a prime example of catalytic and collaborative investment in action – capital that helps drive further investment, particularly amongst organisations which are otherwise locked out of conventional investment sources.
Sumerian partner Chris West said: “We were impressed by Kindred’s catalytic impact in terms of mobilising support to social enterprises operating in Liverpool and keen to establish a partnership with them.”
Paul Myers, who is the Managing Director of Farm Urban, said: “Both Sumerian Foundation and Kindred have invested the time to get to know our business, understanding how we work, what the risks and opportunities are. It feels like they both really understand what it is like to run an STO and make it work. “e have huge ambitions for Farm Urban and are excited to go on that journey with Sumerian Foundation and Kindred. With this targeted investment we can build an initiative and a momentum that can be replicated in other areas of the country.”