“Unlocking entrepreneurship where it matters most.”


Root Capital is a nonprofit social investment fund that grows rural prosperity in poor, environmentally vulnerable places by lending capital, delivering financial training, and strengthening market connections for food and agricultural businesses in more than 25 countries around the world. Root Capital is providing these services to Africa-based food processors in collaboration with Partners in Food Solutions.

Working with PFS is one way that Root Capital is expanding their services to areas beyond lending and financial management training, helping businesses overcome other capacity gaps that prevent them from scaling and succeeding. In the past, Root Capital has been able to finance agro-processors to purchase equipment, or help these businesses strengthen their financial processes, but they’ve never been able to help them select that equipment, or improve the nutritional content of their products until now. Simply put, PFS offers Root Capital and their clients a more robust and effective toolbox.

The partnership allows the organizations to create more impact together than either would be able to achieve individually. By combining Root Capital financing and training with the technical expertise of PFS, they’re able to provide more support to entrepreneurs and small businesses leaders and their communities. In turn, PFS has been able to leverage Root Capital’s strong network throughout Africa, and the relationships and networks that their team has built over the last decade. It’s a win-win.

General Mills
General Mills, the founding member of Partners in Food Solutions, is one of the world’s leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Cargill
Cargill is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services. Founded in 1865, the privately held company employs 150,000 people in 70 countries.
DSM
With a nearly 30,000 strong team and unparalleled capabilities built on more than a century of cutting-edge science, dsm-firmenich is a trailblazer in the reinvention, manufacturing, and combination of vital nutrients, flavors, and fragrances.
Bühler
Bühler is a global leader in the field of process engineering, in particular production technologies and services for producing foods and manufacturing advanced materials. Bühler operates in over 140 countries and has a over 10,000 employees worldwide.
Hershey
The Hershey Company, headquartered in Hershey, PA, is a global confectionery leader known for bringing goodness to the world through its chocolate, sweets, mints and other great-tasting snacks.
Ardent Mills
Ardent Mills is committed to transforming how the world is nourished.
Smucker's
Inspired by more than 120 years of business success and five generations of family leadership, The J. M. Smucker Company makes food that people and pets love. The Company’s portfolio of 40+ brands, which are found in 90 percent of U.S. homes and countless restaurants, include iconic products consumers have always loved such as Folgers, Jif and Milk-Bone plus new favorites like Café Bustelo, Smucker’s Uncrustables and Rachael Ray Nutrish.