Paulig's venture arm invests in biochar company Cotierra

Helsinki – PINC, the venture arm of international food and beverage company Paulig, has co-led a EUR 2.6 million investment round in Cotierra. The Swiss-based climate technology company develops decentralized biochar systems for agricultural value chains, focusing on enhancing the resilience of the coffee supply chain.

Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from agricultural residues, improves soil health and sequesters carbon from the atmosphere. The funding round, co-led with Carbon Removal Partners, aims to support Cotierra's transition from successful pilot projects to repeatable, multi-year commercial deployments.

Cotierra's solution addresses the challenge of underutilized agricultural residues in tropical regions, where farmers face declining soil health and climate pressures. The company provides technology and a digital platform for decentralized biochar production close to the source of biomass. This approach reduces transportation needs, returns carbon to the soil, and lowers supply chain emissions.

"The long-term resilience and productivity of agricultural value chains are fundamental for a food and beverage company like Paulig," said Karl Swensson, Investment Director at PINC. "We believe decentralized biochar can play an important role in reducing emissions and improving resilience in coffee-growing regions."

The investment aligns with Paulig's broader goal of building more sustainable food systems. Cotierra's technology offers a tangible pathway to reduce the carbon footprint of coffee and meet growing demand for carbon sequestration and emission reductions within the coffee sector.