Kai Pacha Foods transforms native quinoa varieties that are in danger of extinction into scalable, sustainable food products, working directly with indigenous high mountain communities in southern Peru to protect agrobiodiversity. Our dairy free quinoa milk is the first beverage made with climate resilient native quinoa varieties that are adapted to local environments.
In Quechua, Kay Pacha means "This Earth"- the present world in which communities play a crucial role in maintaining balanced, complimentary relationships with mother nature. At Kai Pacha, we believe that native crops are an opportunity to help communities build climate resiliency, create fairer value chains, and provide better quality natural foods that are perfect for a healthier, greener quality life.
Our Mission is to support Andean farmers and protect agrobiodiversity by creating markets for native quinoa and other superfoods in ways that provide the greatest possible benefit to producers, consumers and the environment.
Our Model
Kai Pacha channels the value of native crops with high levels of biodiversity into unique, high quality products. Buying threatened native crops directly from Andean farmers at fair prices is an incentive to conserve genetic resources for future generations.
The current global food system demands genetically standardized crops. Smallholder farmers struggling to move out of poverty plant for the international market in order to earn an income. As a result, precious genetic resources developed over thousands of years are lost forever. Much of the ability of these crops to adapt to diseases and diverse climate conditions is also lost.
By creating new markets for underutilized native crops, we are incentivizing Andean farmers to continue planting them. Genetic diversity helps native crops quickly adapt to changing conditions. Quinoa diversity can help build climate resilience so that present and future generations may adapt to the challenges of climate change.
KAI PACHA FOODS orders native crops from Andean farmers
ANDEAN FARMERS
sow native crops high in genetic diversity
NATIVE VARIETIES build climate resiliency over time
By using select native quinoa, we can produce better quality products such as quinoa milk. In many cases, native quinoa varieties have unique properties and nutritional benefits that make them ideal for producing value added products. As pioneers of agrobiodiversity food innovation, we are proving that diversity-rich native crops can be valuable and scalable, helping build the future of sustainable food in the process.
Diversity in the Andes presents endless possibilities for making innovative new products that consumers will love. We are open to collaboration with other companies interested in sourcing underutilized Andean superfoods.
Our Team
Alexander Wankel
Founder and CEO
Growing up in the U.S. with Peruvian roots inspired Alexander to pursue a career supporting micro-entrepreneurs in the Andes through fair trade and access to markets. After receiving his Undergraduate Degree in Anthropology and International Relations at Brown University, he wanted nothing more than to move to the Andes. As head of production for Faire Collection, Alex supervised exports from a dozen artisan groups in the coast, mountain and Amazon regions of Ecuador for large private label clients and at Awamaki, he managed grants from the US Department of State for education and capacity building programs supporting indigenous women's entrepreneurship. In 2015, he discovered the magic of Quinoa while volunteering at an agrobiodiversity conservation program run by Bioversity International. During many journeys into remote mountain communities, he learned about the amazing properties of rare and endangered quinoa varieties, as well as the poverty alleviating impact of responsible quinoa globalization. Through this experience Kai Pacha Foods was born.
Azdel Olarte Quispe
INGENIERO AGRO INDUSTRIAL Y EMPRENDEDOR SOCIAL
Graduado a los 23 años, mi labor en kaipacha foods es dinamizar ventas y mejorar las estrategias de posicionamiento del producto . Trato de tener un buen ambiente laboral con mis diferentes equipos de trabajo y capacitando a mis colaboradores de ventas.
Trabajo con diferentes marcas del mismo rubro optimizando el desarrollo de los procesos comerciales disminuyendo costos operativos con una filosofía Lean Six SIgma .
Vengo desarrollando proyectos sostenibles y circulares que ayuden al agricultor peruano a tener una mejor calidad de vida.
Daniela Schröter
Sales Representative
Daniela received a degree in Sociology at Universität Viadrina in Germany and an International Masters in Environmental Education at IIFA in Spain. She has experience as a coordinator, environmental educator, and promotional representative of Lima Compost. She has a background in nutrition, urban agriculture, and responsible consumerism and a natural talent for community outreach.
