Overview
Barnana began at the intersection of a childhood memory and the need for a clean alternative to energy bars. Founder Caue Suplicy grew up in Brazil snacking on solar-dried banana bites made with his father - a treat he fondly called “healthy candy.” Years later, as a triathlete in the U.S. searching for real-food fuel, nothing matched the wholesome simplicity of the snacks he remembered. That became the spark for Barnana: a mission to share the flavors of his past while reimagining the future of food.
In 2012, Caue co-founded Barnana alongside designer and entrepreneur Nik Ingersoll. What started with just bananas has since expanded to include plantains and cassava - all upcycled, all organic. In 2021, Barnana deepened its roots by acquiring its longtime Ecuadorian manufacturing partner, Agroapoyo, to become a true farm-to-shelf operation. Today, Barnana supports over 1,400 Indigenous and smallholder farmers across Ecuador, proving that a scalable food business can thrive by investing in people, planet and place.
Their approach goes beyond sourcing. Barnana has built a new supply chain from the ground up - establishing farmer collection centers, hiring agronomists to support yield and organic transition, and paying producers 30% above market price. By supporting farmers to stay on their land, improve their soil, and preserve rainforest ecosystems, Barnana is helping build a regenerative future one bite at a time.
Ecological, Social, and Economic Stewardship Practices
Ecological Stewardship:
- All sourcing of agricultural products, including deforestation-free bananas, cassava, and plantains, start with organic and biodiverse family farms.
- Barnana utilizes imperfect produce (up to 20% of crop does not fit requirements for exporting), which would otherwise be wasted.
- Through innovation, Barnana has intentionally diversified product offerings, which enabled farmers to create new income streams while increasing biodiversity on farms through companion planting and permaculture efforts (plantains shade coffee and cocoa plants; cassava grows in the understory, protecting soil).
- By working with farms in the Amazon versus coastal regions, cropland benefits from natural rainfall and is not reliant on irrigation systems.
- Mandatory controls are in place to support good agricultural practices through Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 for sourcing deforestation-free products. Polygonal mapping is used to verify compliance with the regulation’s conditions.
- Barnana invests in research efforts in order to increase yields while prioritizing ecosystem health.
Social Stewardship:
- Barnana’s most significant social impact is in job creation within underserved regions. Over 90% of the income generated supports women in remote areas of Ecuador.
- Somos Semilla Project was initiated by Barnana to prevent violence and promote education and resources for workers and their families.
- Barnana invests in physical and mental health resources, medical check-ups, and team building efforts to promote the health and wellbeing of workers.
- Barnana provides continuous encouragement for gender pay equality.
Economic Stewardship:
- Through upcycling efforts, Barnana has created new income streams with otherwise wasted product for farm families in the region.
- Barnana has created demand for new crops, promoting additional income for farmers and increasing on-farm biodiversity through the development of new products like cassava chips.
- Barnana sources directly from farmers and farmer co-ops, maintaining traceability in the supply chain.
- Farmers are paid above market price. Stable prices are set throughout the year which provides economic benefit to both Barnana and farmers.
- Barnana's largest investor is Eco Enterprises, who invests in companies who have a strong social impact in South America.
- Barnana's second largest investor, Hawthorne Group, invests in companies who focus on upcycling and food waste mitigation.
