2024 Impact Report
Building Natural + Human Resources
Silk Grass Farms
To model a regenerative approach to agribusiness that is sustainable, replicable, and fair
Sustainable prosperity with meaningful impact
A letter from our co-founder
2024 was a year of growth at Silk Grass Farms — for our business and for our impact.
The idea at the heart of our work — adding value through every facet of our operations — means that as our business grows, so too do our opportunities to give back and pay it forward. After spending the last few years establishing our facilities and team and enhancing both our capacity and efficiency, 2024 was the first year in what we believe will be a chapter of significant growth for Silk Grass Farms.
Growing the business side of our enterprise is the foundation that enables us to grow our impact in every other area we influence. In 2024, our gross revenues and product sales more than doubled, our export sales increased sixfold, and our total product sales increased by 2.5 times. All of this allows us to increase our investments in the people and land that make this business possible.
We were able to reinvest in our team by expanding our workforce 11%, increasing our compensation packages, and enhancing our educational, health, family, and community supports. We also expanded our rainforest preservation and research initiatives, collecting baseline data to inform the Silk Grass Wildlife Preserve’s health, biodiversity, and carbon-offset potential, and hosting visiting researchers to study wildlife conservation, biodiversity, and scalable models for sustainable farming.
The inherent power of purpose-driven business is that behind every bottle of fresh coconut water or cold-pressed orange juice is a multifaceted web of impact that ultimately affects scores of people, plants, and animals. We feel privileged to build this one alongside our employees, customers, partners, and champions.
In community,
Mandy Cabot Co-founder
Company Timeline
FOUNDED
Purchased Citrus & Cattle Ltd. and Belize Fruit Processors Ltd.; incorporated Silk Grass Farms Ltd.; repaired roads and worker housing; cleared abandoned orchards for rehabilitation.
STRUCTURED + REBRANDED
Established company policies and developed business model; branded Silk Grass Farms; legally protected 24,500 acres of rainforest; planted 87,926 trees; created water retention basins; expanded workforce.
BUILT CAPACITY
Constructed a 130,000 square foot factory; planted new crops; built new worker housing; increased workforce; added coconut water and honey to sales mix; launched website; achieved B Corp and HACCP certifications.
BUILT TEAMS
Developed leadership teams; expanded workforce and improved compensation and benefits; built onsite elementary school for children of employees; installed state-of-the-art food processing equipment in the factory; expanded regenerative agriculture practices; established relationships with raw materials suppliers, co-packers, and new customers; activated monitoring of the wildlife preserve.
BUILT EFFICIENCY
Completed commissioning of new factory and began large scale fruit processing; installed 2 MW solar array to provide power to the factory; earned international Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification to ensure the health and safety of our food products; expanded onsite Sandy Creek Academy and childcare facility; completed renovation of the Great House Field Station at Silk Grass Wildlife Preserve; formalized stakeholder engagement programs; began tracking our institutional carbon footprint, working toward Carbon Neutral certification.
Company Timeline
2024 BUILDING NATURAL + HUMAN RESOURCES
• Expanded our workforce, offering competitive compensation, job training and professional development opportunities, and a safe, healthy work environment
• Reinforced our “people first” values by providing employee benefits including health insurance; paid time off; pension plan; housing; childcare and education
• Initiated baseline studies as the foundation for carbon-marketing efforts for both biochar production and forest preservation
• Began amassing baseline data for our forests, waterways, soils, and farms in collaboration with Stroud Water Research Center, Wild Earth Allies, ClimeCo, Panthera, Audubon and Savanna Field Station
• Developed and refined methods for the application of biochar to our soils, sequestering carbon and enhancing growing conditions for our crops
• Began the B Corporation recertification process
• Became Non-GMO and Kosher Pareve Certified
Measuring What Matters
Silk Grass Farms identified six of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to measure our impact and make positive change in the world. Silk Grass Farms is uniquely positioned to align our strategies and operations with the aspirations of the SDGs. We are committed to:
GOOD HEALTH + WELL BEING
• Ensuring employee health and safety
• Upholding food safety certifications (SQF and HACCP)
• Producing healthy consumer products
DECENT WORK + ECONOMIC GROWTH
• Offering fair compensation, benefits, and onsite housing
• Expanding employment opportunities
• Offering job training and professional development
SUSTAINABLE CITIES + COMMUNITIES
• Maintaining B Corp certification
• Engaging in long-range planning
• Reducing reliance on imported goods and increasing GDP
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION + PRODUCTION
• Restoring biodiversity and health to our soils
• Growing diverse crops and adding value at source
• Engaging in zero-waste circular economics
CLIMATE ACTION
• Developing biorefinery and bio-waste solutions
• Committing to Pledge Carbon Negative operations by 2030
• Operating a solar-powered factory
LIFE ON LAND
• Responsibly managing the Silk Grass Wildlife Preserve
• Conserving rainforest, wildlife, and biodiversity
• Engaging in soil health, water, and carbon management
Triple Bottom Line Impacts
As a Certified B Corporation, Silk Grass Farms is committed to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility. We have joined the global movement to elevate agriculture into an industry that provides high-quality employment and healthy food, while protecting natural resources. To be fully sustainable, the way we operate must be regenerative, viable, and fair. This is where People, Planet, and Prosperity intersect.
Providing local jobs not only helps reduce unemployment, but also supports the circulation of money within our local economy.
Tyeshia Casimiro Chief of Staff
People
3: Good Health + Well-Being
8: Decent Work + Economic Growth
In 2024, we deepened our commitment to employee workforce development and compensation. We broadened our support and resources for employees through job training and professional development, plus expanded employment opportunities. We grew our onsite elementary school and child-care facility. In keeping with company policy, team members were paid a living wage and received other fair compensation and benefits.
Employed women in more than 40% of all supervisory and managerial positions
Increased wages of lowest paid employee by 21% and agricultural workforce by 11%
Provided free health and wellness checks for employees
Grew overall workforce by 52%
Provided 105 children with financial assistance to cover school tuition, books, and uniforms
Supported 10 employees enrolled in higher education or specialized training Sponsored 12 local community events
Our crop management practices regenerate the soil and benefit the broader environment — all while yielding a top-quality product.
Peter Kjellerup Co-founder
Increased export sales nearly sixfold
PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS
prosperity
11: Sustainable Cities + Communities
12: Responsible Consumption + Production
In 2024, we continued strengthening our local and regional economies as our business grew exponentially. Our gross revenues and product sales more than doubled. In the fourth quarter, we became Belize’s largest exporter of value-added goods. We continued to develop fundamental systems to facilitate growth, including consolidation of operations at all four of our farm locations under a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning system.
Increased total product sales nearly times 2.5
43%
Established coconut water as a top-selling product, accounting for of total sales
Achieved SQF recertification
In our state-ofthe-art factory, we use advanced processing methods to ensure the highest standards of food safety.
Henry Canton Executive Director
prosperity
Increased coconut oil sales by 17%
Developed seven new products
Awarded Non-GMO and Kosher certifications
We conduct our operations in ways that are nurturing and respectful of the animals, plants, and people in our natural community.
Mandy Cabot Co-founder
PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS
Planet
13: Climate Action
15: Life on Land
In 2024, our environmental collaborations continued as we worked to collect baseline data to inform the Silk Grass Wildlife Preserve (SGWP’s) Conservation Action Plan. Our Great House Field Station provided laboratory space and temporary living quarters for visiting researchers to study biodiversity, land management, and scalable models for sustainable farming. We hosted visits from key partners, including Savanna Field Station, Stroud Water Research Center, Wild Earth Allies, Panthera, National Audubon Society, and ClimeCo.
Initiated a REDD+ project to prevent deforestation and promote sustainable land use
Hosted workshops to engage stake-holders with the Silk Grass Farms and Silk Grass Wildlife Preserve carbon projects
Initiated conversations with Belize government to co-manage the 95,000 acre Sittee River Forest with the Belize government
Identified large populations of the White-lipped Mud Turtle; documented the rare Bigclaw River Shrimp and Mexican Climbing Salamander
Conducted night surveys revealing 11 Morelet’s crocodiles across various life stages
Observed a
in documented tree species since 2023
Installed a MOTUS tracking tower, confirming Silk Grass Wildlife Preserve as part of a key migratory route
The development of the nursery allows our employees, especially new mothers, the opportunity to return to work with peace of mind, knowing that their child is nearby and can be breastfed in a private space. This creates a healthy worklife balance and supports parents in their career objectives.
—
Dorene
Sabal, CFO (and mother of an SCA student)
Sandy Creek Academy
In its third year, our onsite school and daycare facility, Sandy Creek Academy, continued to nurture growth and exploration. Now licensed by the Belize Ministry of Education, the school saw its enrollment grow from 12 to 17 students. We enhanced our competency-based learning system with expanded arts and science programs.
Expanded music program
Completed construction of a nursery/daycare facility attached to our main schoolhouse
Expanded science program, introducing students to regenerative farming
Received grant funding to purchase digital tools including laptop computers for students and faculty
2025 and beyond
HUMAN RESOURCES
• Roll out company-wide adoption of Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)
• Continue renovation and/or new construction of worker housing and community kitchens across all farms
• Increase team member participation in continuing education and professional development
• Expand Sandy Creek Academy: add assembly room, lab and library; expand kitchen; construct new building for high school students
• Launch housing development project to provide affordable housing to 30 of our managers
FARMING
• Upgrade and expand cacao and coconut processing facilities
• Construct and equip post-harvest sorting and ripening facility for fruit
• Construct gravity-fed irrigation system in critical planting areas
• Build and commission facilities for processing coconut husks and pith into valuable soil amendments
• Finalize and market REDD+/CCB and Biochar carbon credit projects
PRODUCTS + SALES
• Continue product development for “All Things Coconut,” expand tropical juice blends and fruit purees
• Recruit senior Commercialization Director to help implement regional and international sales strategies
• Explore potential product certifications such as Fair Trade, Sustainably Grown, Rainforest Alliance, and Regenerative Organic
• Establish co-packing relationships with Belizean and other Caricom producers who wish to utilize processing capabilities
PARTNERSHIPS
• Expand local and international sales and sourcing networks; develop partnerships with entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and suppliers
• Conduct baseline analysis of cultural artifacts / structures located at Silk Grass Farms utilizing both LiDAR and archaeological field research
• Expand stakeholder relationships with higher education and eco-tourism partners to provide greater access to the Silk Grass Wildlife Preserve
• Co-manage the 95,000-acre Sittee Forest Reserve in partnership with the Belize government
CHALLENGES
To achieve our stated goals, we are actively working to mitigate challenges, including:
• Soil fertility and productivity
• Seasonal worker shortages
• Climate change (more severe and prolonged wet and dry seasons)
• Global economic and geopolitical instability
• Import/Export shipping logistics
