PHT Growth Fund to acquire and invest in post-harvest cold chain

GREENWICH, CT / ACCESSWIRE / August 19, 2024 / In a sector of the agricultural industry sorely in need of innovation, a new private equity investment platform has been launched to disrupt the status quo.

PHT Investment Group today announced the launch of a new fund as a next step in its mission to transform the post-harvest infrastructure sector. PHT Growth Fund LP is a new investment vehicle established to make strategic acquisitions and investments in temperature-controlled food supply chains, with a mission to support the movement of fresh produce from field to table.

"The post-harvest infrastructure sector is long overdue for improvement; right now, globally, over a trillion dollars of food goes to waste each year," said Jim White, PhD, Founder and CEO of PHT Investment Group LLC, the general partner of PHT Growth Fund. "Our new fund will dramatically reduce that wastage through the changes we are making in the industry. Investing in a carefully selected portfolio of cold storage infrastructure assets and mission-critical logistics will increase productivity, increase shelf life, increase the nutritional value of fresh produce, and reduce waste. All of this will result in savings at the retail level…as well as profits to growers and investors."

PHT Growth Fund was founded on White's vision of building the first and only investment firm in the nation that focuses on the post-harvest infrastructure sector. He built the platform to make a global impact, and to disrupt and innovate in an essential industry overlooked and underfunded.

According to White, there is much work to be done in the fresh produce supply chain. "Right now, one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost due to spoilage, mainly because of outdated infrastructure and improper handling after harvest," he said. "We aim to change that. Our mission is to combine diversified investments in pre-cooling, cold storage, infrastructure, logistics, and technology to revolutionize the ag industry and eliminate food waste…to the immense benefit of growers, consumers, and investors."

The post-harvest infrastructure sector is the nexus of the global food supply chain, sitting at the intersection of next-generation technology, mission-critical logistics, and environmentally sustainable infrastructure in a sector of the agricultural space dating back almost a century. When fresh produce is pre-cooled immediately after harvest and before being placed into cold storage, the nutritional value and shelf life of the commodities are maximized.

"Private equity investors, family offices, institutions, and corporate investors who are interested in our capabilities for the future should also know our history," White said. "We trace our operational roots to 1936 when Growers Ice Company was established in Salinas, California. Back then, Growers Ice coined the term ‘iceberg lettuce' when train cars full of lettuce were cooled by block ice produced at our original campus facility. That campus still operates today and remains a major fixture in the Salinas Valley agriculture industry. Over these 88 years, we've developed deep sector expertise in fresh produce pre-cooling, cold storage, infrastructure, logistics, and industrial equipment design, engineering and manufacturing."

White understands the challenges of overhauling the agricultural industry. In many areas its infrastructure is obsolete. Improper wastewater management is an impediment. Decarbonization is not prioritized. Existing cold storage facilities are antiquated and in desperate need of redevelopment. New legislation and government funding is critical but is too often slow to materialize. PHT Growth Fund offers a vehicle to make unparalleled change in an essential market.

"We are at a crossroads, politically, economically, and socially, with significant stressors ranging from who will lead our country across a gaping divide to grappling with the rising cost of living," White continued. "But if we become forward-thinking visionaries who apply critical thinking skills to the existing problems of a given industry, we can not only solve some of our most pressing issues but can create a ripple effect for positive global change."

As a Vietnam Army combat veteran and philanthropist, White is passionate about the social impact of his strategy. He says the more his projects can innovate and get product to consumers safer, faster, and less expensive, the more positive change he drives.

"When we ask, ‘Can a company be lucrative and do enormous good in the world?' our answer is a resounding yes. Our mission is to deliver predictable, sustainable long-term value for our investors and stakeholders, with careful attention to sustainability and to serving the communities in which we operate," White added.

For more information and to access the investor portal, visit www.PHTInvestmentGroup.com.

About:

Dr. Jim White is Chairman and CEO of Post Harvest Technologies, Inc., as well as Founder and CEO of PHT Investment Group. He is the bestselling author of five books, including Broken America: Ten Guiding Principles to Restore America and Opportunity Investing: How to Revitalize Urban and Rural Communities with Opportunity Funds. Throughout his career, he has bought, expanded, and sold 23 companies operating in 44 countries. He is a Vietnam army combat veteran and holds a B.S. in civil engineering, an MBA, and a doctorate in psychology and organizational behavior. He shares his insights and critical thinking skills in a webcast series, Healing America with Dr. Jim White, in which he explores the many issues and challenges faced by our nation - and how to fix them.

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CONTACT: Jake Levison / jake@phtinvestmentgroup.com

SOURCE: PHT Investment Group LLC