DISCLAIMER: This podcast is not an endorsement for this opportunity, nor is it an investment recommendation or investment advice.
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The Ask: Up to $60M EUR to acquire land and establish high value teak plantations in Colombia
Blurb: Today on Pitch Pod, I'm joined by Michael Hayden, CEO of Scellec Teca to explore the company’s investment model for developing high-quality teak plantations in Colombia. Building on a first project that has deployed €32 million across nearly 4,000 hectares, Michael introduces Project Two – a greenfield teak investment seeking up to €60 million in institutional capital. We discuss why Colombia’s Caribbean region offers attractive growing conditions for teak, Scellec's approach to land acquisition and plantation management, and the role of FSC certification and carbon credits in the investment model. Michael explains the long-term supply and demand dynamics behind teak, including opportunities in Asian roundwood markets and higher-value end uses. We also dig into projected returns, timber growth and price assumptions, land values, currency and operational risks, and potential exit pathways. Finally, Michael shares lessons learned from Project One and explains why strong relationships with employees and local communities are fundamental to managing forestry assets for the long term.
“We would go as far as saying that the world needs Latin America to plant three million hectares of commercial teak. That is the only real solution we see as being able to take the pressure off the natural tropical hardwood forests.”
Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink
Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives
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Ecology-Agriculture-Environment via Pixabay
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