UN Partners with Nilus to Improve Food Access for Low-Income Communities in Lima

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) have strengthened their partnership with food services technology company Nilus to improve food access for low-income communities in Lima, Peru. This collaboration aims to provide healthy food and groceries to over 150,000 people through 2,500 community kitchens, government-supported canteens, and restaurants by 2028.

As part of this initiative, UNCDF will offer a local currency loan to Nilus, which is expected to attract additional impact-aligned investments from private investors. The loan agreement was formalized at the UN General Assembly in New York, where UNCDF Executive Secretary Pradeep Kurukulasuriya and Nilus Co-founder and CEO Ady Beitler signed the deal.

The loan is part of broader support that Nilus has received from the WFP Innovation Accelerator since 2022. Nilus, a digital retailer for underserved populations, uses a mobile app and logistics technology to provide low-cost access to healthy food. By consolidating orders from low-income communities, Nilus has helped consumers, including community kitchens and schools, save significantly on food and transportation costs.

This financial support comes under the WFP Innovation BRIDGE Facility, a partnership designed to scale innovations that address hunger. The Facility uses flexible financing tools to support impact-driven businesses like Nilus and encourages additional investments by reducing risks for other investors.