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

O 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.