[Edaily Reporter Kim Jeong-yu] #MeatBoxGlobal is stepping up efforts to foster young agri-food startups.

Meatbox Global announced on the 19th that it will invest 3.9 billion won in the Meatbox Agri-Food Youth Startup Growth Fund (Agri-Food Youth Fund).

The total fund size is 10 billion won, consisting of 60% government funds (such as the Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, and Food Investment Master Fund) and 40% private funds (such as Meatbox Global). Meatbox Global, the largest private investor, will participate as a limited partner (LP).

The Agri-Food Youth Fund primarily targets companies in the agri-food sector that have moved beyond the early startup stage and are now entering a phase of full-scale market expansion and commercialization.

Meatbox Global plans to use this investment as an opportunity to expand its business capabilities beyond its existing business-to-business (B2B) platform for livestock product companies to encompass the entire agri-food distribution sector.

Based on its proprietary transaction data, the company is also actively exploring partnerships with related industries such as smart farming and food tech. Meatbox provides its member companies with the “Meatbox Index,” which utilizes wholesale market prices and forecast data for specific products.

Meatbox Global plans to use the funds secured following its KOSDAQ listing last year to explore new business opportunities. The fund contributions are scheduled to be paid in installments over approximately four years starting this year, creating a stable structure that allows the company to secure mid- to long-term growth opportunities while managing its financial burden.

A company official stated, “This investment marks the starting point for MeatBox to expand its role beyond a livestock product trading platform to encompass the entire agri-food distribution ecosystem,” adding, “We will identify young companies with excellent technological capabilities and execution skills, and actively seek partnerships that can leverage MeatBox’s strengths.”