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$53,800 invested by 33 lenders
$100,000
12 days left to close
Sober Island Oysters
Sober Island, CA
instalment
monthly
term
3 years
a year
7.5%
rating
C+
Boosting oyster cultivation in Nova Scotia
Description
Oyster farming was practiced by the ancient Romans as early as the 1st century BC on the Italian peninsula and later in Britain for export to Rome. Today, oyster farms provide essential environmental benefits to coastal seas by organically improving the water, air, and species that make neighbouring ecosystems.
In Nova Scotia, at the forefront of aquaculture innovation is Sober Island Oyster Farm. This venture focuses on the cultivation of oysters — a key player in both the ecological health of marine environments and the thriving Canadian aquaculture economy.
Sober Island is seeking a loan to purchase 500,000 small oysters and grow them. At a cost of 20 cents per seed, these two-inch oysters are carefully nurtured for 12 to 24 months, (compared to their normal 60 months) in which they reach a sellable size, generating on average $1 per oyster. This investment not only forecasts a quick return but also aligns with clear, measurable outcomes. Significantly, during their growth, each oyster plays a vital role in marine health by filtering up to 190 litres of water daily.
Sober Island isn't just a farm; it's a family's commitment to quality, sustainability, and the joy of sharing fresh oysters straight from the sea. Supporting them means investing in a greener future and savoring the taste of conservation.
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The Impact
It’s predicted that food production must double by 2050 to meet the demand from the world’s growing population. Alternative protein sources from a sustainable blue economy can relieve pressure on agricultural land.
Oysters are a nutritious, low-impact protein provider. They’re packed with vitamin D, vitamin B12, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Oysters do not require any additional nutrients or food sources other than what is already in their water habitat, and they remarkably leave the environment they are raised in cleaner than they found it.
The World Wildlife Foundation calls Oysters the “unsung heroes of climate change” due to their incredible qualities in fighting against global warming. Oysters contribute to a healthier ocean, through carbon sequestration within their shell structures, and through filtering the water by extracting phytoplankton and organic matter.
Oysters are essential service providers to ocean ecosystems, providing food, freshwater, clean air and shelter. Oyster reefs are natural barriers against coastal erosion and storm surges, mitigating natural disasters, pests and diseases while helping to regulate the climate.
Direct Impact
- Reduce waste generation and improve waste management: Waste from the oyster grading process consists of dead oyster / mussel shells, bits of vegetation, sea growth, and other natural discard. Sober island saves and uses this waste material for local use by home gardeners, chicken farmers etc. to be used as fertilizer and/or chicken feed.
- Increase resilience and adaptation to climate change related risks: By changing the size of oyster they grow, Sober Island Oysters has decreased their risk to the increasing number of natural disasters that are effecting their farm. Larger oysters are more resilient and easier to access for the farmers. In General, oysters provide coastal protection, acting as a buffer against storm surges.
- Promote sustainable marine economic activities: This loan will finance the purchase of 450,000 - 500,000 oysters. Oysters remove, concentrate and store carbon from the surrounding environment to grow their outer shells. Approximately 12% of the overall shell mass of an oyster is carbon which is extracted from their environment.
- Promote restoration of marine ecosystems: Sober Island Oyster Farm occupies 9 hectares of water surface, and this project will occupy approximately 3.5 hectares of water surface area.
Indirect Impact
- Reach higher levels of productivity while promoting fair work opportunities: This project will pave the way for the creation of another job and 2 part-time employees.
- Improve awareness and capacity to act on climate change mitigation and adaptation: Sober Island improves awareness of the environmental benefits of oysters through their educational initiatives, their most popular one being their farm tours.
Impact Indicators
3.5
Hectares for biodiversity
Contribution to the Sustainable
Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goals
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Financial viability
In 2023 the company had revenues of $200,000 from the core business and an EBITDA of $97,000 (including $42,000 in grants). It estimates revenues of approximately $241,000 and $274,000 for 2024 and 2025, respectively. Based on the investment the company is making, buying oysters that will allow them to shorten the cycle to market, estimates a peak in revenues of approximately $505,000 for 2026.
The forecasted financials present an EBITDA that is sufficient to comply with the debt service of the loan, of approximately $37,000 per year.
On the balance sheet side, the company incurred significant losses a couple of years ago due to a natural disaster, incurring a situation of negative own funds. That said, the company has been slowly recovering, expecting to revert this situation by 2025.
Guarantees
The loan granted to the borrower, SOBER ISLAND OYSTERS LIMITED, will have the following guarantees:
- Personal guarantees from the two majority shareholders in the total amount of the loan.
The Borrower
About SOBER ISLAND OYSTERS LIMITED
Sober Island Oysters Ltd. is an aquaculture business located in Nova Scotia, founded by Trevor and Michelle Munroe in 2005. Transitioning from the corporate world, the Munroes embarked on a mission to create a sustainable oyster farm on Sober Island. Today, the farm is celebrated for producing premium oysters, a testament to their dedication to advanced aquaculture practices and technologies. But Sober Island's ambitions extend beyond oyster farming; it's a company deeply committed to environmental stewardship. Through collaboration with research institutions like Dalhousie University, Sober Island Oysters Ltd. plays a crucial role in driving forward aquaculture research and promoting sustainability within the marine ecosystem.
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The team
Trevor Munroe
President
Michelle Munroe
Vice President
Kirk Royea
Operator
Richard Dingle
Operator
Business Model
As a small, family-run business, Sober Island Oysters sells their product locally, to Nova Scotian seafood distributors. Farm tours / off-site events provided by the Munroe family are not only a fun and educational way to promote oyster education but also provide another revenue stream for Sober Island Oysters.
Active since
2005
Fiscal country
CA
Operating In
Canada
Industry
Agriculture, Aquaculture, Horticulture & Livestock
Number of Goparity Loans
1
Women Shareholders
Yes
Website
http://soberislandoysters.com/Updates
2024-03-28
Open for investment
This campaign is open for investment
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Sober Island Oysters
Goparity Canada is a sustainable finance platform and app that aims to democratize access to impact investing. By prioritizing accessibility, we make it possible for all kinds of investors to contribute to sustainable development projects in Canada. Goparity is one of the fastest growing platforms in Europe, and Goparity Canada is co-owned and operated by Canadian entrepreneurs. Goparity Canada humbly acknowledges the Indigenous Peoples who have stewarded the lands and waters of the places we call home. To realize a just and sustainable future we recognize the harmful legacy of colonization, both past and present, and go forward together in the spirit of reconciliation. Peel Region is part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. In particular, we acknowledge the territory of the Anishinabek, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Ojibway/Chippewa peoples; the land that is home to the Metis; and most recently, the territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
60 Admiral Blvd.
Mississauga, ON
Canada
© 2021 Goparity Canada
Goparity Canada Securities Inc. is a licenced Exempt Market Dealer (EMD) in Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Manitoba. Part or all of your original invested capital may be at risk and the return on your investment depends on the success of the corresponding small to medium-sized business invested in. Any historical returns, expected returns, or projections may not reflect actual future performance.