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Jose Manuel Moller - Chilean, Latin America and the Caribbean

2018 Winner | | Chilean

I created Algramo, to be an impactful market-based solution for a major market failure that forces the most marginalized families of Latin America to pay ~30% more for life's essentials - what Algramo calls the "poverty tax". We do this by focusing on lowering the environmental and economic costs of essential products typically consumed by base of pyramid (BoP) families. Our channel of distribution is selling products in reusable containers (with ~US 30-cent deposit) via a network of 1,600+ small family owned neighborhood stores (FONS). In doing this, we foster reusable/recyclable packaging and promote circular economy principles to BoP families. This is critical as most packaging waste leaking into the environment comes from the BoP of emerging markets, and most families in these markets tend to lack an awareness of recycling. Algramo is proud to create and leverage financial savings to motivate environmentally responsible consumption.  

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I wanted to be a Change Maker who uses market-based solutions to benefit the environment and society. This lead me to create Algramo, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering family owned stores in Chile's BoP, aiming to make the cost of essentials more economically/environmentally sustainable. Major awards include: An Ashoka Fellowship, World Economic Forum Global Shaper designation, B Corp rated Algramo Best for the World, and Fast Company rated Algramo LATAM's Most Innovative Company. My goal now is to scale Algramo beyond our 1,600 stores in Santiago, into coastal cities where our impactful business model can greatly reduce ocean-plastic.

Disclaimer: NOTE: This content was shared online for the 2019 cycle of the Young Champions of the Earth programme and has not been updated. This listing does not constitute any endorsement by nor status with the UN Environment Programme.

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