Amid Carrefour’s boycott of Brazilian agriculture, French entrepreneur invests in açaí.

While Carrefour in France is boycotting Brazilian beef, a French entrepreneur is dreaming of flooding France with another national agricultural product — but one with less chance of sparking anger from French farmers: açaí.

Christophe Lextrait, an entrepreneur based in Lyon, has teamed up with Tropicool, a Brazilian açaí brand present in 12 countries and expanding globally in a market dominated by Oak Berry.

Lextrait will become the master franchisee for Tropicool in Europe, responsible for expanding operations in Andorra, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The first pop-up store will be launched in December 2024 in Spain, with the first franchises scheduled for January and February next year, starting in France and Spain.

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Tropicool was founded by Brazilians Caio Nabuco and Maurício Esteves, along with brothers Moe and Ahmed Al Thani, members of the royal family of Qatar. The brand began in the Middle East and Asia and arrived in Brazil this year, opening 3 stores in São Paulo. It now has 120 points of sale in 12 countries, including stores and kiosks.

Tropicool has developed a pulp that is shipped in Tetra Pak cartons at room temperature. The product is chilled when consumed, passing through frozen yogurt machines. Its shelf life is 12 months, and the products are organic, without colorants or syrups. The company also works with mango and coconut pulp, in addition to açaí, and offers not only cups with toppings but also smoothies and a line of ready-to-go products.

In addition to its health appeal, Tropicool has a partnership with SOS Amazonia and donates a portion of its profits to support family farmers in a reforestation project in Acre.