This idea is relevant to Direct because it helps to reduce significantly a critical problem as malnutrition suffered by children in the Peruvian Andes, in the most direct and unexpected way. We create a new way of interaction with the product and the brand like never before. It has helped to reduce malnutrition in the most unusual and efficient way in the Peruvian Andes at more than 3600 meters above sea level.

Janac Chuquibamba is probably one of the most inaccessible places in the Andes. It is a community located at more than 3600 meters above sea level. Very little food grows there, mostly vegetables and tubers, but protein is scarce. To obtain some protein, people eat a type of worm, but it’s not enough for their daily nutrition.

For that reason, rural communities have high malnutrition rates in Peru. 5 out 10 children are at risk of chronic malnutrition in in the Andes.

La Calera is the leading egg producer in Peru and its mission is to democratize nutrition nationwide. The big problem is that getting to Janac Chuquibamba is very difficult because of the rugged geography and the terrible state of the roads that end up damaging the egg packages. Furthermore, the weather conditions and the lack of storage spaces make it practically impossible to bring fresh eggs every week.

• Situation

La Calera is the largest egg producer in Peru and its mission is to democratize nutrition along the country. The great challenge is to be able to transport fresh eggs to inaccessible places like Janac Chuquibamba, a community located at 3,600 meters above sea level. A place with one of the highest malnutrition rates in Peru (5 out of 10 children suffer it). This has become an endemic condition, costing the Peruvian state millions due to cognitive loss experienced by adults during their early childhood.

• Brief

Find a sustainable solution that can provide nutrition through eggs for the children in the Andes.

• Objectives

To reduce the malnutrition rate in the residents of Janac Chuquibamba, especially in children.

Transporting quality and fresh eggs to Janac Chuquibamba every week is practically impossible, so we decided to, instead of that, adapted laying hens that could live in those conditions to assure families the nutrition that a daily serving of fresh eggs can give.

We collected the data on-site and with that, La Calera prepared the laying hens capable to survive in extreme conditions.

The target is all the families in Janac Chuquibamba in the Peruvian Andes (3,600 meters above sea level), especially children who suffer from malnutrition.

All of them were trained to raise the laying hens correctly and thus be able to supply themselves with fresh eggs daily.

To make this project sustainable, we create the Andes Hens package: every package sold are supporting to send more laying hens to Janac Chuquibamba.

With the help of experts, we prepared a special type of white hen (W-80 hen) with a selected diet comprising the scant food available in the region and adapted the poultry to the new climatic conditions. All without genetic manipulation.

This diet also contained the necessary nutrients for the laying hens to produce the required number of eggs without losing their quality.

To make it sustainable, La Calera delivered one rooster for each 10 hens and launched the Andes Hens egg Package to support the delivery of more hens to the Andes.

In addition, the program also consists in teaching how to raise and breed the laying hens, benefiting thousands of people.

Due the success of the project and because it’s self-sustainable, the project will be scaled to 4 more communities.

The Andes Hens egg package to support the program sold out across Peru, helping to deliver more hens to Janac Chuquibamba and other communities.

People around Perú are now better informed about the alarming malnutrition rates in the Andes.

La Calera Brand Perception rose positively, being perceived as a socially responsible brand.

+500 families benefited.

+1.000.000 eggs projected during 2024.

47% drop of malnutrition rates projected for the first 6 months.

4 more communities will be added to the program.