Sustainable Food Tech ETF Launches

Today, Defiance ETFs, a firm focused on disruptive technology and next-generation investment themes, rolled out an ETF targeting companies focused on food-related technologies. The Defiance Next Gen Food and Agriculture ETF (DIET) targets the themes of “alternative plant-based sources of meat, … seed modification, sustainable farming and irrigation techniques,” a press release said.

“What we are providing to investors is really exposure to the companies that are leading the charge in the way food is being produced and some of the innovative things happening in food,” said Paul Dellaquila, president of Defiance ETFs.

Underlying Index

Dellaquila notes that the growing population will place more and more constraints on the global food supply, while at the same time consumers are becoming more health conscious and environmentally conscious. The fund is designed to address those trends.

The fund tracks the BlueStar Food and Agriculture Sustainability Index, which divides its components into four tiers. The largest tier, weighted at 50% of the index, covers flavors and fragrances, baby food, alternative sweeteners and agricultural chemicals. The second-largest tier, weighted at 30% of the index, covers irrigation systems, plant seed modification, vegan or plant-based branded foods, water meters, sustainable protein producers, fertilizers, and pesticides, according to the fund’s prospectus.

The two remaining tiers are both weighted at 10% of the index, with one focused on agricultural services and food safety and the other focused on animal feed and veterinary care, the document says.

The index also has size and liquidity requirements for stocks, which are selected mainly from developed countries.

Companies are weighted by modified market capitalization within their tiers.

DIET charges an expense ratio of 0.30% and lists on the NYSE Arca.

 Contact Heather Bell at [email protected]