What Red Reef Partners, LLC does

Red Reef Partners, L.P. is an independent, private investment management firm founded in 2009 that specializes in sustainable farmland investing on behalf of sophisticated institutional investors. The firm operates as a single investment management platform offering two primary product structures — commingled funds and customized (separately managed) accounts — that invest in diversified portfolios of U.S. farmland assets. As of March 2024, the firm reports a track record of more than $1 billion invested across 93 investments in 23 states and Canadian provinces, 24 crop types, 61 tenant partnerships, and 18 renewable energy projects, positioning U.S. farmland (described as a $4+ trillion asset class) as an inflation-protected, non-correlated real-asset allocation.

The firm's strategy integrates direct farmland acquisition and active asset management with renewable energy development (wind and solar co-located on portfolio land) and a stated focus on regenerative agriculture and community impact. Operating execution is supported by formalized collaborations with external experts in soil science, farm operations, agricultural technology, agricultural lending, risk management, and renewable energy. The firm has no proprietary technology platform or AI capability disclosed; investment workflows are relationship-driven and supported by standard institutional investor technology (eFront LP portal for investor reporting and access).

Revenue is generated through investment management fees on commingled funds and customized accounts. Pricing, minimums, and AUM are not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct and relationship-based, targeting institutional LPs through the firm's industry network. The firm is led by founder Suzanne Petrela (Managing Partner & CIO), supported by partners Scott Henry and Otto Ullrich (investment management) and Andrew Ledwell (operations, technology, cybersecurity, analytics, and third-party service providers), with approximately 19–23 total personnel including leadership, team, a four-person board, and a four-person industry advisory board.

Name

Red Reef Partners, LLC

Legal name

Red Reef Partners, L.P.

Website

https://redreefpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Red Reef Partners is a private farmland investment manager founded in 2009 that serves institutional investors through commingled funds and customized accounts, with over $1 billion invested across 93 investments in 23 states and provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Boca Raton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Investment Management Fees: Red Reef Partners operates as an independent investment manager specializing in sustainable farmland investing. Revenue is generated through investment management fees from managing commingled funds and customized accounts for institutional investors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Red Reef Partners is an independent investment manager that invests in sustainable farmland across North America on behalf of institutional investors. The firm offers commingled funds and customized accounts that provide diversified exposure to U.S. farmland assets, supported by strategic partnerships in agronomy, agricultural technology, and renewable energy, with a track record of more than $1 billion invested.

Product overview

Red Reef Partners operates as a single unified investment management platform offering two primary product structures: commingled funds and customized accounts. Both products provide institutional investors access to diversified portfolios of sustainable U.S. farmland assets. The firm leverages strategic partnerships in agronomy, agricultural technology, and renewable energy to enhance portfolio value, while maintaining focus on environmental stewardship and community impact alongside financial returns.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commingled Funds
• Customized Accounts
• Sustainable Farmland Investment Strategy

Quantifiable outcome

• $1+ billion invested in agriculture across numerous geographies and investment structures
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Environmental Defense FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScott Henry, Partner at Red Reef, serves as a member of the Farmer Advisory Board of the Environmental Defense Fund, supporting agricultural sustainability initiatives.
• LongView FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScott Henry previously worked as Business Development Manager at LongView Farms, an innovative row and specialty crop farming company in Iowa owned by the Henry family that owns and operates more than 10,000 acres. He developed partnerships with Bayer, Pioneer, and AgReliant Genetics.
• BayerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership developed through LongView Farms for agricultural technology and crop protection solutions.
• Pioneer (Corteva)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership developed through LongView Farms for seed technology and genetics.
• AgReliant GeneticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership developed through LongView Farms for seed genetics and breeding.
• Emerald Land CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOtto Ullrich founded Emerald Land Company in 2005, an agricultural land brokerage focused on large-scale agricultural properties in Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, and Minnesota. He was a sourcing partner to Red Reef through this company before joining Red Reef.
• Strategic Partners in Agronomy, Agricultural Technology, and Renewable EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRed Reef leads strategic partnerships in agronomy, agricultural technology, and renewable energy as part of its investment management business including commingled funds, customized accounts, and renewable energy developments.
• AdecoagrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuzanne Petrela led investment in Adecoagro through Ospraie and served as Director and member of Audit Committee of the Board of Adecoagro.
• Teays River InvestmentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuzanne Petrela led investment in Teays River Investments through Ospraie and served as Director and member of Compensation Committee of the Board of Teays.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Westchester Group Investment Management: TIAA/Nuveen-owned farmland investment manager serving institutional clients across permanent and row crops; comparable institutional farmland manager with sustainability-adjacent offerings.
• Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT: Public farmland REIT focused on organic and regenerative farmland; closely aligned with Red Reef's sustainability and soil-health thesis, making it a direct thematic peer.
• Ospraie Management: Specialist agriculture and commodities investment manager; founder Suzanne Petrela previously oversaw Ospraie's global agriculture private investment effort, making it the most direct comparable for Red Reef's strategy and origination model.
• Gladstone Land Corporation: Public U.S. farmland REIT focused on acquiring farmland and farm-related properties leased to farmers; comparable in tenant-lease structure, though weighted toward permanent crops.
• Farmland Partners Inc. Public U.S. farmland REIT acquiring and managing a diversified portfolio of row-crop farmland across North America; directly comparable in asset class, geography, and tenant-lease model.
• Hancock Agricultural Investment Group: Manulife-owned investment manager dedicated to U.S. row-crop and permanent-crop farmland for institutional investors; directly comparable institutional farmland asset manager.

Broad incumbents

• Manulife Investment Management: Global asset manager whose Hancock Natural Resource Group includes large-scale timberland and farmland; broader incumbent with significant institutional farmland overlap.
• Brookfield Asset Management (Agriculture): Large alternative asset manager with global agricultural investments across farmland, timber, and agribusiness; broader incumbent competing for the same institutional real-asset mandates.
• Nuveen (TIAA) Global Agriculture: Large-scale institutional farmland and timber platform within TIAA/Nuveen; broader incumbent with overlapping farmland strategy but much larger AUM and global footprint.
• Black River Asset Management (alternative: Voya Investment Management ag affiliate): Alternative asset managers with historical global agriculture investment exposure; comparable as broad incumbents participating in institutional farmland mandates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Red Reef Partners, LLC