Many residents of the Paraguayan District of New Colombia and the surrounding area are already familiar with the fruit and vegetable shop Fruitería Yva He’ê (literally translated “Sweet Fruits”) along the road to Emboscada (BTCMap, Google map). It is known for its quality products, wide selection, and ample volume as one of the largest greengrocers in the small town. Customers can now buy fruit and vegetables with Bitcoin/Lightning, as of Friday, January 3, 2025. Open hours are Friday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The store is reminiscent of a spacious warehouse, well-utilised to offer everything from bulk products such as animal fodder to shelves of packaged products in addition to the fresh fruits and vegetables. And, there is road-side parking space making it a convenient one-stop shop en route to your local destination.
The option to buy produce directly with Bitcoin is a game changer for Bitcoin adoption, because much of the Paraguayan population is not able or willing to save in the form of money, and therefore Bitcoin has not yet been widely appreciated by the average citizen. Now, being able to meet basic needs in life such as buy fruit and vegetables with Bitcoin, opens up a valuable use case for all residents, regardless of whether they save or spend.
In true community spirit, the shop also often carries items from local small-scale producers. In fact, it was what became the first delivery of eggs from local White Cloud Farm that provided the occasion for the shop to start accepting Bitcoin on January 3. Prior to this, the farm’s eggs—a quantity large enough to sell at times but not large enough for a consistent supply chain—were being sold through word of mouth and personal delivery. Now, everyone benefits from the cooperation.
The frutería (as it is called) also supplies other local businesses as well as the general public. This makes their acceptance of Bitcoin truly ground-breaking for the community. It represents the beginning of the circular, business-to-business (B2B) economy, in which Bitcoin revenue received by other businesses can be disbursed here in exchange for food supplies, and vice versa.
The birth of this circular economy is not just a theory. One of the fruit and vegetable shop’s business customers is Centro Grill, which it now joins to become the second brick-and-mortar business in town accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment.
Although it was not planned in advance, the date on which Antonella, the shop’s owner, had a customer buy fruit and vegetables with Bitcoin for the first time was symbolic. The inaugural sale coincided with Bitcoin’s own birthday—the day on which its very first block of transactions, known as the Genesis block, established the currency.
The mutual use of Bitcoin indeed signifies a new era of biblical proportions beginning with these two businesses. It is the new story of a new genesis of a new economy between a new fruit and vegetable entrepreneur and a new meat griller – except in this case, the nature of Bitcoin won’t let it fail for lack of liquidity nor end in the violent taking of life, as happened in the ancient biblical story of Cain and Abel.
If reality sounds too much like a fable, chance saw fit for the city to embellish it further by building a new sign in the town square in time for the holidays, which is written partly in the Guaraní language and could be approximately translated to “New Colombia: Our Happy Flowering Eden” – an unintended but apt expression for the commencement of this new economic era.
Heartfelt thanks go to White Could Farm and to the Bitcoin community in Paraguay for their roles leading up to this milestone. This historic advancement was facilitated by Satoshi, D.N.C., which is a community-service project focused on developing a circular Bitcoin economy in the local area. It works under the umbrella of Bitcoin Paraguay as one of its founding communities.
To support the local efforts, please consider giving to the Satoshi, D.N.C. community service fund via fsc@satoshidnc.com (Lightning address), or to Bitcoin Paraguay via donaciones@ln.bitcoinparaguay.org (Lightning address).
