Chiyo, a maternal nutrition company rewriting what care looks like from fertility through postpartum, announced the completion of a $3 million financing round led by Bread & Butter Ventures, Ingeborg, Union Heritage Ventures, Peterson Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners, Palette Ventures, and The Helm. With this funding round, the company has raised a total of $3.4 million to fuel its goal of better maternal nutrition.
Chiyo is change what nutritional care looks like during each stage of a woman’s reproductive life cycle as seen through a food-is-medicine perspective. And the company has served 100,000 meals since launching in 2021 and grew 300% in the last year while expanding to a nationwide model. Now, Chiyo works with over 100 women’s health practitioners and is focused on providing all-encompassing maternal nutrition support.
With this funding round, Chiyo will build on its digital platform for personalized customer self-guided content and nutrition programs, scale distribution through clinics and practitioner communities, and invest in more research that proves that food is medicine. And Chiyo’s newly launched personalized nutrition platform will enable more personalized nutrition curriculums, guidance, and community coaching. Users will be able to rate the efficacy of each solution and help contribute to a first-of-its-kind research database of nutrition for women’s health.
KEY QUOTES:
“We’re thrilled to back Irene, Jennifer, and the Chiyo team in their bold vision to improve women’s health through nutrition. The team’s combined backgrounds in nutrition, women’s health, public policy and food systems uniquely inform their approach of combining holistic nutrition with a digital platform. We believe they are at the absolute forefront of a tidal wave of opportunity in the food-as-medicine space with a laser focus on improving health outcomes for women and families.”
- Mary Grove, Managing Partner at Bread & Butter Ventures.
“Investing in women’s health is an economic imperative not only for families, but for our entire society. That’s why our team is elated to be an investor in Chiyo, and support the company’s amazing women founders (Irene and Jennifer) who are at the forefront of creating solutions to improve health outcomes through food.”
- Sophia Bush, Partner at Union Heritage Ventures
“Food is a powerful tool when it is understood as both pleasure and as medicine. Chiyo’s holistic approach to helping women manage their nutrition during critical life moments — like pregnancy — is empowering, particularly now in a climate where women’s reproductive rights are under attack.”
- Nia Batts, Partner at Union Heritage Ventures
“My vision for Chiyo has always been rooted in bringing food-as-medicine to the forefront and rely on it for the different life stages of a woman’s health journey. I’m incredibly excited for the folks we have around us to further build out this vision, and build the path to accessibility – while we help educate on the impact nutrition has on generational health. Chiyo’s $3 million funding will fuel our mission to revolutionize maternal nutrition and support for new parents in America.”
- Irene Liu, CEO and Co-Founder of Chiyo
“As a mother, certified nutritionist and lactation consultant, I am deeply invested in the well-being of women. Having personally witnessed the transformative power of nutritional wellness during postpartum, I’ve dedicated myself to helping our customers thrive in their motherhood journey. Now, with this investment, we’re excited to take our expertise to a wider audience, ensuring that every mother across America can access the comprehensive support she deserves on her unique path to wellness.”
- Jennifer Jolorte Doro, Co-Founder and Chief Culinary Officer of Chiyo, and mother of two
