US maternal nutrition company bags US$3m financing round

The maternal nutrition company Chiyo has raised US$3m in funding to support mothers across the US.

Chiyo aims to “rewrite” what nutritional care looks like during each stage of a woman‘s reproductive life cycle. The company, which has now raised a total of US$3.4m in funding, says it works with more than 100 women‘s health practitioners and is focused on providing maternal nutrition support.

Led by Bread & Butter Ventures, Ingeborg, Union Heritage Ventures, Peterson Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners, Palette Ventures and The Helm, this latest round of funding is hoped to help Chiyo build its digital platform, scale its distribution through clinics and its practitioner community and build a research data based of nutrition for women’s health.

“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,” said Irene Liu, co-founder and CEO of Chiyo.

“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 US$3m funding will fuel our mission to revolutionise maternal nutrition and support for new parents in America,” she explained.

Jennifer Jolorte Doro, co-founder and chief culinary officer of Chiyo, said: “As a mother, certified nutritionist and lactation consultant, I am deeply invested in the wellbeing 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.”

Mary Grove, managing partner at Bread & Butter Ventures, said: “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.”

Sophia Bush, partner at Union Heritage Ventures, said 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 who are at the forefront of creating solutions to improve health outcomes through food.”

Nia Batts, partner at Union Heritage Ventures, added: “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.”