Yumi, a US meal delivery start-up focusing on children’s nutrition, has raised US$8m in a funding round.
The California business has attracted investment from the founders of seven businesses – Warby Parker, Allbirds, Harry’s, Sweetgreen, SoulCycle, Uber and Casper – and the CEO of Blue Bottle Coffee.
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Yumi said the new capital will be used to support its national expansion and the further development of its proprietary software, which allows the company to “curate each family’s personalised meal plans and educational content each week”.
CEO Angela Sutherland said: “Our goal is to change the standards for childhood nutrition, and completely upend what it means to be a food brand in America.
“This group of visionary leaders have all redefined their categories and now we have the opportunity to work together to re-imagine early-age nutrition for the next generation.”
Yumi says it offers something different to the multi-billion-dollar baby and toddler food market dominated by “massive, slow-to-move brands that are shelf-stable and lack key nutrients babies and toddlers need for optimal development”.
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By GlobalDataIt works with a team of doctors, nutritionists and chefs to create baby food that “supports optimal neurological and physical development at every age and stage”. Its recipes are designed to be dense in key nutrients, with an emphasis on vegetables, ancient grains, protein and healthy fats while limiting fruit sugar (fructose).
Once a parent signs up for Yumi, the company uses “proprietary algorithms and scientific data” to customise their meal plans. Meals are made fresh weekly and “mapped specifically to each child’s developmental stage”.
Neil Blumenthal, co-founder and co-CEO of eyewear business Warby Parker, said: “As a parent, Yumi’s mission immediately resonated, As we’ve seen at Warby Parker, and now at Yumi, there is a massive shift happening in the world of retail. There’s now a new generation of consumers who are actively seeking brands that reflect their values and lifestyle – the moat that big, legacy brands once enjoyed has evaporated.”
This round brings Yumi’s total funding to $12.1m. Other investors include funds August Capital, Brand Foundry and Day One Ventures.
