Kencko has secured $3.4 million in a seed funding round to further its mission of encouraging individuals to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their daily diets. The company, which focuses on developing plant-based products, aims to provide a convenient and palatable alternative to traditional healthy eating. Its initial product, fruit drinks, contains pulp and vitamins often absent in pressed juices. Packaged in flash-frozen and slow-dried sachets, each 20g packet, when mixed with water, fulfills two servings of the recommended five-a-day intake of fruits and vegetables.
Kencko, meaning “health” in Japanese, presently offers its fruit drinks in six flavors, with plans to introduce up to six additional options by the end of the year. The company is also set to unveil two new products, maintaining its commitment to 100% organic fruits and vegetables to make healthy eating both accessible and enjoyable.
In addition to expanding its product line, Kencko will utilize the funding to enhance its direct-to-consumer strategy. This includes the development and full launch of its mobile app, currently in beta with early customers. The app will play a key role in the subscription model, providing customers with a personal nutritionist from Kencko’s in-house team. By leveraging app-collected data, these nutritionists will assist customers in personalizing their diets and overall health strategies. Looking ahead, the company envisions potential face-to-face appointments in select U.S. locations and remote-based sessions. Kencko, led by Founder and CEO Tomás Froes, is a 25-person team, with co-founder and CBO Ricardo Vice Santos playing a pivotal role in its operations.