Mixfit showcased its Mina drinks dispenser at Vitafoods Europe 2018
DSM has extended its relationship with personalised nutrition company Mixfit, taking a 50% stake to add to the partnership that previously existed between the two firms.
Both companies have declined to disclose financial details but the investment means that DSM becomes the largest single shareholder in Mixfit.
The pair had previously partnered to support Mixfit’s prototype launch of a personalised nutrition solution called the Mixfit Intelligent Nutrition Assistant (Mina). The machine analyses a user’s nutritional profile based on a connected smart device such as a fitness tracker, and delivers a tailored beverage that suits their nutritional needs.
Jeremy Xu, president of DSM Human Health & Nutrition, said: “As consumers across the world become more engaged in their health and wellbeing, there is a growing need for a more personalised approach to nutrition. This acquisition connects the complementary and unique expertise of both DSM and Mixfit to support consumers in achieving their nutrition goals and to support our mission to help keep the world’s growing population healthy.
“It is an important milestone in the execution of our personalised nutrition strategy to build a platform and extend it to the consumer.”
Mixfit CEO Reza Zanjani added: “Personalisation is the future of nutrition. By combining DSM’s scientific background and high-quality micronutrients with Mixfit’s unique digital knowledge and experience in personalised nutrition, we are ensuring that Mina improves the lives of health-conscious consumers worldwide. We’re happy to expand into targeted, health-oriented boosters for specific health benefits with DSM as our largest shareholder.”
Watch: Mixfit’s Marco Iotti explains how Mina works
At Vitafoods Europe 2018, FoodBev spoke to Mixfit co-founder Marco Iotti, who explained how the price point that Mixfit was aiming to reach in order to maximise uptake among consumers.
He said: “We’re targeting $299, and in euros probably €250. The Mixfit system works on a monthly subscription basis that goes around $50–150 depending on the requirements, what they want, of every single user.”
Iotti emphasises that Mixfit is not about replacing traditional food, but supplementing consumer’s diets: “We are not like a company that says ‘you only have to drink our drink and you don’t have to eat any real food’. We want people to eat normally, but then having that peace of mind with Mixfit that their nutrition is correct and everything is good. So, they can enjoy their burger, they can enjoy their fish and chips, but then in the meantime they say ‘okay, do I have enough nutrients to fill whatever is my requirements?’ Mixfit is the peace of mind that does that.
“We’re in a prototype phase at the moment but things go very fast, and actually we’ll be commercially available already beginning of 2019, and then we’ll have a little test of 50 machines by the end of this year.”
Analysis: The next step for Mixfit By Alex Clere
In May, the company also partnered with Givaudan in a pairing that will see Givaudan flavours utilised by Mixfit, as well as DSM nutrients, enhancing the nutritional profile and taste of beverages produced by Mina.
Personalised nutrition was one of the buzzwords at this year’s Vitafoods Europe in Geneva, as companies across the food and pharma industries compete to offer products that deliver beneficial functionality for consumers on a targeted level.
But, while many companies are concentrating on broad consumer segments like the over-65s, Mixfit stands apart as the company that goes deeper with its personalised nutrition. Clearly, that was part of the sway for DSM, who has likely invested a sizeable sum to acquire a 50% stake in this promising upstart.
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