Curry and Paul, along with health advocate Ryan Shadrick Wilson, join Series A investors Manta Ray, Khosla Ventures, Felicis, EQT, Coatue and Y Combinator to pioneer a human and planet-friendly new food category: sugars from fiber
LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–October 12, 2021–
Today, The Supplant Company announced it has welcomed Ayesha Curry and Chris Paul as early stage investors, bringing the company’s total funding to over $27M. Curry and Paul join Series A investors Manta Ray, EQT, Khosla, Felicis, Coatue, Y Combinator, Agfunder, Melitas, Mills Fabrica and Sake Bosch in their efforts to grow an innovative new food category poised to revolutionize the food system, introduced by The Supplant Company: sugars from fiber.
The company also welcomed Ryan Shadrick Wilson as a strategic investor. Wilson is a health advocate and former chief strategy officer and general counsel at Partnership for a Healthier America, the nonprofit created in conjunction with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative and brings significant experience elevating sustainable solutions to health crises around the globe.
Supplant™ sugars from fiber is uniquely positioned to simultaneously address nutritional deficiencies and sustainability issues our food industry faces today. Sugars from fiber bakes like cane sugar but has less than half the calories, enabling quintessential baked goods and other treats to maintain their original texture and taste. Sugars from fiber also has a lower glycemic response and is prebiotic, meaning it feeds the gut’s good bacteria.
Supplant sugars from fiber addresses the challenge of sustainably and nutritiously feeding a growing global population with finite farmland-which is becoming ever more crucial, according to a 2018 report by the World Resources Institute1. Sugars from fiber is made by upcycling the parts of plants that would otherwise be underutilized by our current food system, such as wheat straw, oat husks, corn cobs and rice straw-an approach that can make a substantial impact on achieving the increases in output of global crop agriculture that are needed.
“We are ecstatic to count Ayesha Curry, Chris Paul and Ryan Shadrick Wilson as early investors in our mission to build a food system that can feed the world nutritiously, while reducing our impact on the environment,” said Dr. Tom Simmons, founder and chief executive officer of The Supplant Company. “We look forward to partnering with our investors to make sugars a better way-from upcycled plant fibers.”
The Supplant Company launched in the U.S. in June 2021, by debuting its groundbreaking new sugars from fiber in unique dessert items (such as ice cream and shortbread), developed by seven Michelin-starred Chef Thomas Keller at The French Laundry and Bouchon Bakery in Yountville, Calif., and Per Se in New York City.
The market for sugars from fiber, however, extends beyond top chefs looking to serve innovative, better-for-you ingredients. Sugars from fiber is poised to benefit consumers seeking to reduce calorie intake without compromising on taste, and global food manufacturers looking to decrease the amount of cane sugar in their products. According to a recent U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health study2, sweeteners are included in about 74 percent of all processed food and represent a $100 billion market.
“Supplant is bringing us the solution we so desperately need,” said Ryan Shadrick Wilson. “Today, diet-related chronic diseases are a leading cause of death, and our food system is one of the biggest contributors to environmental damage. Supplant is addressing both the health of people and the planet with this incredible sugar alternative that doesn’t require us to sacrifice taste. At last, the healthier choice can finally be the easy choice!”
Addressing the health of all people, especially kids, is top of mind for Ayesha Curry. In 2019, the Currys partnered to found Eat.Learn.Play, a nonprofit committed to unlocking the amazing potential of every child by fighting to end childhood hunger, ensuring students have access to a quality education, and providing safe places for all children to play and be active.
“Addressing the health of all people, especially kids, is foundational for how I think, act and the work we do at Eat.Learn.Play,” said Ayesha Curry. “Investing in businesses and founders that are working to disrupt the current food system and create healthier outcomes without sacrificing taste like Supplant is desperately needed.”
NBA star Chris Paul shares a similar mission-to provide underserved communities with more nutritious food options.
“Sugar is in almost everything we eat,” said Paul. “If we are going to transition to healthier food options for all-especially for people that experience high rates of diabetes and obesity like we do in Black and Brown communities-we’re going to need to change how things are made. It’s not going to happen by people magically waking up and not liking the things they like. I look forward to working with The Supplant Company to move the food system in a better, more sustainable direction.”
The Supplant Company will work with its investors and partners to raise awareness and spark discussion about the underlying issues driving the company’s mission: to revolutionize the food industry with sugars that are better for people and the planet.
To learn more about Supplant sugars from fiber and its availability, visit https://www.supplant.com/.
About Supplant™ sugars from fiber:
The Supplant Company is defining a new category of food ingredient: sugars from fiber. Supplant™ sugars from fiber is a brand new blend of sugars found naturally in plant fiber. With Supplant sugars from fiber, your favorite treats can look, feel and taste like they’re supposed to. But because it’s made from fiber, Supplant sugars from fiber is lower in calories, has a lower glycemic response, and is prebiotic. It’s made by upcycling agricultural side streams. For example, in wheat and rice, it’s made from the straw, not the grain; in corn (maize), it’s made from the cob, not the kernel. These fiber-rich parts of crops are hugely abundant and don’t typically make their way into the food system. The Supplant Company was founded by Dr. Tom Simmons, whose innovation in discovering how to restore the sugars within fiber by breaking it apart in a specific order and in specific ways, has made the benefits of sugars from fiber available and accessible. For more information on Supplant sugars from fiber, visit https://www.supplant.com/ and follow Supplant on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Medium.
1https://www.wri.org/insights/how-sustainably-feed-10-billion-people-2050-21-charts
2https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3490437/
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211012005351/en/
Christine Vivoli
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VentureBeat
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