Kencko Foods

Kencko Foods is a plant-based food company that turns organic fruits and vegetables into shelf-stable, convenience formats. Its core product is an instant smoothie: produce captured at ripeness with only the water removed, packed in single-serve sachets that deliver about 2.5 servings of produce and are prepared by rehydrating with water or milk in roughly 30 seconds, without refrigeration or blending. The range spans more than 50 fruits and vegetables across about 20 flavors, including superfood smoothie blends (reds, blues, purples, greens) and performance smoothies with plant protein from pumpkin seeds, peas and sunflower seeds.

Beyond smoothies, the company has extended into adjacent categories: pure fruit and vegetable gumdrops in six flavors, sweetened with fruit juice and fortified with prebiotic inulin fiber, and a chef-designed, registered-dietitian-approved line of hot meal bowls covering soups, risottos, pasta dishes, curries and a vegan chili that are prepared with a kettle or microwave. Kencko also positions itself as a habit-change platform, pairing products with coaching, nutrition education and a member community.

The company frames its market around the statistic that nine in ten Americans do not consume enough fruits and vegetables and that roughly 30% of fresh produce purchased is discarded. It is a certified B Corporation and markets compostable packaging, conventional-plastic-free products and carbon-neutral shipping.

Founding story

Founded in 2016 by Tomás Froes, who, after finding that a plant-based diet reversed his chronic gastritis, set out to address nutritional shortfalls and food waste through convenient produce-based products. The brand name derives from the Japanese word "kenkō" (健康), meaning health, referencing Japanese longevity and wellness culture.

Business model

Kencko sells directly to consumers online, primarily through a recurring subscription: customers choose a curated starter box of best-selling flavors and then personalize subsequent monthly shipments. Boxes are offered at 28 smoothies per four weeks or 40 smoothies per four weeks, with subscription discounts of 20% and 25% respectively versus one-time purchase, plus free shipping and a free bottle; subscriptions can be paused or cancelled at any time. One-time purchases are also available. The company has described a transition from a purely direct-to-consumer smoothie brand toward a multi-category nutrition platform, and disclosed an exclusive partnership with a major US retailer slated to launch in the first half of 2023.

Recurring subscription revenue from monthly smoothie boxes plus one-off e-commerce orders. Published pricing is $105.00 for a 28-smoothie box and $150.00 for a 40-smoothie box at one-time rates ($3.75 per serving), falling to $84.00 ($3.00 per serving) and $112.50 ($2.81 per serving) on subscription; single packets have also been described at $2.49.

Traction

The company reports more than 20 million smoothies sold since launch, over 300,000 customers signed up, a 61% repeat purchase rate, more than 3 million website visitors, and over 1,000,000 members with an average 4.8-star rating across tens of thousands of reviews. Reported financials include $31M gross revenue in 2022 and $67M all-time gross revenue, with average order value up 13% and gross margin up 16.8 percentage points year-on-year.

Latest developments

The Republic-hosted Regulation CF round closed on April 29, 2023, with Republic reporting $200,748 invested via the Republic Note portfolio in Q2 2023. The company's storefront continues to sell subscription smoothie and smoothie-plus-protein boxes with shipping within two business days and 8-10 business day delivery.