Japan’s Kinish Scoops Up $3.1M in Funding to Ramp Up Rice-Based Ice Cream & Casein Development

Japanese food tech startup Kinish has secured $3.1M in funding to expand sales of its rice-based ice cream brand and advance its work on rice-derived casein protein. The investment involves several partners, including the Inspire Mutualistic Symbiosis Fund 1 and the Obayashi Corporation. Kinish plans to use the funding to expand its 'rice cream' sales, advance research and development in plant factories and molecular farming, and strengthen recruitment efforts in both Japan and the US.

Kinish, founded in 2023, focuses on creating dairy alternatives based on rice, with ice creams being its flagship product range. The brand utilizes the unique sweetness of Japanese rice in its products, which have already received positive feedback from consumers in Japan and Washington, DC. In addition to expanding its ice cream business, Kinish is also working on developing rice-derived casein protein through a molecular farming process that aims to address the environmental impact of dairy and rice production.