Kinish Raises ¥490M to Scale Casein-Producing Rice and US Ice Cream Sales

Tokyo-based Kinish, a company developing dairy alternatives from rice, has raised ¥490 million in the first close of its Series A funding round. Among the new investors are two large Japanese industrial companies. The capital will be used to scale the company's rice-based ice cream sales in Japan and the US, as well as for research, hiring, and development of plant factories.

Kinish has successfully expressed casein, a main protein in cow's milk, in rice and is working on raising the casein content of their varieties. The company's revenue currently comes from The Rice Creamery, a plant-based ice cream made primarily from rice. They are expanding their presence in the US and plan to continue developing high-value-added protein production technologies. Corporate investors, such as Obayashi and Love Veggies, see potential in Kinish's innovative technology and sustainable food system initiatives.