One of the biggest challenges during pregnancy is figuring out the best foods to eat for optimal digestive comfort and nutrition. This guessing game continues after giving birth, as new moms wonder which foods are best for postpartum and breastfeeding.

Chiyo aims to be a support system for women by offering nutrition advice and meals through a meal delivery service, from fertility through postpartum, as part of its holistic approach to fertility care. The company provides digital guides and health coaching to its users and is working on building a unique research database on nutrition for women's health.

Irene Liu, co-founder and CEO, was inspired to start Chiyo after seeing her mother send traditional Chinese medicine meals to her aunt after she had a baby. Liu, with a background in nutritional science and Eastern food therapy, wanted to create nutrition programs tailored to different stages and symptoms for other mothers.

Liu's career background in food economics, policy, and nutrition led her to partner with Jennifer Jolorte Doro, a clinical nutritionist and postpartum private chef, to launch Chiyo. The company began as a pilot program offering postpartum meal delivery to new moms in New York City, which quickly grew in popularity.

Chiyo, founded in 2020, has now served over 100,000 meals and experienced 300% revenue growth in the past year. The company plans to expand its offerings beyond postpartum care to support women's health through the full journey, including menstrual cycle fertility programs and tailored postpartum nutrition based on due dates.

Chiyo's goal is to help users transition off the program by providing personalized guidance and support, with the average user staying on for about four weeks. The company's postpartum program, offering three meals a day, starts at $69 per day.

With a new $3 million investment, Chiyo plans to develop a digital platform for personalized nutrition programs and expand its distribution through clinics and practitioner communities. The company aims to prove the return on investment in nutrition and healthcare cost savings, with the goal of eventual reimbursement for its services.