Royal DSM has acquired an equity stake in personalized nutrition company Mixfit Inc. and is now Mixfit’s largest shareholder with approximately 50% of shares. Financial details were not disclosed.
 
Mixfit is a privately-held personalized nutrition solution start-up company based in Boston, MA. This investment builds on the previously announced partnership between DSM and Mixfit and combines DSM’s expertise in essential micronutrients with the technological edge of Mixfit to analyze health data in real-time, address nutritional gaps in an effective way and supporting a healthy lifestyle.
 
Consumer demand for personalized nutrition is growing fast and there are few companies that are able to deliver solutions from production to consumer (end-to-end solutions). Personalized Nutrition is one of DSMs key pillars for future growth and differentiation. The investment will allow DSM to become a leader in utilizing technologies from the Fourth Industrial Revolution (such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain) to advise consumers on their personal health status and deliver personalized solutions at home.
 
In May 2018, at Vitafoods Europe, Mixfit launched the prototype of its Intelligent Nutrition Assistant (Mina). Mina analyzes a person’s unique makeup, alongside their diet, lifestyle and health goals, to create and dispense beverages containing a customized mix of DSM’s Quali Blends with vitamins and minerals throughout the day. Combining DSM’s safe, effective, and high-quality ingredients, customized solutions and Mixfit’s advanced machine learning technology means consumers can receive the nutrients they need at the time they need them, from the convenience of their own home or office. Additionally, Mina provides users with proactive nutritional recommendations, helped by DSM’s position as a trusted leader in scientific research on the role of micronutrients for specific health benefits.
 
“As consumers across the world become more engaged in their health and well-being, there is a growing need for a more personalized approach to nutrition. This acquisition connects the complementary and unique expertise of both DSM and Mixfit to support consumers in achieving their nutrition goals and to support our mission to help keep the world’s growing population healthy. It is an important milestone in the execution of our personalized nutrition strategy to build a platform and extend it to the consumer,” said Jeremy Xu, president of DSM Human Health & Nutrition.
 
Reza Zanjani, Mixfit president and CEO added: “Personalization is the future of nutrition. By combining DSM’s scientific background and high-quality micronutrients with Mixfit’s unique digital knowledge and experience in personalized nutrition, we are ensuring that Mina improves the lives of health-conscious consumers worldwide. We’re happy to expand into targeted, health-oriented boosters for specific health benefits with DSM as our largest shareholder.”