Chiyo co-founder and CEO Irene Liu, Image: Chiyo
Epicured, a food-is-medicine meal delivery company originally focused on digestive health, has acquired Chiyo, a women’s nutrition company offering stage-specific meal programs spanning cycle support, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. The acquisition positions Epicured to expand into women’s health as a core vertical, with Chiyo co-founder and CEO Irene Liu joining as SVP of Women’s Health.
Chiyo’s model combines fully prepared, clinically informed meals with 1:1 coaching from registered dietitian nutritionists, delivered in 4, 6, or 12-week programs designed around specific diagnoses and life stages. Its approach draws on both clinical science and Eastern food therapy. Chiyo’s investors include Bread & Butter Ventures, Flare Capital, Detroit Venture Partners, Peterson Ventures, and others.
Image: Chiyo
The strategic play here is reimbursement. As a standalone DTC brand, Chiyo’s reach was limited to consumers who could pay out of pocket. Epicured already operates across commercial and Medicaid channels, and the acquisition opens a path toward payer reimbursement for women’s health nutrition – potentially a significant unlock for the food-is-medicine space.
“The missing piece has always been accessibility: how to bring clinically informed, stage-specific nutrition to more people, not just those who can afford it out of pocket,” said Liu. “Partnering with Epicured unlocks that next chapter – allowing Chiyo to pursue payer and Medicaid reimbursement so we can reach the communities who need it most.”
Epicured will integrate Chiyo’s evidence-based recipes into its menu portfolio to cover hormonal balance, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and healthy aging. Existing Chiyo customers can continue purchasing through wearechiyo.com.
