Sifter SP, Inc. has secured a $5 million Series Seed Round to accelerate the growth of its Nutrition as a Service platform and launch of its Sifter Retailer Solutions, the company said. Its technology is designed to enable food retailers to build relationships with consumers by helping them reach their wellness goals.
“After founding Peapod and ItemMaster and spending 30 years working in grocery, my brother and I know the right technology can be game changing. This investment allows us to launch a suite of solutions to help retailers attract and retain the rapidly growing, health-driven consumer segment, which is critical to grocers as shopper wallets tighten,” Andrew Parkinson, Sifter CEO and co-founder, said in a release.
The Evanston, Ill.-based Sifter said its Retailer Solutions start in-store, “where the biggest technology gap exists today in terms of helping the consumer make informed shopping decisions.” Sifter’s Scan by Diet solution allows consumers to instantly discover and buy products that match their profile based on their dietary and medical preferences.
“This is all done quickly on a shopper’s mobile phone at the shelf, which is exactly where retailers and shoppers need it to be easy,” the company added.
Sifter’s Nutrition as a Service (NaaS) platform also allows consumers to plan meals with nutritious ingredients, manage multiple diet profiles for the entire family, and buy online to make healthful eating more convenient. Sifter's evidence-based, regulatory-compliant NaaS filters allow for multiple dietary, food avoidance and lifestyle preferences in a single search.
Sifter said its technology is easily integrated into retailers’ current systems, allowing retailers to mix and match the Sifter product suite to create the solution for their specific omnichannel needs.
“We are excited about the launch of Sifter Retailer Solutions. It enables retailers to be at the heart of the consumer wellness journey,” Pete Wilkins, Sifter executive chair and HPA managing director, explained. “However, we are not stopping there. We know health professionals, consumer goods companies, and wellness groups and associations are essential partners in helping people eat healthy.
“Sifter will purposefully launch tailored solutions to those partners in the next year. We are confident that the Sifter Nutrition as a Service platform will continue to make healthy eating easy for everyone. Together, we will make the world healthier,” Wilkins continued.
The funding round was led by Valor Siren Ventures with participation by Hyde Park Angels (HPA) and Wintrust Ventures.