Kinish raises $3.1M to expand rice-based dairy alternatives

Tokyo-based food tech startup Kinish has secured ¥490 million ($3.1 million) in the first close of its Series A funding round. The investment was provided through a third-party allotment of shares involving the Inspire Mutualistic Symbiosis Fund 1, the Shimadzu Future Innovation Fund, Obayashi Corporation, and Love Veggies Holding.

The company, which focuses on creating dairy alternatives using rice, intends to use the capital to expand sales of its brand, ‘The Rice Creamery’, in both Japan and the United States. Kinish is also advancing research and development in plant factories and molecular farming, specifically working on a process to grow casein—the primary protein in cow’s milk—within rice grains.

To support its international growth, Kinish has opened an office in New York to serve as a hub for local production, retail distribution, and brand awareness. The startup aims to address the environmental impact of traditional dairy production and the challenges posed by climate change to stable milk supplies.