Orize produces a rice-koji derived sweetener called “Orize sweetener” and commercializes it through its DTC fermented-food brand, Food Cosme ORYZAE. Its flagship product, ORYZAE GRANOLA, has sold over 1 million servings in two years and reached No.1 in Rakuten’s granola rankings. The company operates a rice-koji manufacturing factory in Nikko, Tochigi (started March 2024) and plans to open a flagship ORYZAE shop in Nakameguro in September. Orize has begun joint research with Utsunomiya University (from April 2024) to study gut-microbiome and health effects of its sweetener, and has partnerships with companies including Kao for upcycling food waste. Management is accelerating domestic retail and B2B expansion while pursuing US market entry via a June 2024 basic agreement with SAN-J International to target the large US fermented-food retail market. The product emphasizes sustainable sourcing (including upcycling of old rice), natural ingredients (rice and koji only), and positioning as a sugar alternative for health-conscious consumers.

Total raised

$3M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Jul 2024