Back in 2021 we wrote about Bump Health’s ambition to build the “P&G of the 21st Century” and were left with the question what a women’s health focused, digital-first consumer health brand would actually look like and how one could best execute on this vision. Since then Bump Health has changed its course, and Femtec Health, another women’s health platform company, has stumbled, but the opportunity for a holistic women’s health brand built for the needs of digitally savvy consumers remains. Intrinsic, a New York based and globally active company, is now emerging as a new contender with a similar vision, and new take on how to best fill this market gap starting with CPG.
Intrinsic first launched in January 2021 with $113M in funding and the vision to build a “next-gen consumer health business”. Among its early investors and advisors – besides digital health fund Define Ventures and consumer fund Link Ventures – were Dr. Mehmet Oz and Tony Robbin, whose appointments sure caused some controversy at the time. Back then Intrinsic Co-founder & CEO Yadin Shemmer shared that “Intrinsic is building the consumer health products business of tomorrow by acquiring and accelerating eCommerce native brands. The company is purpose-built to meet this opportunity and address the unique needs of consumers and founders in the category.
And acquire and accelerate e-commerce brands it did… Fast-forward two years and the company now owns LaVie, a breast feeding brand known for its lactation massagers, Mommy Knows Best, a supplement brand focused on maternal health, and Fresh Knight, an oral care brand for kids. Notably all of these brands cater to the needs of mom as the “Chief Health Officer of the household” as the company has evolved to address the hugely underserved women’s and family health space. To execute on its new vision the company has recently collected another $15M from FCA Partners and MAP Investco, who join existing investors.
As a newly minted women’s health company Intrinsic’s definition of women’s health is broad and doesn’t stop at just women-specific conditions (e.g. pregnancy, menopause). The company’s focus is on women as healthcare consumers and caregivers, meaning it also plans to address conditions that affect women disproportionately or differently, as well as their health priorities when caring for others.
Intrinsic CEO Shemmer explains: “Our team acquires, builds, and grows brands that serve women, not only because there is a unique opportunity to build a company dedicated to women’s health, but because it is the right thing to do. There is a large, fragmented universe of independent brands that serve women in specific areas of need but no scaled platform that provides branded solutions across the spectrum of women’s health. By putting women first, we deliver on our promise of making women’s lives easier, healthier, and more fulfilling. Moreover, by focusing exclusively on women’s health, we gain marketing and omni-channel distribution advantages that no single brand can achieve. This also means innovative and important products can now be accessible wherever women need them.”
Intrinsic’s strategy may sound familiar to those with an interest in the Amazon FBA space, where roll-ups and big rounds have become a somewhat common occurrence. What’s unique about Intrinsic, however, is its clear focus on women’s health. Shemmer also shared in an interview that besides its current focus on prenatal and postpartum health, the company is closely exploring acquisitions in the menopause, pelvic health, and PCOS space and may expand beyond CPG in the future. Over the next months the company is hoping to add additional brands to its portfolio, and is especially interested in those that have already mastered more than one distribution channel, and could benefit from Intrinsic’s in-house growth engine.
Intrinsic’s post-acquisition playbook included various tactics like channel expansion, new product development, and interconnected marketing, which helps brands to connect with women regardless of where they seek information, care, or shop. Proprietary analytics are also part of the mix and provide automation and insights that enable faster action and better decisions across all company functions, including acquisitions, marketing, and supply chain management.
While CPG may be the company’s focus for now, Intrinsic is also considering an expansion into medical care or content aka “the platform play” in the future. According to Shemmer “the separation between products and medical care is a somewhat artificial one and lines are starting to blur. Consumers want their healthcare needs met. They don’t necessarily look for products or care or content, they want help and solutions first and foremost.”
As Define Ventures Partner & Intrinsic Board Member Lynne Chou O’Keefe puts it: “Women are the power buyers in healthcare and make 80% of healthcare decisions in the home. Intrinsic’s strategy recognizes this reality and is uniquely poised to support women across their journey.”
The time seems right for Intrinsic’s business model as many early stage companies across health and wellness are struggling to raise and are exploring their options, while the women’s health space in the US and beyond remains largely underserved.
Good market, good timing – we’ll be watching this one closely for sure. 👀
