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THE Gentle Group, a Singapore-based social enterprise founded in 2017, has bagged a S$2 million investment from the Asia Impact First Fund (AIFF) and Seeds Capital, which is the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore.
It announced on Monday (Jul 8) that it plans to use the funds to increase the production capacity for its textured-modified food solutions, and to triple the number of individuals served yearly. More than 250,000 meals are currently served on an annual basis, the company noted.
The company has had strong revenue growth since it started commercialisation in 2020, and is on track for sustained growth and profitability following this new facility expansion.
The group is also looking to expand into other markets, with Taiwan and Thailand as their potential destinations.
The food solutions and care services provider specialises in texture-modified food for those who suffer from dysphagia – a medical term for people with swallowing difficulties.
It also provides training programmes for healthcare professionals, caregivers and the public to increase the awareness of dysphagia among the local community.
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At its central kitchen – which spans about 7,600 square feet – food is moulded and pureed in line with the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI). The framework outlines a common way to describe food texture and drink thickness for people living with dysphagia.
Dysphagia can occur following medical conditions such as stroke, as well as head and neck cancer. These difficulties are associated with loss of appetite, dehydration, malnutrition and a lower quality of life.
In general, about 15 per cent of the elderly population suffer from the condition, Alexandra Hospital reported in 2021.
The Gentle Group targets an underserved community with its line of pureed foods, supplying meals that are safe and provide nutrients to those with the condition.
Karen Ngui, head of both DBS foundation and the group’s strategic and marketing communications, noted that the need for texture-modified food will become increasingly acute in the coming years as Singapore’s population ages.
“As they scale with this injection of catalytic capital, we believe The Gentle Group will dramatically improve the quality of life of those with dysphagia,” Ngui added.
DBS teamed up with investment firm Heritas Capital to launch the AIFF in March 2023. The fund aims to support promising social enterprises with scaling their “dual bottom line” of social impact and profit.
Through the AIFF, the fund will address important social and environmental challenges across Asia by providing growth capital to 10 to 15 social enterprises. It announced its first successful close in March 2023 of more than US$20 million, with a US$10 million commitment from DBS.
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