Keen Bean Organics

Keen Bean Organics was a Canadian-based startup that produced organic baby food. The company was founded by the Winnipeg-based husband and wife team, Johnny and Jennifer Kien. Their journey into the baby food market was inspired by the challenges they faced making fresh, nutritious food from scratch for their own firstborn child. Johnny Kien had previous experience in the food industry through a small-batch cold-press juice company, while Jennifer Kien came from a finance background.

The business focused on creating conveniently packaged, cold-blended meals for children aged six months and older. Keen Bean Organics' products were non-GMO, organic, and free from preservatives and additives. The company utilized high-pressure processing (HPP), a method that retains more nutrients compared to traditional heat-based pasteurization, which was a key differentiator in the Canadian market. Their initial product line included flavors such as 'Blueberry Chickeen,' 'I Want Guac,' 'Super Berry Keen,' and 'Vegan Babe,' with a specific focus on incorporating iron-rich ingredients in line with Health Canada's dietary recommendations for infants.

To develop their recipes and processing strategies, the founders collaborated with the food department at the University of Manitoba. The company secured initial funding through a friends and family round and a grant from Canada's Industrial Research Assistance program for research and development. In 2017, Keen Bean Organics launched a successful Kickstarter campaign, surpassing its $25,000 goal to validate the market and fund initial production. The business operated primarily through an online portal and planned to expand into retail, targeting organic, natural, specialty, and big-box stores. PitchBook data indicates the company may have ceased operations around October 2022.

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