Goldwin Play Earth Fund (hereafter “GW-PEF”), co-managed by Goldwin Venture Partners Inc. (hereafter “GVP”) and Ignition Point Venture Partners Inc. (hereafter “IGP-VP”), is pleased to announce that in its inaugural investment, it capitalized vivid garden Inc. (Headquarters: Minato City, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Rina Akimoto; hereafter “vivid garden”), which operates “Tabechoku,” the largest online produce marketplace in Japan.

Vivid garden, with its business vision of “a world where producers’ commitment is duly appreciated,” operates Tabechoku, where consumers can purchase fresh produce and flowers directly from producers who take great care in producing them.
In recent years, due to the restrictions on physical contacts and stay-home policies imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the purchasing behavior of consumers has dramatically changed. Many existing businesses have accelerated the development of their e-commerce systems.
In this business environment the total number of producers and users registered with Tabechoku since its official release in August 2017, and it exceeded 7200 and 650,000, respectively, as of May 2022. Over the most recent two years, its gross merchandise value grew by 128 times, contributing to the increased awareness of online marketplaces for fresh produce where producers and consumers are directly connected without the conventional distribution system, and leading to the creation of new markets.

GVP and IGP-VP decided to make this investment due to a high appreciation that vivid garden, through Tabechoku, strives to tackle three challenges: creating a world where the producers’ commitments are duly appreciated; realizing sustainable agriculture; and delivering the joy of food to consumers and children, who will take charge of the next generation.

GW-PEF believes there is a great relationship between one of the Fund’s flagship investment areas — Creation of Future and Community — and the social issues vivid garden is trying to help solve. This investment is an opportunity for us to explore co-creation and collaboration in our business fields.

Comments by Rina Akimoto, Representative Director and President of vivid garden

“It was when my family quit farming that I decided to launch Tabechoku to provide a means to amazing farmers in various regions to continue farming in a sustainable manner. By delivering not only simply tasty food but also the producers’ thoughts and stories, the dining table will be richer, and I think this resonates with ‘Designing Play’ that Goldwin Play Earth Fund advocates. I am looking forward to working together in many ways.”

About vivid garden

Company Name

vivid garden Inc.

Location

Daiichi Building 4F, 1-7-3 Hamamatsucho, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-0013, Japan

Representative

Rina Akimoto

Established date

November 29, 2016

Business Contents

Vivid garden Inc. developed and operates “Tabechoku,” the largest online marketplace in Japan for ordering produce and cut flowers directly from producers across Japan.

URL

https://vivid-garden.co.jp/

About Goldwin Play Earth Fund

Fund Name

Goldwin Play Earth Fund
Investment Limited Partnership

Established date

April 1, 2022

Operation period

10 years

Operation scale

3 billion yen

Operating company

Goldwin Venture Partners Inc.
Ignition Point Venture Partners Inc.

About GP

Investment Inquiries

Contact : info_playearthfund@goldwin.co.jp

URL： https://cvc.goldwin.co.jp/en/

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