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Japanese video recipe media Kurashiru acquired by Yahoo Japan for $84M

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Tokyo-based Dely, the Japanese video-centric culinary media startup offering recipe discovery portal Kurashiru, announced today that it has been acquired by Yahoo Japan. YJ Capital, the investment arm of Yahoo Japan, acquired a 15.9% stake of the media startup with their first investment back in 2016. By additionally injecting 9.3 billion yen ($83.8 million US) at this time, Yahoo Japan has agreed to acquire a 45.6% stake of the startup. Dely was established in April of 2014. In September of the same year they received funding from Anri and began a food delivery business as their inaugural service. However, after judging the outlook for such services difficult, they pivoted to video curation media last year, their current business model. Since its launch back in February of 2016, Kurashiru has published 18,000 recipe movies, attracting 2.9 million users via social network channels, and has acquired 12 million mobile app downloads, mainly by attracting female consumers in their 20s to 40s. Tokyo-based Every, the Japanese startup behind online recipe media Delish Kitchen which is considered to be one of Kurashiru’s closer competitor services, has raised a total of 5.43 billion yen (about $48.2 million) to date. See also: Japanese video recipe app…

Tokyo-based Dely, the Japanese video-centric culinary media startup offering recipe discovery portal Kurashiru, announced today that it has been acquired by Yahoo Japan. YJ Capital, the investment arm of Yahoo Japan, acquired a 15.9% stake of the media startup with their first investment back in 2016. By additionally injecting 9.3 billion yen ($83.8 million US) at this time, Yahoo Japan has agreed to acquire a 45.6% stake of the startup.

Dely was established in April of 2014. In September of the same year they received funding from Anri and began a food delivery business as their inaugural service. However, after judging the outlook for such services difficult, they pivoted to video curation media last year, their current business model.

Since its launch back in February of 2016, Kurashiru has published 18,000 recipe movies, attracting 2.9 million users via social network channels, and has acquired 12 million mobile app downloads, mainly by attracting female consumers in their 20s to 40s. Tokyo-based Every, the Japanese startup behind online recipe media Delish Kitchen which is considered to be one of Kurashiru’s closer competitor services, has raised a total of 5.43 billion yen (about $48.2 million) to date.

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Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy

Japanese video recipe app Kurashiru secures $30M in funding from Softbank, others

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The Japanese startup Dely, which runs video-centric culinary media Kurashiru, announced today that it has raised 3.35 billion yen (about $30 million US) from Softbank, YJ Capital (investment arm of Yahoo Japan), Akatsuki and United. YJ Capital and United have taken part in the previous round. In terms of the funding amount, the latest round let Dely beat its main rival Every, the company behind Delish Kitchen, which had recently secured $18 million in last year’s end. According to disclosed figures, Dely has raised more than $60 million in total while Delish Kitchen has secured about $50 million to date. Dely will use the funds to strengthen hiring and marketing efforts, while undertaking new businesses build-up and putting acquisition of other companies into consideration. Coinciding with the announcement, the company unveiled that their mobile app has surpassed 10 million downloads last month. Dely was established in April of 2014. In September of the same year the Tokyo-based company received funding from Anri and began a food delivery business as the inaugural service. However, after judging the outlook for such services difficult, around February of 2016 the firm pivoted to video curation media, which became the model for their current business….

Kurashiru
Image credit: Dely

The Japanese startup Dely, which runs video-centric culinary media Kurashiru, announced today that it has raised 3.35 billion yen (about $30 million US) from Softbank, YJ Capital (investment arm of Yahoo Japan), Akatsuki and United. YJ Capital and United have taken part in the previous round.

In terms of the funding amount, the latest round let Dely beat its main rival Every, the company behind Delish Kitchen, which had recently secured $18 million in last year’s end. According to disclosed figures, Dely has raised more than $60 million in total while Delish Kitchen has secured about $50 million to date.

Dely will use the funds to strengthen hiring and marketing efforts, while undertaking new businesses build-up and putting acquisition of other companies into consideration. Coinciding with the announcement, the company unveiled that their mobile app has surpassed 10 million downloads last month.

Dely was established in April of 2014. In September of the same year the Tokyo-based company received funding from Anri and began a food delivery business as the inaugural service. However, after judging the outlook for such services difficult, around February of 2016 the firm pivoted to video curation media, which became the model for their current business.

Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy

Japan’s Dely secures $27M to beat Cookpad for online recipe market dominance

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This is the abridged version from our original article in Japanese. As reported earlier this morning, Tokyo-based Dely, the Japanese video-centric culinary media startup offering recipe discovery portal Kurashiru, will announce today that it has secured a 3 billion yen funding (about $27 million) round. Participating investors are Jafco (TSE:8595), YJ Capital (the investment arm of Yahoo Japan), Gumi Ventures (the investment arm of Japanese major game developer Gumi) and Das Capital as well as individual investors including FreakOut CEO Yusuke Sato. Das Capital is an investment fund run by Japanese serial entrepreneur/investor Shinji Kimura. Financial terms have not yet been disclosed. With this funding, no announcement has yet been made regarding the possible change of their management structure. The company claims that the funds will be used to push forward the video recipe business in Japan while developing new businesses and acquiring other companies. The latest round follows their $4.5 million funding back in November of 2016, which is just less than half a year away from the previous one. Dely was established in April of 2014. In September of the same year they received funding from Anri and began a food delivery business as their inaugural service. However,…

Kurashiru

This is the abridged version from our original article in Japanese.

As reported earlier this morning, Tokyo-based Dely, the Japanese video-centric culinary media startup offering recipe discovery portal Kurashiru, will announce today that it has secured a 3 billion yen funding (about $27 million) round.

Participating investors are Jafco (TSE:8595), YJ Capital (the investment arm of Yahoo Japan), Gumi Ventures (the investment arm of Japanese major game developer Gumi) and Das Capital as well as individual investors including FreakOut CEO Yusuke Sato. Das Capital is an investment fund run by Japanese serial entrepreneur/investor Shinji Kimura.

Financial terms have not yet been disclosed. With this funding, no announcement has yet been made regarding the possible change of their management structure. The company claims that the funds will be used to push forward the video recipe business in Japan while developing new businesses and acquiring other companies.

The latest round follows their $4.5 million funding back in November of 2016, which is just less than half a year away from the previous one. Dely was established in April of 2014. In September of the same year they received funding from Anri and began a food delivery business as their inaugural service. However, after judging the outlook for such services difficult, they pivoted to video curation media last year, which became the model for their current business.

Translated by Masaru Ikeda

Kurashiru, Japan’s answer to Tastemade, secures $4.5 million for global expansion

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See the original story in Japanese. Tokyo-based Dely, the video-centric culinary media startup offering Kurashiru, announced today that it has fundraised about 500 million yen (about $4.5 million) from YJ Capital, Gumi Ventures, United, as well as Yusuke Sato, managing director of Japanese adtech startup FreakOut (TSE:6094), and an unnamed angel investor. YJ Capital is the investment arm of Yahoo Japan (TSE:4689). With the funds, the company plans to utilize mobile videos and video content from shops to measure the effectiveness of ads, etc., and it is said they are also considering overseas expansion for the future. Dely was established in April of 2014. In September of the same year they received funding from Anri and began a food delivery business as their inaugural service. However, after judging the outlook for such services difficult, around February of this year they pivoted to video curation media, which became the model for their current business. As of May, they have organized a team for producing 500 video clips per month. As mentioned in a previous interview, CEO Yusuke Horie is aiming for Cookpad (TSE:2193), the premiere recipe media site in Japan. He said: In terms of video clips, recipe content has gained…

kurashiru_featuredimage

See the original story in Japanese.

Tokyo-based Dely, the video-centric culinary media startup offering Kurashiru, announced today that it has fundraised about 500 million yen (about $4.5 million) from YJ Capital, Gumi Ventures, United, as well as Yusuke Sato, managing director of Japanese adtech startup FreakOut (TSE:6094), and an unnamed angel investor. YJ Capital is the investment arm of Yahoo Japan (TSE:4689).

With the funds, the company plans to utilize mobile videos and video content from shops to measure the effectiveness of ads, etc., and it is said they are also considering overseas expansion for the future.

Dely was established in April of 2014. In September of the same year they received funding from Anri and began a food delivery business as their inaugural service. However, after judging the outlook for such services difficult, around February of this year they pivoted to video curation media, which became the model for their current business. As of May, they have organized a team for producing 500 video clips per month.

dely-yusuke-horie
Dely CEO Yusuke Horie

As mentioned in a previous interview, CEO Yusuke Horie is aiming for Cookpad (TSE:2193), the premiere recipe media site in Japan. He said:

In terms of video clips, recipe content has gained attention, but no matter what you end up with clips that use flashy elements in order to become buzzworthy. But, what the user really wants is information for just a regular curry or stew. Since I was planning to use a stock content model like Cookpad’s from the beginning, of the 1000 or so videos for distribution a month, no more than about 90 are being used as video clips and distributed among social networks, etc.

According to Horie, nearly all of the employees, who have reached 60 people in total, work on video content production, making sure to take time to sort out the finer details such as caloric calculation and recipe description.

So what would happen if Cookpad begins put more stock into doing videos? Naturally, Horie also has various thoughts on this idea. To summarize his words, currently Cookpad is producing as little as 30 videos a month, and there is an inclination that video does not fit in with their original text and picture content format.

He added:

When Rakuten Recipe began, their strategy was to attract users with the incentive of Rakuten reward points. But, what’s on the horizon is a change in format. With the mobile communication environment improving, video is starting to have the competitive edge.

Of course, if Cookpad launches similar projects it could be a whole new game, but for now they are focused on separate problems, creating a prime opportunity for startups aiming to replace them.

Translated by Amanda Imasaka
Edited by Masaru Ikeda