Methuselah Secures Tens of Millions of RMB in Series A Funding Led by Frees Fund to Build a National Medical Nutrition Brand

Methuselah (Shanghai) Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Methuselah”) has recently completed a Series A financing round amounting to tens of millions of yuan, with exclusive investment from FreeS Fund. The proceeds will be primarily used for recruiting professional talent, optimizing product development, enhancing the supply chain system, expanding market presence, and building brand image.

Methuselah, founded in 2012 and headquartered in the Zhangjiang International Medical Park in Shanghai, is a key institution and star enterprise in Zhangjiang, having received numerous industry accolades. Positioned as a pioneer in medical nutrition in China, Methuselah has launched four major product series since its establishment: The first category comprises Foods for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP), including Youkangli and Youyili; the second category consists of fortified foods, primarily the Yusuo series, designed to meet the nutritional needs of patients during the perioperative period and those with specific diseases; the third category features DGI foods tailored for individuals with diabetes; and the fourth category includes calorie-controlled foods for the broader weight-loss and fitness community. Upholding the values of “Customer First, Teamwork, Medical Nutrition, Embracing Change, Passion, and Integrity and Professionalism,” Methuselah is committed to creating value for its customers, employees, and shareholders.

The origin of the company’s name can be traced back to the Bible. “Methuselah” was the grandfather of Noah, who built the Ark, and is recorded in the Bible as the longest-lived person, having lived for 969 years, thus becoming a synonym for longevity. Founder Tang Liming hopes to help citizens achieve health and longevity by providing professional nutritional products.

Methuselah, driven by the mission to “make medical nutrition accessible worldwide” and guided by the philosophy of “tailored nutrition for different diseases and populations,” has built a highly professional team. Founder Tang Liming is a nationally registered dietitian and practicing physician, holding a Bachelor of Medicine from Zhengzhou University School of Medicine and an EMBA degree from Fudan University. He serves as Deputy Secretary-General of the Nutrition and Rehabilitation Committee of the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine. Chief Research Scientist Cai Donglian was China’s first doctoral supervisor in nutrition science and formerly served as Director of the Department of Clinical Nutrition at Changhai Hospital affiliated with the Second Military Medical University. He has edited and published nearly 50 monographs, including Clinical Nutritional Therapeutics and Clinical Nutrition, and authored more than 300 academic papers. Methuselah is one of the few companies in China with a team of registered dietitians, leveraging this professional expertise in product research and development, academic exchanges, after-sales service, and other corporate operations. Over the years, Methuselah has prioritized establishing close collaborations with authoritative academic institutions. It has carried out academic promotion initiatives in partnership with professional societies such as the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Chinese Nutrition Society, the Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, the Shanghai Hospital Association, and the Shanghai Clinical Nutrition Center, as well as with the clinical nutrition departments of numerous hospitals. These efforts aim to enhance public awareness of clinical nutrition and build a robust academic team and support system for the company.

From 2016 to 2022, the market size of China’s food for special medical purposes (FSMP) industry increased year by year. In particular, the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 drove market demand for immunity-boosting and functional foods, pushing the FSMP market size to RMB 7.72 billion, a year-on-year increase of 32.19%. Methuselah has been acting as a “pioneer” in the FSMP sector, actively exploring the field and achieving notable results. Founder Tang Liming stated that the challenges facing China’s FSMP industry have further motivated the company to build a professional national brand for medical nutrition. To achieve greater success in the FSMP industry, Chairman Tang Liming emphasized three key “challenges”: First, the academic team must possess “expert thinking,” with strong capabilities in clinical nutrition and academic research, enabling them to approach product creation from an in-depth literature perspective. Second, the R&D team must adopt “user thinking” to develop practical, high-quality products, prioritize user experience, and establish emotional connections with consumers. Third, the company must embrace “talent thinking” by treating talented individuals who are passionate about medical nutrition with care and respect.

Over more than a decade of development, Methuselah has remained focused on medical nutrition, establishing its own corporate culture and value system, attracting top-tier professional talent, building an expert resource pool, and completing the initial construction of its talent pipeline.

Fan Mingwang, Head of Early-Stage Projects at FreeS FundIt stated that population aging is a fundamental national condition that China must address over the long term. As the degree of aging continues to deepen, the largest baby boom cohort in history will enter the age range with high incidence of metabolic chronic diseases, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Consequently, there is an increasingly prevalent demand for more effective prevention and management of these long-term conditions through medical nutrition. Coupled with the continuous enhancement of residents' nutritional awareness in the post-pandemic era, we believe that health foods grounded in medical nutrition will usher in a broader incremental market.

As the earliest brand in the industry to focus on medical nutrition, Methuselah has developed a comprehensive portfolio of medical nutrition products, encompassing foods for special medical purposes (FSMP), low-GI foods, and calorie-controlled weight management foods—a rarity in the industry. Mr. Tang and his team have cultivated deep expertise in the medical nutrition sector over many years, accumulating substantial experience in product R&D, supply chain optimization, channel management, and regulatory approval acquisition.

We remain firmly bullish on Methuselah’s growth potential to become a leading brand in medical nutrition, and we are highly optimistic about the team’s continued exploration at the intersection of healthcare and food technology.

Li Feng, Founding Partner of FreeS FundWe believe that innovation in the consumer sector, whether in terms of categories or products, has entered a phase aligned with China’s industrial development stage, where technological innovation and brands require professional endorsement. Examples include the rising domestic cosmetic brand Winona and various rapidly growing professional sports brands, both domestic and international. We hope and trust that Methuselah will become a brand representing professionalism and technological innovation trends within the major food industry sector.