WILE CLOSES $3 MILLION SEED ROUND WITH SERENA WILLIAMS' VENTURE FIRM, LAUNCHES IN WHOLE FOODS MARKET GLOBALLY: "WE ARE ANYTHING BUT INVISIBLE"

Serena Ventures, Springdale Ventures, Coyote Ventures and Others Invest in WILE as global Whole Foods Market Rolls Out
wilewomen.com

PORTLAND, Ore., May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WILE, a hormonal wellness brand for women 40+, announced today it has closed a $3 million pre-seed round and will debut nine skus in all Whole Foods Market doors this month. Established in 2021, WILE offers clinically backed supplements, tinctures and drinks made with unique herbal and plant formulas, created in partnership with naturopathic doctors and research scientists.

WILE is one of Serena Ventures' first investments since announcing their $111 million raise last month and is one of several companies in women's health and lifestyle that Williams has invested in. "It's astonishing that the market and medicine have ignored 50% of the population in the prime of their lives and frankly, their earning power," said Serena Williams, Managing Partner at Serena Ventures. "It's rare to see an area of opportunity this vast, this underserved and this obvious. As an investor, we see this as a chance to support change in the culture with products women simply need."

Serena Ventures is joined by Springdale Ventures (Better Booch, Judy), angel investor Sara Bright and Coyote Ventures in this raise. Headquartered in Portland, OR, WILE is led by co-founders Gwen Floyd, Corey Scholibo, and Julie Kucinski alongside actress and activist Judy Greer.

"We've laid the groundwork and learned so much about our customers," says CEO and co-founder Gwen Floyd. "This investment makes it possible for us to break through the silence and get her what she needs and wants, where she wants it."

Focused on hormonal health and stress, WILE is the first brand to take a holistic approach to perimenopause. WILE addresses and elevates the 30+ million midlife women who are too often overlooked. "Whole Foods Market has long been a leader in healthy lifestyles. Their recognition of perimenopause, midlife stress and women's health in this life-stage is a significant bellwether for other retailers and the market ahead," says Floyd.

WILE's supplements can be mixed and matched for overall hormonal health and its many unpredictable symptoms. That includes stress, which impacts "aging," health and perimenopause.

The WILE rollout at Whole Foods Market includes:

• Daily herbal supplement capsules ($39.99 retail)
• 40+ Perimenopause Support, 40+ Period Support, Women's Stress, and Hot Flash work together or can be taken alone to balance hormones and target common issues.
• Concentrated herbal tinctures ($29.99 retail)
• Burnout Relief, Un-Worry and Un-Anger address common stress responses and can be taken in the moment or as a daily ritual.
• Functional Drink Mixes ($39.99 retail, 10 calories per serving)
• Stave the Crave anti-stress eating chai uses herbs such as gymnema sylvestre to cut sugar cravings and create satiety. Adaptogens lower stress that often leads to emotional eating.
• Calming Tranq Dranq uses herbs such as ashwagandha, roselle and schisandra to create overall serenity. Its hibiscus-berry blend is a refreshing way to feel grounded by day or ease into sleep.

About Whole Foods Market
For 40 years, Whole Foods Market has been the world's leading natural and organic foods retailer. As the first certified organic national grocer, Whole Foods Market has more than 500 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit media.wholefoodsmarket.com.

About WILE
WILE, a plant-powered naturopathic wellness brand for perimenopause and midlife, is shifting hormonal stigmas while looking at women and formulations holistically. Demystifying and embracing the hormonal powers and hidden complexities of grown women from the inside, WILE is founded and formulated by women. Using naturopathic and traditional Chinese medicine, WILE's supplement capsules, tinctures and functional drinks are clinically backed to help grown women 40ish to 60ish feel their best. The products are 100% natural, vegan and gluten-free. To learn more about WILE, please visit wilewomen.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS
REVELE | Public Relations
Marilynne Bell, [email protected]
Chaz Brewer, [email protected]

SOURCE WILE