ZENB

What ZENB does

ZENB was a US-based, plant-based packaged food brand founded in 2018 and operated through ZENB US, Inc., an Illinois corporation with an administrative office in Mt. Prospect, IL. The company's core technology was a proprietary 100% yellow pea formulation applied across a portfolio that included pasta (Spaghetti, Linguine, Lasagna, Cavatappi, Pasta Agile, Rotini, Penne, Elbows), Japanese-style ramen (Vegan Tonkotsu, Shoyu, Spicy Miso), Pasta Sides, Cracker Crisps, and Pasta Bowls. Every product was vegan; pasta, sides, crisps, and bowls carried Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) certification, the full line was Non-GMO Project verified, and ZENB Spaghetti additionally carried OU Kosher certification. The portfolio delivered 18–20g of protein and 8–12g of fiber per serving, positioning ZENB against the gluten-free, high-protein, and plant-based dietary segments.

ZENB's go-to-market was product-led growth executed through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (zenb.com, built on Shopify with Stripe and PayPal checkout), major marketplace channels (Amazon.com, Walmart.com), and nationwide US retail distribution. Marketing was primarily digital, leveraging Klaviyo for email, Google Analytics and Tag Manager for site performance, and targeted online advertising; social media served top-of-funnel awareness. The primary customer persona was health-conscious consumers — including individuals managing celiac disease, diabetes, or other dietary restrictions — who required convenient, ready-to-prep, high-protein plant-based meal solutions.

In 2025, after five years of operation, ZENB announced the discontinuation of the ZENB brand in the United States. Online sales through ZENB.com, Amazon.com, and Walmart.com ceased on or around May 18, 2025; retail availability is limited to remaining stock while supplies last, and refunds/replacements for damaged products were required to be requested by May 26, 2025. The company held no disclosed funding rounds, reported no revenue, and operated with 11–50 employees. The Japan Branding Awards 2025 SILVER (Interbrand Japan) indicates the brand continues to have reputational currency in Japan even as the US business winds down.

Name

ZENB

Legal name

ZENB US, Inc.

Website

https://zenb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZENB was a US plant-based packaged food brand selling 100% yellow pea pasta, ramen, sides, crackers, and bowls — all vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO — to health-conscious consumers through DTC, Amazon, Walmart, and nationwide retail; the brand was discontinued in the US in May 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-Based Packaged Foods

NAICS

Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing (31182), Dry Pasta, Dough, and Flour Mixes Manufacturing from Purchased Flour (311824)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Cookies & Crackers (2052)

akta.pro primary industry

Gluten-Free & Specialty Grain-Based Foods Manufacturing (GF pasta/cereals, ancient grains) (AFAKABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pasta Manufacturing (dry, fresh, filled) (AFAKABAB), Noodle Manufacturing (instant, ramen, rice noodles) (AFAKABAC), Foods for Special Dietary Needs Manufacturing (Gluten-Free, Allergen-Free, Low-FODMAP, Low-Sodium) (AFAKAJAD)

Keywords

• Plant-based pasta
• Gluten-free pasta
• Vegan ramen
• Yellow pea products
• Plant-based snacks

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: ZENB sells products directly to consumers through its website zenb.com. As of the announcement, online sales through their own storefront, Amazon.com, and Walmart.com were scheduled to cease around May 18, 2025 as part of the brand discontinuation.
2. Retail Distribution: Products sold through nationwide retail locations while supplies last. This is a traditional retail distribution model through third-party retailers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ZENB manufactured and sold plant-based food products made from 100% yellow peas (with skin), including pasta (Spaghetti, Linguine, Lasagna, Cavatappi, Pasta Agile, Rotini, Penne, Elbows), ramen in classic Japanese flavors, pasta sides, cracker crisps, and pasta bowls. All products were vegan, certified gluten-free by GFCO, and verified non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project, with high protein (18-20g per serving) and fiber (8-12g per serving) content.

Product overview

ZENB is a plant-based food brand offering a portfolio of products centered around pasta made from 100% yellow peas. The core offerings include ZENB Pasta (multiple shapes), ZENB Ramen (Japanese-style noodles in various broths), ZENB Pasta Sides (quick-prep sides), ZENB Cracker Crisps (snack crackers), and ZENB Pasta Bowls (ready-to-eat meals). All products are vegan and certified gluten-free, with most varieties also verified non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project. The company operated exclusively in the US market and has announced discontinuation of the brand in the US as of 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ZENB Pasta

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO)coreOthersZENB products (Pasta, Pasta Sides, Cracker Crisps, and Pasta Bowls) are certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, meeting all FDA guidelines for gluten-free products.
• Non-GMO ProjectcoreOthersZENB partners with the Non-GMO Project to verify their products follow stringent provisions for testing, traceability, and segregation of non-genetically engineered ingredients. Ingredient suppliers must confirm through documentation that their products are non-GMO.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Explore Cuisine: Explore Cuisine produces plant-based pasta and noodles from edamame, mung bean, and other legumes — directly competing with ZENB's yellow-pea and ramen SKUs in the gluten-free, high-protein category.
• Lotus Foods: Lotus Foods makes rice-based ramen and noodles, overlapping directly with ZENB Ramen in the gluten-free instant noodle category and the broader plant-based convenience meal space.
• Jovial Foods: Jovial is a gluten-free and organic pasta brand with e-commerce and natural-channel distribution. It competes for the same celiac and health-conscious consumer and sells comparable brown rice and cassava pasta formats.
• Ancient Harvest: Ancient Harvest specializes in gluten-free pasta made from corn, quinoa, and other ancient grains, occupying the same shelf space as ZENB at natural and mainstream retailers.
• Banza: Banza is a direct competitor making chickpea-based pasta with a nearly identical positioning: high protein, high fiber, gluten-free, plant-based. It targets the same health-conscious consumer with similar nutritional claims and is sold in comparable retail and DTC channels.
• Tinkyáda: Tinkyáda is a long-established brown rice pasta brand competing for the same celiac and gluten-free consumer as ZENB Pasta across retail and foodservice channels.
• Tolerant Foods: Tolerant Foods makes single-ingredient legume pasta (red lentil, green lentil, chickpea), competing head-to-head with ZENB on the plant-based, gluten-free, high-protein positioning in retail pasta aisles.

Broad incumbents

• Barilla: Barilla is the global pasta incumbent with a gluten-free and legume-based product line (Barilla Protein+, Gluten Free). It competes in the same shelf set as ZENB and has the scale advantage that ultimately pressured niche entrants like ZENB.

Emerging players

• Goodles: Goodles is a venture-backed entrant in better-for-you boxed pasta and mac & cheese, competing for the same convenience-driven, health-conscious pasta consumer that ZENB Pasta Sides and Pasta Bowls targeted.
• King Soba: King Soba produces gluten-free, organic noodles from buckwheat and other alternative grains. It is a smaller, niche player with comparable gluten-free noodle positioning to ZENB Ramen.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zenb_life
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZENBLife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zenb

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZENB