Cornell-supported startup using real food to support bone health

Han, a board-certified clinical pharmacist with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Syracuse and Bitar, a food studies lecturer in American studies in the College of Arts & Sciences at Cornell University, agreed that there was a lack of effective, natural calcium supplements on the market and sought to use their extensive experience in food and pharmacy to change that. 

It took extensive testing and development to come up with the deceptively simple, patent-pending formula: organic dates; milk minerals and protein; almonds and vitamin D from button mushroom powder. Each 25-calorie chew contains the equivalent of around 1.75 cups of milk. 

While calcium is the foundation, it doesn’t act alone. After removing the liquid, fat and lactose from the milk, they’re left with protein and a full spectrum of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc and copper, that aid in the calcium’s absorption.

The pair was selected for Cornell’s Dairy Runway Program, through which they connected with the New York State Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech (CoE). 

They utilized the Food Innovation Lab and Seneca Foods Foundation Pilot Plant at Cornell AgriTech in Geneva in the development of the chews. Bitar and Han credited a “super helpful group of food scientists and experts,” including Pilot Plant Manager Roger Morse, Cornell Food Venture Center Associate Director Bruno Xavier, CoE Business Development Manager Mark Scoville and Dairy Runway Program Manager Amanda Pittman, for helping Seen Nutrition grow and thrive. The company also received a $20,000 grant from the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center.

The chews are now being produced in Rochester by fellow CoE member Sweet Pea, whose manufacturing space is large enough to fuel the company’s rapid growth. Since the chews first launched in June 2024, the company has seen a 60% month-over-month growth. Their calcium chews are available online, as well as in select gyms and pharmacies in the Ithaca area. They said they’ve received messages from women around the world interested in buying their product. 

For Bitar and Han, the success of Seen Nutrition is measured beyond sales; it’s a mission to educate the public, especially women 40 and older, on the importance of protecting bone health. Women have a 50% chance of fracturing a bone due to osteoporosis in their lifetimes, around the same risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer combined. Around 25% of people aged 50 or older who suffer a hip fracture die within one year of the fracture. 

“It’s a conversation that hasn’t been had,” Bitar said. 

They plan to expand their product line in the future, including nut-free and dairy-free versions of the calcium chews. 

“We want to create a comprehensive bone health bundle,” Han said. 

The pair recently exhibited at the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation Conference, where they had the opportunity to meet fellow health experts and see customers face-to-face. Meeting customers and growing awareness of the importance of maintaining bone health has been a source of joy since they started the business. 

“No matter what, we want to keep and grow our community of women,” they said. “We want to see that impact in their lives.”

Jacob Pucci is the marketing and communications coordinator for the New York State Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech.