Care/of vs Ankr

About

Care/of is a New York-based personalized vitamin and supplement brand founded in 2016 by Craig Elbert and Akash Shah. The company popularized algorithm-driven supplement personalization, asking consumers a series of lifestyle and health questions to recommend a custom daily vitamin pack delivered by subscription. Care/of was acquired by Bayer in November 2020 at a $225 million valuation, giving Bayer a majority ownership stake in the direct-to-consumer brand.\n\nUnder Bayer's Consumer Health division, Care/of has continued to operate with its original DTC model and brand identity while leveraging Bayer's supply chain, clinical validation resources, and marketing infrastructure. The brand extended its product line to include protein powders, collagen supplements, and wellness shots, maintaining its personalization-first positioning in a crowded supplement market.\n\nCare/of targets millennial consumers who value personalized wellness plans and want evidence-cited ingredient explanations. The brand's website provides research citations for every recommended ingredient, a transparency approach that built early credibility and loyalty. As part of Bayer, Care/of benefits from credentialing by association with a global pharmaceutical brand while retaining its digital-native identity.