Daniel Lubetzky Bets $62 Million on Nasal Strip Startup Intake

Lubetzky draws a direct parallel between this venture and his previous success with KIND. Just as he once repositioned snack bars from an overlooked grocery item into a staple of daily health, he believes Intake can achieve similar ubiquity. The investment is underpinned by retention metrics that Lubetzky describes as the most compelling he has witnessed since his early days building the snack brand. Because the product offers an immediate, tangible improvement in sleep quality, it avoids the common pitfall of wellness supplements that struggle to prove their efficacy to skeptical consumers.

Elle Lanning, who previously worked alongside Lubetzky during the growth phase of KIND, emphasizes that the strategy relies on reframing an existing, familiar product for a broader audience. While nasal strips have historically been relegated to medicine cabinets for the sick, the goal is to shift them toward the foundational category of quality breathing. This transition to a subscription-based model—priced at $25 monthly—creates the recurring revenue cycles essential for long-term consumer goods success.

Intake’s origins, however, were far from the wellness sector. Inventor Jim Castillo originally developed the magnetic clipping technology to assist motocross riders whose goggles restricted airflow. After a 2019 Kickstarter campaign validated the concept, the product began gaining organic traction among athletes. With this fresh infusion of capital, Camino Partners plans to move the brand beyond its current online-only presence, focusing on retail partnerships and expanded marketing. Lubetzky remains firm that the investment serves only as a catalyst for a product that has already proven its quality, noting that marketing cannot compensate for a lackluster foundation.