In Acquisition, Pyx Health, FarmboxRx Combine Approaches to Vulnerable Populations

Pyx Health, an engagement company focused on healthcare's most vulnerable, hard-to-reach populations, has acquired FarmboxRx, a healthcare food company offering fresh fruits and vegetables as a covered health intervention. 

The thing they have in common is that Pyx Health and FarmboxRx are mission-driven organizations committed to improving health outcomes for health plans' most vulnerable populations through personalized, scalable support. Pyx Health's mentor-driven care navigation model addresses non-medical drivers of health (NMDOH) like loneliness and other support needs, while FarmboxRx enhances this approach by delivering customized food boxes tailored to specific health conditions and goals. The companies are already working to integrate their platforms and operations.

By integrating nutritional support into care pathways, the combined platform will seek to help address food insecurity—the top social barrier identified among Pyx Health members—while enabling health plans to incentivize behaviors such as scheduling preventive visits and completing health assessments.

"Many health plans have the goal of increasing member engagement to help close care gaps. But to do this, first you have to build trust," said Cindy Jordan, CEO and co-founder of Pyx Health, in a statement. "That's where Pyx Health comes in, and bringing FarmboxRx under our umbrella is a catalyst for this by showing our members we care about helping them meet critical needs. Simply put, our food boxes literally help to put food on the table while also opening the door to deeper relationships and healthcare engagement. By utilizing food as an entry point, we can bring everyone together."

In 2024, FarmboxRx CEO and founder Ashley Tyrner spoke with Healthcare Innovation about a partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee (BCBST) that aim to address statewide food insecurity while improving health outcomes and preventative care participation. BCBST members receive deliveries of healthy food with condition-specific health education shipped directly to their doors after completing preventative health screenings. 

The acquisition was made possible by a $47.5 million investment from S2G Investments, a multi-stage investment firm focused on scaling solutions across food and agriculture, energy, and oceans, in strategic partnership with TT Capital Partners, which first invested in Pyx Health in 2023. 

S2G's investment will empower Pyx Health to serve more members, especially in the Medicare, Dual-Eligible, and Exchange populations.