Keychain Secures $30M, Launches AI OS for CPG Manufacturers

Imagine an AI startup ensuring your favorite snacks stay fresh and shelves remain stocked. That’s the ambition of Keychain, a company initially known for its AI-powered marketplace connecting retailers with consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers. Founded in 2023 by Oisin Hanrahan, co-founder of Handy and former CEO of Angi, Keychain recently announced a $30 million Series B funding round. Alongside this capital injection, the company unveiled KeychainOS, a new AI operating system designed to either replace or seamlessly integrate with existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tools in manufacturing. An ERP system is enterprise software that unifies essential business functions—such as finance, human resources, manufacturing, procurement, and supply chain—into a single platform, offering real-time insights across an organization.

The global ERP market is substantial, valued at an estimated $81.15 billion in 2024 and projected to soar to $229.79 billion by 2032. This expansive and rapidly growing sector presents a clear opportunity for Keychain, especially given its established relationships with CPG manufacturers through its current product search and cataloging software.

Keychain’s journey began with a more focused entry into the complex CPG supply chain. “We started with a big vision: build the operating system for CPG. Our first product was a search-and-discovery tool so brands and retailers could find manufacturers,” explained CEO Oisin Hanrahan in a recent interview. This initial offering quickly gained traction, now serving over 20,000 brands and retailers, thousands of manufacturers, and facilitating more than a billion dollars in search-and-discovery volume monthly. The company reports that its platform is currently utilized by 8 of the top 10 U.S. retailers and 7 of the top 10 CPG brands, including major players like 7-Eleven, Whole Foods, and General Mills. The Series B funding round was led by Wellington Management, with participation from BoxGroup and other existing investors, bringing Keychain’s total capital raised to $68 million in just 18 months since its launch.

Building on this successful foundation, KeychainOS extends beyond sourcing into the core functions of manufacturing operations. Unlike traditional ERP systems from giants like Oracle, QAD, or Plex, which often demand months of setup and numerous add-ons for full functionality, KeychainOS is touted as a faster, CPG-specific alternative. Hanrahan emphasized that the new system is designed for implementation in mere days and integrates seamlessly with Keychain’s existing sourcing platform. This rapid deployment addresses a critical need Hanrahan frequently hears from the industry: “A constant theme is how hard it is to customize non-CPG software to run a plant, and the lack of connectivity between food safety, procurement, planning, and cost accounting.” KeychainOS was developed to address these inefficiencies directly, starting with existing customers who already use Keychain for search and discovery.

A key differentiator for KeychainOS lies in its approach to data entry and process management. Traditional systems often rely on extensive manual input, a slow and error-prone process. Hanrahan noted that the modern expectation is for “natural-language interfaces and automated data ingestion—not smashing a keyboard to enter data.” KeychainOS minimizes repetitive manual entry by capturing and organizing information in the background. The company is also enhancing how factory floor workers interact with the software, moving beyond simple screen taps to embrace multimodal input, integrating computer vision, connected scales, and voice commands. This evolution will enable automatic recording of data like temperatures and weights without human intervention. Furthermore, KeychainOS incorporates AI-powered adaptive checklists. Unlike static paper forms, these digital checklists adjust dynamically based on operator responses. For instance, if an operator records that two batches were mixed, the system automatically prompts additional required steps, ensuring compliance and preventing omissions in critical food safety audits and quality checks.

This strategic move positions Keychain in direct competition with large, established ERP vendors. However, Hanrahan believes the timing is opportune for a “better AI-native ERP without the 14 dropdowns and 17 checkboxes people hate in traditional SaaS.” The company is banking on its deep vertical focus and advanced AI capabilities to attract manufacturers weary of fragmented software solutions. KeychainOS offers integrated modules for compliance, planning, and traceability, designed to share data across the entire supply chain. Whole Foods Market, an existing user of Keychain’s initial platform, praised its ability to help identify manufacturers for new product development. Molly Breiner of Wellington Management, which led the funding round, lauded Keychain for its rapid yet substantial growth, asserting that the company is actively reshaping the CPG supply chain into a more efficient and interconnected ecosystem. With the new funding, Keychain plans to expand its reach into additional consumer goods categories, having recently entered the beauty and personal care sector, and further broaden its AI capabilities.