Peanut Expands to Support Women Through Menopause | Peanut

Peanut Expands Support to Include Menopause

Initially designed as a social networking application for women navigating motherhood, Peanut is broadening its scope to encompass additional life stages. The platform will now specifically address the needs of women experiencing menopause, a phase impacting nearly half of the global population.

A significant gap exists in online spaces dedicated to women’s connection and knowledge-sharing during menopause. Michelle Kennedy, founder and CEO of Peanut, explains, “We’ve long recognized this life stage as profoundly underserved.”

Identifying a Market Need

The company identified this opportunity by analyzing existing conversations within the app. Women were already discussing their experiences and seeking support related to menopause.

While Peanut historically attracted younger women focused on marriage and family, a growing number were experiencing surgical or medically induced menopause due to conditions like breast cancer. These individuals sought a space to discuss the impact of early or premature menopause, particularly as parents.

Furthermore, women experiencing potential menopausal symptoms found their concerns dismissed by medical professionals due to their age, prompting them to seek peer validation. Simultaneously, older women entering menopause actively searched for community and connection.

Introducing Peanut Menopause

To cater to this demand, Peanut is launching Peanut Menopause, a dedicated section within the app. This space will facilitate connections between women at similar stages – premenopausal, menopausal, or postmenopausal.

Users can participate in focused groups, pose questions and receive advice, and engage in live audio discussions led by experts via Peanut Pods, the app’s audio room feature.

The app’s matchmaking functionality will also enable women to discover and connect with others sharing similar demographics for messaging or video conversations.

Addressing a Historical Silence

Kennedy emphasizes that menopause has historically been a taboo subject, with women often suffering in silence due to limited resources and support networks.

“Men are not going to create these resources for us; we must build them ourselves,” she asserts. “We need to develop the support systems we desire and require.”

Expanding the User Base

This expansion is anticipated to attract a wider demographic to Peanut. Currently, the average user age is 32, but the new menopause communities may draw women aged 49 and above, alongside those experiencing menopause at younger ages.

Investor Reactions and Future Monetization

Interestingly, not all investors recognize the potential of serving menopausal women. Kennedy recounts an investor expressing disappointment about the expansion, preferring the “younger age demo.” She found this perspective surprising.

She points out that this new demographic often possesses greater disposable income and demonstrates more considered app usage. They tend to be more invested in the few applications they choose to use.

Peanut currently does not monetize its users through advertising. The company plans to implement a freemium model, offering premium features for a fee – a strategy successfully employed in the dating app industry, where Kennedy has prior experience.

Continued Growth and Accessibility

This launch represents the latest in a series of expansions, including Q&A forums, Peanut Pages, Peanut Groups, and Peanut Pods, which have propelled Peanut to a community of over 2 million users.

The Peanut app is freely available for download on both iOS and Android devices, with a preview of its communities accessible online.