Alt-protein firm Green Rebel readies to serve the Philippines, Vietnam

Green Rebel Foods co-founders Max Mandias (left) and Helga Angelina Tjahjadi / Photo credit: Green Rebel

Indonesia-based alt-protein firm Green Rebel will be expanding to the Philippines and Vietnam in August this year and has “other markets in the pipeline.”

The startup says it chose the two countries, as meat consumption in those markets has been relatively higher than in the rest of the region and because people are willing to shift to plant-based meats if the quality is on par and is affordable.

“It’s within our mid-term goals to achieve price parity to animal-based meat in most markets we operate in,” co-founder Helga Angelina Tjahjadi tells Tech in Asia.

Founded in 2020 by Tjahjadi and Max Mandias, Green Rebel offers plant-based proteins, with dishes such as Beefless Rendang, Beefless Satay, Chick’n Karaage, and Beefless Steak.

According to the firm, its meatless beef has 91% less global warming potential than local beef, while that number stands at 84% for its chicken offering.

Green Rebel’s expansion efforts come after it launched in Singapore – its first market outside Indonesia – in March 2022, followed by Malaysia in December 2022 and South Korea in April this year.

As part of its growth strategy, the company has forged partnerships specific to each market, joining hands with firms such as Nando’s in Singapore, Starbucks in Malaysia, and Food Does Matter in South Korea.

The founders – who also established Indonesia’s biggest vegan food chain Burgreens – find that localizing their offerings in some markets is one of the greatest challenges from a manufacturing perspective.

See also: Recession Run: Alt protein to be $200b industry this decade, says Good Startup

The firm raised US$10 million in an oversubscribed pre-series A funding round last year, with investors such as Better Bite Ventures, Teja Ventures, and Unovis participating.

By the end of this year, Green Rebel looks to raise US$8 million to US$10 million in its series A funding round for its global expansion initiatives as well as to “[pave its] path to profitability.” In the second half of the year, it will also launch new products tapping into Chinese and Filipino flavors.

“We’re looking to launch in the US and Europe in one to two years. The first country in Europe will of course be the Netherlands, given the strong connection and affinity between Indonesia and Southeast food as well as Germany,” Tjahjadi says.