Green Rebel Foods, a food tech startup based in Indonesia, has announced its entry into the plant-based protein food market in Korea. Bryan Toh, the Global Vice President of Green Rebel, disclosed the launch of Green Rebel in Korea during an event held at a restaurant located in Seoul’s Seocho district on Thursday. Toh also provided insight into the rationale behind this decision.
Green Rebel is a food tech firm that offers plant-based protein-based Southeast Asian cuisine. Having already extended its presence in Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines, the company is now focusing on Korea and Vietnam as its latest markets for expansion.
Despite being relatively unknown in Korea, the Indonesian startup, Green Rebel, has already made its mark in Southeast Asia. The company has collaborated with over 800 global brands, such as Starbucks and Domino’s in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, as well as high-end hotels like Shangri-La, Westin, and Marriott.
In the previous year, Indonesian Starbucks outlets rolled out two plant-based pies across 464 locations and managed to sell over 111,700 units within six months. Additionally, Domino’s Pizza in Indonesia also introduced two exclusive menus that employed Green Rebel’s plant-based components and sold 38,500 pizzas. The success of these offerings led to an extension of their contract for another year.
In particular, Green Rebel formed a relationship with Korean food company CJ CheilJedang in July last year after successfully attracting investment. Toh stated that “CJ Group is a large company that leads not only the food and beverage industry but also various subsidiaries, such as logistics and entertainment, which can be utilized for various collaborations. The collaboration with CJ Group can be extended not only to the Korean market but also to global markets.”
CJ CheilJedang Corp. has expressed a keen interest in penetrating the Southeast Asian market, where Green Rebel has already established a competitive presence with its halal-certified products infused with Southeast Asian spices and flavors. This situation presents several opportunities for collaboration. However, it is worth noting that the plant-based protein food from Green Rebel and CJ CheilJedang exhibit distinct taste characteristics.
