Dare to Be Limeatless: Green Rebel Enters Philippines with NutriAsia Partnership

Indonesian plant-based company Green Rebel will grace supermarket aisles in the Philippines with its shelf-stable and frozen ready meals via a partnership with Filipino condiment manufacturer and distributor NutriAsia.

Filipinos will soon be able to buy ready-to-cook vegan rendang, fried chicken, ribs and steaks in supermarkets, with Indonesian plant-based meat pioneer Green Rebel announcing its launch into the country through a collaboration with Manila-based condiment and sauce giant NutriAsia.

The development follows a consumer pilot conducted by the Indonesian brand last year, where it says it received “overwhelmingly positive responses” on its steak, rendang and crispy fried chicken products, which were sold online on e-commerce platforms in the Philippines.

“Crafting delicious, sustainable food isn’t just our passion; it’s our commitment to redefining the future of dining,” said Green Rebel co-founder and CEO Helga Angelina. “Every dish we create at Green Rebel is a testament to our belief that flavour, and sustainability go hand in hand, offering a tantalizing glimpse into a world where every meal nourishes both body and planet.”

Green Rebel taps into NutriAsia’s vast network

The announcement was made at a launch event titled Dare to be Limeatless, which was attended by company executives, influencers and media personalities. It featured Green Rebel co-founder and R&D director Max Mandias showcasing the versatility and functionality of the company’s plant-based whole cuts.

The brand’s products are already available in over 1,200 foodservice locations and more than 300 retail stores across Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam, with the Philippines and Malaysia the latest to join that list. It has demonstrated its pedigree by establishing landmark partnerships with Starbucks, AirAsia, Tous Le Jours, NTUC FairPrice and Annam Gourmet.

The company says its products need 80% less energy and 67% less water than animal-derived meat, and have reduced 48,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions in the last two years – that’s equivalent to removing 1,100 cars from roads for an entire year. Its offerings are geared towards busy customers, with the ready-to-cook nature meaning they take less than 10 minutes to prepare, which can be done via several cooking methods, including high-moisture hotpots, steaming, stir-frying, wok cooking, and grilling.

These products leverage its proprietary Rebel Emulsion Technology, which helps recreate the mouthfeel of meat via an emulsion of coconut oil, water and natural plant-based seasonings. This allows the meat analogues to absorb deep flavours and marination, while presenting with the distinctive taste, aroma, and juiciness associated with animal protein.

So its link-up with NutriAsia, which is the country’s largest producer of condiments and sauces, makes sense. “We see a great synergy with NutriAsia as they have an extensive distribution network and complementary product range,” Angelina told Green Queen. “NutriAsia is the leading sauce and condiment manufacturer in the Philippines, while Green Rebel focuses on Asian-flavoured plant-based meat and dairy-free cheeses. This also opens a product collaboration opportunity, targeted for Filipino consumers.”

“With this partnership, we are moving from the side of the plate to the centre, added Mario B Mendoza Jr, NutriAsia’s head of new business development. “We are confident that just as our products have become staples of every Filipino home, our consumers would also welcome these delicious, healthier, and more sustainable meat alternatives. This synergy will add yet another flavour to the Masarap, Masaya Pinoy [NutriAsia’s tagline] at-home dining experience.”

Encouraging signs for plant-based meat in the Philippines

Citing a 2024 survey by alternative protein think tank the Good Food Institute (GFI) APAC, Angelina noted that Indonesian and Filipino consumers have the most positive perceptions around plant-based meat. “Indonesia and the Philippines share similar characteristics: strong economic growth, increased appetite to eat more protein, increased malnutrition issues linked to modern diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer,” she said. “We see this as an opportunity to offer healthier and more sustainable protein into the market with Southeast Asian flavours.”

The survey, which involved 960 respondents from the Philippines, found that 24% of them are looking to reduce their meat consumption this year, and 55% are looking to increase their intake of plant-based meat – across multiple metrics, health is the primary driver for these dietary shifts.

For example, 75% think vegan meat analogues are healthier, and 49% say more nutritious offerings would encourage them to increase their consumption of these products. In fact, health is by far the top factor that would influence Filipinos to choose plant-based meats over their conventional counterparts, with 66% citing this.

Price is an important consideration too, with 48% of consumers finding cost a barrier for plant-based meat consumption. The survey also highlighted gaps in the market and an opportunity for customer education, with only 37% of Filipino respondents agreeing that meat analogues are high in protein, and just 49% thinking they taste good.

Green Rebel says its products are high in protein and fibre content, and contain up to 50% less saturated fat, 30% fewer calories, and zero cholesterol, compared to conventional meats. This will appeal to the health-conscious population in the Philippines, 48% of whom have heard of these products, but never tried them. But there are signs that this will change this year, with 75% of those who haven’t tried plant-based meat likely to do so.

The introduction of Green Rebel’s products will make it easier for them to do so. Its shelf-stable SKUs – Indonesian Rendang Curry, Blackpepper Steak Bites, Korean-style BBQ Slices and Thai Green Curry – will initially be available in select Robinsons, Landmark and The Marketplace branches in May. And its frozen Steak, Beefless Bites, Crispy Fried Chick’n and Rybs are currently in the R&D stage with 50 NutriAsia foodservice accounts. All products will eventually be available across the country and online at Shoppe and Lazada.

Armed with the NutriAsia partnership, Green Rebel will now look to capitalise on the Philippines’ growing appetite for plant-based meat. “We are doubling down our penetration into existing markets, while expanding into the Philippines and Malaysia,” said Angelina. “In terms of product innovation, we are also rolling out our new exciting category, dairy-free cheese in Q2.”