Indonesian Plant Meat Leader Green Rebel Announces Singapore Debut Across F&B

Indonesian plant-based meat leader Green Rebel has officially launched its range of beef, chicken and pork alternatives in Singapore. The startup has partnered with multiple restaurants in the Lion City to bring its whole-food-based alt-protein to consumers. The company prides itself on developing protein ‘made for Asians, by Asians’, a reference to a product range that embodies some of Southeast Asia’s most famous regional dishes, from beef rendang to chicken satay.

Come April, vegan and flexitarian Singaporean diners will be able to enjoy Green Rebel‘s plant-based proteins in numerous restaurants including Empress, Privé, Love Handle, Dragon Chamber and Queen of Wok. Dishes will include Chinese classics with beef and pork-forward flavours, Southeast Asia specialities and western-inspired recipes centred around steak and pasta in a showcase of the products’ versatility.

Plant-based protein for Singapore and beyond

For its Singapore premiere, Green Rebel has chosen to partner with multiple popular restaurants to maximise the impact of its launch. Diners will be able to experience for themselves the authentic taste and texture of plant-based meat, in their beloved local dishes and casual favourites. The diverse range of eateries has been selected to represent Green Rebel’s versatility. 

Privé has confirmed it will be serving ‘beef’ rendang and a Philly ‘cheesesteak’ flatbread. Empress has created plant-based versions of its classic Chinese sweet and sour pork and stir-fried beef tenderloin. Love Handle, Singapore’s first fully vegan butcher shop and deli, is onboard to serve pulled rendang burgers and Green Rebel’s flagship whole cut steaks. Queen of Wok will represent the seafood offerings, with vegan ‘fish’ soup and other set meal options.

Additional restaurant partnerships have already been agreed upon for further Singaporean rollout later in the year and catering company Invictus Asia has signed up. Indoguna Singapore is confirmed as the exclusive distributor for Green Rebel throughout the F&B sector. Retail packs for home cooks are planned for launch later in 2022.

A celebration of Southeast Asian flavors

Green Rebel, which was founder by Helga Angelina and Max Mandias, has an extensive line of products including Asia’s first plant-based steak, vegan cheese, ready-to-cook dishes such as gyoza and chicken katsu. It has secured a number of significant F&B partnerships throughout Indonesia, where it works with Domino’s Pizza, Starbucks, IKEA, as well as local chain ABUBA Steak and Pepperlunch. Green Rebel also serves its products at plant-based chain Burgreens, which Angelina and Andias own too.

The company’s products boast short ingredient lists with a focus on Indonesian mainstays such as like turmeric, galangal and coconut oil.

The Singaporean debut represents a milestone for Green Rebel- it’s the young company’s first launch outside of its home market. The move has been facilitated by an oversubscribed pre-Series A funding round that brought in $7 million, news of which was shared today. Further APAC expansion is slated for later in the year, with South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Australia cited. 

“This new round of funding will help us expand our R&D team further and increase production, to enable us to roll out to new markets in the next few years,” said Angelina in a statement.

Green Rebel’s pre-Series A funding saw participation from Unovis, notable for its backing of China’s largest alt-protein brand Starfield as well as its early tickets in Beyond Meat and Oatly, APAC-focused investor Better Bite Ventures, AgFunder, Teja Ventures, Netflix star Kane Lim and the South Korean conglomerate CJ group, who will distribute the products there.

“The way to convince more people in Asia to try plant-based foods is with products that work great in favourite local dishes,” Michal Klar, general partner at Better Bite Ventures told Green Queen. “Green Rebel is doing exactly that by offering plant-based meats with authentic flavours like Indonesian beef rendang, chicken satay and more.”

Singapore’s appetite for plant-based protein

Green Rebel partnering with Love Handle is demonstrative of Singapore’s growing taste for vegan meat. The inaugural all-plant-based butcher counter, deli and restaurant in the country, Love Handle merchandises vegan meats as they would be in conventional butcher shops, slicing to order and advising consumers how best to prepare them at home. Like Green Rebel, the location seeks to appeal to flexitarians and those open to reducing their meat consumption. Love Handle serves a range of plant-based dairy options alongside its meat offerings, providing potential for Green Rebel’s cheese line to be stocked in future.

The amount of plant-based protein available in Singapore is set to increase. Eat Just broke ground on its new behemoth production facility last week, marking the official start of construction. The finished factory will be the largest-ever of its kind in Singapore, covering a 2.7-hectare plot.

All photos by Green Rebel.