Foodpanda, Rebel Foods ink five-year virtual brands partnership

The partnership sees both companies aiming to launch more than 10 virtual brands in over 2,000 outlets across the region.

Foodpanda has signed an initial five-year, multi-market agreement with Indian online restaurant company Rebel Foods to create what they tout as the largest virtual brands partnership in Asia.

The partnership sees both companies aiming to launch more than 10 virtual brands in over 2,000 outlets across the region. Rebel Foods will bring its “ready-to-deploy” brands whilst Foodpanda will enable its restaurant partners and cloud kitchen operators to “plug-and-play virtual brands into their current operations to grow additional revenue streams.”

Smaller SMEs (small and mid-size enterprises) and restaurant partners on the Foodpanda platform can adopt new recipes and “utilise their spare capacity to grow additional revenue streams while creating diversity in their menu offerings,” the delivery firm said.

The “first phase” of the partnership, which began in December 2019, saw Rebel Foods introducing four brands across Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Foodpanda said orders for Rebel Foods' brands on average grew 40% month-on-month in the past six months, with more than 200 outlets across the six markets signed up to add virtual brands to their existing offerings.

"This foodpanda-Rebel Foods partnership introduces a new digital-first F&B format to Asia. foodpanda is always seeking new, innovative ways to change the way F&B businesses operate in a hyper-digitalised economy — we want to push our ecosystem further into the future," Foodpanda chief operating officer Pedram Assadi said.

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Virtual brands are online-only food concepts where a brand exists digitally, with no dine-in presence, and offers food that is available for delivery or pick-up from the outlet.

Aside from introducing Rebel Foods’ brands to Foodpanda customers, both companies have also collaborated on new offerings under the Honest Bowl concept.

"Over the years, we have built some category leading brands in its current markets and a full-stack operating system which integrates culinary expertise, efficient SOPs and technological innovations together. We are glad to partner with foodpanda and scale our iconic brands with localized offerings across their network in Asia", added Kallol Banerjee, co-founder of Rebel Foods.