Helsinki-based food impact startup REBL Eats has announced the launch of six new plant-based breakfast items and sandwiches for consumers that want healthy shortcuts with no compromise on taste. This complements REBL’s existing portfolio of six ready-to-eat meals, which have sold over 150,000 units within nine months of launching in over 160 supermarkets in Finland. With bold ambitions, the company is also exploring other countries with its current pilot in Stockholm and eyeing expansion in another major European market in the fall.
Cooking plant-based proteins in a tasty way is often perceived as difficult. REBL Eats goes the extra mile to ensure that its products are both tasty and accessible to the broad public, bringing restaurant-quality dishes to supermarkets. All of REBL’s recipes are completely plant-based and handcrafted by vegan and nutritionist chefs in local kitchens. The goal is to answer the food needs of consumers across the whole day, from breakfast to dinner.
“Our superpower is to make vegan proteins taste good and produce them at scale. We carefully select the ones we use, from traditional proteins like chickpeas and tofu, to more innovative ones. We are always on the lookout for cleaner ingredient lists and stay away from additives/preservatives as much as possible,” says Valerie Asunta, co-founder and CEO of REBL Eats.
REBL Eats started its operations from Finland, which is one of the global leaders in adopting a plant-based diet. As a part of its expansion, the company uses dark kitchens (empty kitchens already in existence) in order to be more sustainable and meet growing demand. Additionally, the products are sold in eco-friendly packs that can be recycled after use.
“Today, very few options out there can claim to be healthy, tasty, and convenient. But with our vegan chefs and nutritionists, together with feedback from our consumers, we have managed to make recipes that are loved and also light years better for the climate,” continues Asunta.
There has been a historic change in the diet of consumers. Studies show that the vegetarian diet in Europe has increased by 49%, with half of Europeans eating or trying to eat fewer meat products. One way to increase the share of plant-based food in your diet is to replace familiar products with vegan alternatives. However, vegan meat and fast food products can be very processed and have as poor or inferior nutritional values as the original meat versions.
Unlike its competitors such as Wicked Kitchen, Allplants, or Veganz, REBL Eats’ food is nutritionally healthier but also fresher to maximize taste.
“REBL Eats has clearly a differentiated brand and product family. Other manufacturers also have vegan dishes, but only as a “mandatory addition.” In 2021, REBL Eats products were in the top 20 most popular products in our store, and only a few meals went to waste. From a retailer’s perspective, the products work well for supermarkets,” says Tom Färd, a franchisee of K-Market in Helsinki, one of Finland’s largest food retail chains.
The production of meat causes several times the pollution compared to the production of plant-based food, and working more plant-based meals into our eating habits will play a big part in the ongoing fight against climate change.
“REBL is not your new hipster food company or growing protein in a lab. Our food is freshly prepared, which makes it taste more home-cooked and less like a plain salad. We’re not trying to convert you to a cult of salad eaters, either. It’s just healthy, plant-based food that tastes great – and as a bonus, it helps to not ruin the world,” concludes Asunta.
REBL Eats’ new products include:
- BERRY BOOST CHIA PUDDING
- BEYOND PINEAPPLE & MANGO CHIA PUDDING
- APPLE & CINNAMON OVERNIGHT OATS
- ROASTED BANANA & PEANUT BUTTER OVERNIGHT OATS
- THE NEW YORKER SANDWICH
- SAIGON BBQ SANDWICH
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Roshini Bains
Editor, International Bakery
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