Southeast Asia’s food and beverage (F&B) technology industry is experiencing dynamic growth, driven by urbanisation, a rising middle class, and high smartphone penetration.
Valued at US$667 billion in 2023, the F&B market is projected to reach US$900 billion by 2028, with e-commerce food sales expected to hit US$38 billion by 2025. Key trends include digital transformation, with cloud kitchens and delivery platforms like GrabFood and GoFood gaining traction, alongside AI-driven personalisation and advanced logistics.
Health-conscious eating is surging in this part of the world. Sustainability is also critical, as 65 per cent of consumers prefer eco-transparent brands. Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) leverage mobile apps and data analytics to enhance customer experiences and optimise operations, with the sector projected to reach US$23.83 billion by 2027.
Thankfully, emerging startups are capitalising on these trends, innovating with plant-based and lab-grown foods to meet diverse consumer demands. This vibrant ecosystem, supported by over US$230 billion in foreign investment in 2023, positions the region as a global F&B-tech hub.
Also Read: Automation, not apps: The next frontier in Southeast Asia’s F&B tech innovation
In this article, we bring you some of the emerging F&B tech startups that are driving the growth of the overall F&B industry in the region.
Kamereo (Vietnam)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founder |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2018 |
A B2B marketplace platform that offers multi-category grocery products. Its product catalogue includes items like fruits and vegetables, alcohol, meat, and seafood |
Hiroshi Tokaku |
US$15 million |
Genesia Ventures, Velocity Ventures Vietnam, Sumitomo, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Raizon Holdings, Quest Ventures, Charoen Pokphand Foods, and Index-Asia |
Oddle (Singapore)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founders |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2014 |
It provides software solutions for restaurants. These solutions encompass online menu creation, online ordering, and reservation management |
Jonathan Lim, Alan Goh, Yong Xiang Pua |
US$5.72 million |
East Ventures, Altara Ventures, TNF Ventures, and SPH Ventures |
Umami Bioworks (Singapore)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founders |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2020 |
A provider of cultivated seafood alternatives. It has developed a cat treat using cell-cultivated “Zish” derived from ocean snapper, employing cell biology and machine |
Mihir Pershad and Georg Baunach |
US$2.4 million |
Better Bite and Genedant. |
Hungry Hub (Thailand)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founders |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2014 |
A platform offering dining deals and restaurant booking services. It enables users to search for restaurants based on their locations |
Surasit Sachdev, Wannasiri Aramwattananont, Kamolporn Thedratanawong, and Ravidas Sachdev |
US$450,000 |
ORZON Ventures, Expara, 500 Global, and ECG-RESEARCH |
Mosaic Solutions (The Philippines)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founder |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2016 |
A provider of inventory management solutions for the hospitality industry. Its features include inventory management, cloud-based reporting, and POS capabilities |
Brett Doyle |
US$7.5 million |
Investible, IdeaSpace, Kickstart Ventures, Gentree, and Sierra Madre |
QueQ (Thailand)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founder |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2013 |
It provides solutions for restaurants to manage queues. Customers can book a spot in advance and receive a queue number via a mobile app, which helps restaurants manage their lines |
Rungsun Joh Promprasith |
US$2.8 million |
True Incube and BonAngels Venture Partners |
Prefer (Singapore)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founders |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2022 |
It offers an alternative coffee product made without traditional coffee beans. The company promotes its product as a more affordable and sustainable coffee option |
Jake Berber and Ding Jie Tan |
US$2 million |
Forge Ventures and 500 Global |
Aurelia Insights (Malaysia)
Also Read: F&B spending in SEA is back to pre-pandemic levels: Report
| Founded year |
Description |
Founders |
Total funding |
Key Investor |
| 2021 |
It has developed auRELIA that automates and digitises food safety workflows for F&B manufacturers |
Arvindran Salyah and Christin Theresa Lim |
Not available |
Antler |
Flavorist (Singapore)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founder |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2024 |
A platform that facilitates the discovery and sharing of flavour combinations. It functions as a social media platform designed to assist home chefs, foodies, and culinary enthusiasts |
Shivapakiam Pooniamoorthi and Rajesh Stanley |
Not available |
Not available |
Tasted Better (Thailand)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founders |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2018 |
The startup operates a restaurant that serves various dishes and beverages. It specialises in innovative, healthier food products, such as low-carbohydrate and gluten-free options |
Perada Oyo Pearl Suponpun and Khanuengnid Sriphila |
Not available |
Not available |
SeIndonesia (Indonesia)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founders |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
|
A restaurant serving multiple dishes. It specialises in quick-service dining with a focus on smoked beef and chicken dishes |
Rinaldi Dharma Utama, Christian Natanael, Bayu Soedjarwo |
US$9.66 million |
Insignia Ventures Partners and Argor Capital Management |
FoodToo (Singapore)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founder |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2024 |
A platform that offers surplus food and connects consumers with local businesses. The platform aims to address issues like excess shelf inventory and unsold food |
Kelvin Yap |
Not available |
Not available |
Mottainai Food Tech (Singapore)
| Founded year |
Description |
Founders |
Total funding |
Key Investors |
| 2022 |
It develops upcycled food products from food waste. This company transforms food manufacturing byproducts into new food offerings |
Chin Wee Heng, Que Zheng, and Daryl Pek |
Not available |
Not available |
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Data courtesy: Tracxn
The image was generated by ChatGPT.
The post The taste of innovation: Southeast Asia’s emerging F&B tech startups to watch appeared first on e27.
Southeast Asia’s food and beverage (F&B) technology industry is experiencing dynamic growth, driven by urbanisation, a rising middle class, and high smartphone penetration. Valued at US$667 billion in 2023, the F&B market is projected to reach US$900 billion by 2028, with e-commerce food sales expected to hit US$38 billion by 2025. Key trends include digital
The post The taste of innovation: Southeast Asia’s emerging F&B tech startups to watch appeared first on e27. e27 Pro, Food & Beverage, Singapore, Startups, Aurelia Insights Sdn Bhd, Flavorist, Flavorist Pte Ltd, FoodToo, Hungry Hub, KAMEREO VIETNAM, Mosaic Solutions, Mottainai Food Tech, Oddle, Prefer, QueQ, SeIndonesia, Tasted Better, Umami Bioworks e27
