A new Malaysian juice contender, being juice, has raised US$1 million in a seed funding round led by multi-stage venture capital firms 500 Global and BEENEXT.
being juice was founded by Sayantan Das, who was previously the CEO of foodpanda’s operations in Malaysia and Brunei. He left his post in November 2023.
“being juice’s seed funding round is a huge milestone for us, especially since it has connected us to investors who believe in what we’re building,” Sayantan shared in a press release.
The juice startup was launched in April 2024, offering smoothies made from 100% real fruits and vegetables.
In less than a year, being juice has already established its presence in the Klang Valley with six outlets at the time of writing. Many are located in high-traffic malls such as NU Sentral and Atria Damansara.
It currently offers over 16 unique flavour combinations, designed to “celebrate the vibrant Southeast Asian palate without compromise.”
Rapid expansion plans
The fresh funds will go towards accelerating the brand’s local and regional expansion plans, with 30 new stores expected to open across Malaysia in 2025.
It already has plans to debut its first overseas outlet in the Philippines this month.
Besides expanding its market presence, being juice is also in the process of developing its own mobile app.
“Currently under continuous improvement, the app aims to offer a seamless user experience, with the goal of fostering a loyal community across markets,” a press release stated.
As part of its ongoing growth, being juice is working on refreshing its look and feel to further elevate the brand.
Juicing things up
With homegrown beverage chains such as Tealive and ZUS Coffee finding major success locally and abroad, being juice might just be the next big thing that will spice up Malaysia’s drinks scene.
That said, juice has always been quite an accessible product in Malaysia. From well-established global players such as Boost Juice to local brands like Juice Works, businesses of this nature have already been around for a long time.
With that in mind, we’re excited to see how being juice plans to tackle the industry with its natural offerings, especially with its VC backing.
Featured Image Credit: being juice
