Meet Christie Lagally, founder of Rebellyous Foods

Invest in startups like Rebellyous Foods alongside Climate Capital here.

Founders: Christie Lagally

Website: https://www.rebellyous.com/

Motto: "No Harm. No Fowl. Eat the change you want to become. With every delicious bite you get to make a difference. Together, we’re changing the food system - one little nugget at a time."

Year Founded: 2017

Stage: Series B

Location: Seattle, WA
–

Climate Capital: What made you want to solve this problem?

Christie: There are many ways, big and small, that each of us can address climate change. But by far the biggest impact comes transitioning the world to plant-based proteins. According to research from BCG, each dollar invested in plant-based proteins reduces more carbon emissions than any other investment - by far! It’s about 3 times greater than the second place impact - green buildings - and ELEVEN TIMES the CO2 reduction we’d see from a similar investment in EVs. A better chicken nugget may seem like a tiny first step, but innovations like those we’re working on at Rebellyous Foods could take a big bite out of climate change.

Climate Capital: What are you building?

Christie: Rebellyous exists specifically to address the engineering challenge of making plant-based meat both widely available and affordable so that its impact can be scaled to address climate change, human health and animal welfare.Today, plant-based meat can not be efficiently and consistently produced at scale, so we have invented a new and better way to make it via novel, automated production equipment, the Mock 2.

Rebellyous is now building the Mock 2 Production System, the next-generation plant-based meat meat machine that will lower the cost and increase the quality of our popular Rebellyous nuggets, tenders and patties. Our continuous production technology is now fully patented. By installing Mock 2 production systems into meat processing facilities, we can make such facilities safer, more profitable, while providing climate friendly plant-based chicken to the masses.

Climate Capital: What is next?

Christie: Thanks to the work of our talented engineers, the Rebellyion is now in execution stage on our game-changing plant-based meat production technology. Five years of preparation have gone into developing our first-of-its-kind, patent-protected continuous production technology. It’s not just food technology, it’s climate technology.

Climate Capital: How do you hoster growth and career development for your employees?

Christie: We believe that by treating people right, we’ll be feeding people right! When it comes to our plant-based chicken, we pay attention to the people who make it, and the people who eat it. Our passion for animals is matched by our compassion for people. We’re building a world where food production is not a dirty business. Where factory work is good work. And where respect for the planet goes hand-in-hand with human dignity and cost-effectiveness. It’s built into the very technology our engineering team is building! Our Mock 2 production technology will eliminate the chilled processing environment our production team works in and will cut down on heavy labor tasks.

Climate Capital: What are the key challenges as you scale your company?

Christie: The economy, inflation and Covid are among the unexpected challenges that have faced Rebellyous Foods since we started in 2017. But these challenges have just multiplied the problem that Rebellyous was created to solve - the need to offer affordable plant-based options at scale. These unexpected challenges, and the looming challenge of climate change impact on our food system, have only strengthened our resolve to solve for delicious, price-parity plant-based meat through our patented food production technology.
Climate Capital: What have you learned that you want to share with other founders?

Christie: Trust your gut: It’s a complex world and not easy to figure out what makes sense.

Climate Capital: How can the broader climate community help you on your mission?

Christie: The more the merrier in our Rebellyion! You can join our food fight by shopping for our crispy, juicy plant-based chicken at one of more than 1,000 retail locations or by advocating for your local school district to add our K-12 Kickin’ Nuggets, Tenders and Patties to their menu!