RPG Commerce bags US$29m in funds to grow brand portfolio and future-proof tech

Malaysia-based DTC social eCommerce company RPG Commerce has bagged US$29 million in a Series B funding round to future-proof its tech and development processes, as well as develop and expand RPG's brand portfolio in a bid to create revolutionary consumer products. RPG currently hosts a suite of more than in-house international brands, including apparel and homeware brands Thousand Miles, Bottoms Lab, Montigo, and Cosmic Cookware, among others.

The funding round was led by East Ventures, UOB Venture Management, Vertex Ventures SE Asia & India (VVSEAI), and RHL Ventures. VVSEAI previously led RPG Commerce’s Series A funding.

RPG Commerce’s multi-brand business model launches, operates, and optimises a suite of DTC brands by owning the development, production, and delivery processes end-to-end. Striving to create an exceptional standard of living for customers by creating innovative solutions to everyday problems, RPG is powered by back-end technology and a team of creative individuals. According to the company, this has led to a rapid brand portfolio expansion and customer base growth of 300% over the past year. A+M has reached out to RPG Commerce for additional information on the funding.

Melvin Chee, co-founder and CEO of RPG Commerce, said: "With this round of funding, we aim to rapidly expand our talent pool across the entire organisation and enhance our technological capabilities in addition to expanding our suite of brands to further disrupt the consumer landscape."

Passionate about supporting independent businesses with in-demand products and solutions, RPG is also looking forward to empowering smaller businesses through incubation programmes and acquisitions to expand its range of consumer-centric products across different verticals.

“RPG takes a multi-category, multi-brand approach, while retaining the roll-up model as an option, making them a unique and successful player in the e-commerce landscape. It is critical for DTC businesses to build traction internationally to ensure success, and RPG stands out as a company that has been able to grow a loyal customer base across the US, Canada, and Europe by building consumer trust through quality products and supply chain innovation,” said Willson Cuaca, co-founder and managing partner of East Ventures.

Malaysia's social commerce industry is expected to grow by 45.2% on annual basis to reach US$1,327.5 million this year, according to the Q1 2022 Social Commerce Survey by Research and Markets. The industry is also expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a compound annual growth rate of 41.2% from 2022 to 2028 in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Malaysia's gross merchandise value will increase from US$1,327.5 million in 2022 to reach US$10,232.9 million by 2028.

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