Daily Protein

What Daily Protein does

Daily Protein (프로틴방앗간) is a South Korea-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform operated by Iconique Co., Ltd. (주식회사 이코니크), a private corporation founded in 2019 and headquartered in Seoul's Gangnam-gu. The platform sells premium, portion-controlled protein-rich meals and snacks, including frozen warm-grain salads and poke bowls, whole and seasoned grilled chicken breast, crispy sauce chicken breast, and low-sugar protein bars. Products are organized under four sub-brands — alittlebeet, seoulfried, 하루한닭, and harubar — and are designed for microwave preparation in paper-based packaging, targeting health-conscious urban professionals, dieters, and fitness-oriented consumers aged roughly 20-40.

The business runs a single DTC storefront at dailyprotein.co.kr hosted on the Cafe24 e-commerce platform, with Naver Pay checkout integration and nationwide delivery across South Korea (excluding Jeju and remote mountain areas during summer for frozen products). Pricing is SKU-level, ranging from approximately ₩5,200 for a single poke salad up to ₩107,900 for a 9-variety bundle, with a regular delivery subscription option offering periodic discounts and a loyalty point system requiring a ₩1,000 minimum redemption. Logistics are outsourced to Lotte Express and CJ Daehan Tongun, payment processing to Nice Payments, and SMS/messaging notifications to BLOOM AI.

Daily Protein has raised approximately $1.67 million in total disclosed funding across two rounds, the most recent being a February 2022 Series A led by Strong Ventures with participation from CJ CheilJedang Corp. and Partech Ventures. An earlier round in March 2021 included Mashup Ventures and Strong Ventures. The company has 11-50 employees, no disclosed revenue, and operates as a small, founder-controlled private player in the Korean healthy prepared-meal DTC segment.

Name

Daily Protein

Legal name

주식회사 이코니크

Website

https://dailyprotein.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Daily Protein is a South Korea-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform that sells premium protein-rich frozen meals, chicken breast products, and low-sugar protein bars under four sub-brands to health-conscious urban professionals, dieters, and fitness-oriented consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Frozen Ready Meals

NAICS

Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Snacking & Single-Serve Protein Meals (Bowls, Bites, Packs) (AFANAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ready-to-eat protein packs (meat/cheese/egg snack packs) manufacturing (AFAKAHAK), Alternative Protein Snacks, Bars & RTD Nutrition Manufacturing (AFAKAGAK), Special-Diet & Functional Prepared Meals (Keto, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Medical) (CRAHAJAG)

Keywords

• Protein meal ecommerce
• Frozen ready meals
• Protein snack retail
• Healthy diet foods
• Regular meal delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Yeoksamdong

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - E-commerce: Direct online retail sales of frozen protein meal products (warm grain salads, poke bowls, chicken breast, protein bars) through owned e-commerce website. One-time purchase transactions with regular delivery subscription option offering discounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Daily Protein operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform (dailyprotein.co.kr) that sells premium protein-rich frozen ready meals (warm grain salads, poke bowls, chicken breast products) and low-sugar protein snacks (protein bars, granola, protein bread) under four sub-brands: alittlebeet, seoulfried, 하루단백, and harubar. Products are distributed frozen, designed for microwave heating, and sold through single-item, bundle, and regular-delivery subscription formats to South Korean consumers nationwide.

Product overview

Daily Protein (프로틴방앗간) is an e-commerce platform for premium protein and health food products, operated by (주)이코니크 (Iconique). The company operates multiple sub-brands under a unified online mall, each targeting distinct health-food consumer segments: alittlebeet (웜그레인 샐러드 앤 포케, 웜그레인 브런치볶음밥, 웜그레인 샌드위치) for warm-meal dieters; 하루한닭 (통구이, 양념구이, 매운 닭가슴살) for protein-focused chicken meal consumers; 서울프라이드 (베스트 닭가슴살, 크리스피 소스치킨) as a Korean-fried-chicken-flavored protein brand; and 하루단백바/harubar (제트 프로틴바, 그래놀라 저당간식, 하루단백빵 프그레) for low-sugar protein snack buyers. Products span meal replacements, protein snacks, and gift sets, with recurring themes of Korean cuisine flavor profiles, low-sugar/low-calorie positioning, and quick microwave preparation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• alittlebeet (어리틀빗): Warm grain salad and poke bowl product line featuring 9 varieties of microwaveable frozen grain meals made with multigrain rice, chicken breast, and various sauces. Products use paper containers and require microwave heating.
• 하루한닭
• seoulfried (서울프라이드)
• harubar (하루단백바)

Products and services

• [alittlebeet] new Warm Grain Salad & Poke 9 Varieties (어리틀빗 new웜그레인샐러드 앤 포케 9종) A warm-grain salad and poke bowl product line under the alittlebeet sub-brand with 9 varieties (Oriental, Olive Balsamic, Basil Pesto, Mexican, Black Truffle Cream, Miso Tofu, Arabiata, Masala Curry, Deonggeom Youbu). Sold as single units, multi-packs of 2–3 sets, and a mix-and-match option. Designed to be microwaved for quick meal preparation and positioned as a healthy diet meal with grain-based ingredients for busy urban consumers.
• [seoulfried] Crispy Sauce Chicken Breast (서울프라이드 크리스피 소스 치킨 가슴살) A crispy sauce chicken breast product under the seoulfried sub-brand, offered in multiple sauce flavors (Seoul Seasoning, Salty-Sweet King, Galbi Swing, Soul Tteokbokki, Chili Mayo). Marketed as a new product launch with online lowest-price guarantee, exclusive to the official mall, and sold in bulk packs from 15 to 60 units.
• [harubar] harud Protein Bread 3-Variety 9-Piece Set (하루단백바 하루단백빵 프루그레 3종 9입 세트) A protein bread product under the harubar sub-brand. An unrefrigerated protein bread assortment of 3 varieties with 9 pieces per set, positioned as a protein supplement snack for daily consumption.
• [harubar] Jet Protein Bar 6-Pack Half Pack (하루단백바 젯트 프로틴바 6개입 하프팩) A protein bar product under the harubar sub-brand. Available in three flavors (Cinnamon Churros, Choco Cake, Peanut Butter & Choco), sold in packs of 6. Marketed as a low-sugar, low-calorie protein snack for fitness and blood sugar management.
• [seoulfried] Best Chicken Breast Assortment (서울프라이드 베스트 닭가슴살) A curated best-seller assortment of chicken breast products combining the 하루단백 sub-brand with the seoulfried line. Offers three product formats — 통구이 (whole-grilled), 양념구이 (seasoned-grilled), and 크리스피 소스치킨 (crispy sauce chicken) — in various bundle sizes.
• [alittlebeet] Mediterranean Poke Salad 7 Varieties (골라담기 포케 지중해식샐러드 7종) A Mediterranean-style poke salad under the alittlebeet sub-brand with 7 mix-and-match flavor options (Citrus, Oriental, Olive Balsamic, Basil Pesto, Mexican, Black Truffle Cream, Miso Tofu). Positioned as a diet meal option with protein and controlled carbohydrates.
• [alittlebeet] Warm Grain Brunch Fried Rice 3 Varieties (어리틀빗 웜그레인 브런치볶음밥 3종) A warm-grain brunch fried rice product under the alittlebeet sub-brand, available in 3 varieties. Made with grain rice as a base and positioned as a warm, brunch-style healthy meal.
• [alittlebeet] Warm Grain Sandwich 3 Varieties (어리틀빗 웜그레인 샌드위치 3종) A warm-grain sandwich product under the alittlebeet sub-brand, available in 3 varieties. Positioned as a filling grain-bread sandwich for a complete meal, sold in both set and mix-and-match formats.
• [하루단백] Seasoned-Grilled Chicken Breast (하루단백 양념구이 닭가슴살) A seasoned-grilled chicken breast product under the 하루단백 sub-brand. Flavors include Garlic Soy Charcoal BBQ, Gochujang Charcoal Galbi, Oyako-don, and Chicken Makni Curry. Positioned as a side dish for rice meals with various flavor profiles.
• [하루단백] Whole-Grilled Chicken Breast (하루단백 통구이 닭가슴살) A whole-grilled chicken breast product under the 하루단백 sub-brand. Flavors include Welsh Ramen Salt, Herb Barbecue, and Spicy Charcoal Skewer. Marketed as a rice meal pairing product with natural seasoning.
• [하루단백] Spicy Chicken Breast Snack (하루단백 매운 닭가슴살) A spicy chicken breast snack product under the 하루단백 sub-brand with Korean fusion flavors (Ddeokbokki, Hot BBQ, Hot Mara). Marketed as a diet-friendly spicy snack for consumers who enjoy bold, spicy flavors.
• [harubar] Pick-and-Mix Low-Sugar Granola & Protein Bar Snack Box (낱개 골라담기 하루단백바 단백질바 그래놀라 저당간식) A pick-and-mix low-sugar protein snack line under the harubar sub-brand offering granola and protein bar pieces in 10 flavors (Cacao, Cheese Berry, Black Sesame, Choco Cake, Cinnamon Churros, Peanut Butter & Choco, Fudge Brownie, Dukkochu, Crunch Cacao, Crunch Belgium Coffee Cookie). Sold individually at 1,800 KRW per unit.
• [Gift Box] Variety Pack (버라이어티팩 선물세트) A gift box assortment product combining multiple harubar sub-brand protein snacks (granola and choco cake varieties) in a single package. Available in 14–16 piece configurations, marketed as a gift option for sampling diverse flavors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Customers report 1-3kg weight loss within 1-2 months of regular use as meal replacement
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lotte Express (롯데택비)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOutsourced delivery and shipping operations. Lotte Express handles product logistics and delivery to customers using collected customer personal information.
• CJ Daehan Tongun (CJ대한통운)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOutsourced delivery operations for product shipping. Processes customer personal information for product delivery purposes.
• Nice Payments (나이스페이먼츠)coreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing service provider handling customer payment transactions securely.
• Cafe24 (카페24)coreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform provider hosting the dailyprotein.co.kr online store.
• DataLize (주)데이터라이즈minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBehavioral analytics and targeted marketing partner. Receives general customer information (name, ID, phone, email) for custom service development, event and advertising information delivery, and analytics reporting.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Daily Harvest: US-based DTC frozen meal company offering portion-controlled, plant-forward ready-to-heat meals. Closest comparable to Daily Protein's alittlebeet poke/grain salad line in product format (frozen single-serve bowls) and DTC operating model.
• Factor (formerly Factor 75): US DTC frozen chef-prepared meal brand (owned by HelloFresh) delivering high-protein, portion-controlled meals direct to consumer. Direct functional overlap with Daily Protein's frozen prepared meals and recurring subscription mechanic.
• Freshly: US DTC ready-to-eat frozen meal brand (acquired by Nestle) delivering single-serve protein meals via subscription. Closely comparable on portion-controlled high-protein frozen meals, subscription GTM, and DTC e-commerce stack.
• Trifecta Nutrition: US DTC organic frozen meal brand serving fitness- and diet-conscious consumers with high-protein, portion-controlled meals. Comparable to Daily Protein's fitness/dieter segment and diet-meal value proposition.
• Marketkurly: Korea's leading premium DTC fresh grocery e-commerce platform with nationwide cold-chain delivery. Directly comparable on Korean DTC channel, frozen/refrigerated logistics model, and high-frequency repeat-purchase consumer base.
• Sunbasket: US DTC organic ready-made and meal-kit brand with a protein-forward menu. Comparable subscription GTM and meal/snack portfolio to Daily Protein's alittlebeet + harubar cross-occasion strategy.
• Sakara Life: US DTC plant-based meal delivery brand positioned around health, weight management, and busy urban professionals. Comparable to Daily Protein's target persona (health-conscious urban 20-40) and diet-meal value proposition.

Broad incumbents

• Coupang: Korea's largest e-commerce platform operating Coupang Eats and Rocket Fresh food delivery. Represents the broader incumbent competitive threat and an alternative channel Daily Protein could leverage; competes for the same Korean diet-meal occasion with vastly greater scale.
• CJ CheilJedang: Korea's largest food manufacturer and a strategic investor in Daily Protein. Operates a deep portfolio of prepared-meal, frozen-food, and protein brands (e.g., bibigo) that overlap with Daily Protein's category; functions both as a potential channel partner and as a competing incumbent.

Regional players

• Cookit: Korean meal-kit and prepared-food DTC brand operated by CJ Freshway (affiliate of investor CJ CheilJedang). Comparable Korean DTC prepared-meal consumer, though more meal-kit-led than Daily Protein's frozen-meal focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iconiques

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Daily Protein