Rice
Rice is a Vietnam-originated branding and design studio, now operating as BaseSGN within the Base Design global network, serving global brands entering Vietnam and Vietnamese brands expanding internationally with strategy, identity, experience, production, and launch services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Rice does
Rice is a Vietnam-originated, founder-led branding and design studio that operates integrated service lines across Strategy (vision, brand architecture, localization, go-to-market), Identity (naming, visual, verbal, sonic), Experience (packaging, spatial, digital, activation), Production (film, photography, product, attire, print), and Launch (campaigns, communications, extensions). The studio serves two complementary client segments — global brands entering Vietnam (Uniqlo, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Uber, UNICEF, Samsung/Simple, Highlands Coffee, Suntory) and rising Vietnamese brands expanding internationally (Marou Chocolate, 4P's, Pebsteel, The LOOP, Viction) — with project-based engagements typically priced between $50K and $1M+ and lasting 3–4 months per phase. In October 2025, Rice Studios rebranded as BaseSGN and integrated into the Base Design global network of independent studios spanning New York, Brussels, Geneva, Melbourne, and Ho Chi Minh City, while the Rice brand continues as a separate platform housing consumer ventures (Rice Store, Mãi up-cycled products, Trip Tips city guides) and educational initiatives (rice talks, AGI country presidency).
The studio's revenue model is bespoke professional services sold through enterprise field sales: no rate card, budgets tiered by scope, and pricing determined after a discovery brief. Distribution is primarily direct client engagement, supplemented by a direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel (store.thisisrice.com) and occasional global pop-ups (first at Shibuya Parco, Tokyo). The underlying technology stack is conventional for a creative agency — design, motion, and production tooling — and there is no API, SDK, or software product offering; the company's defensibility rests on talent (founders Joshua Breidenbach and Chí-An De Leo are AGI members), a 15-year award-winning portfolio (D&AD, Red Dot, Pentawards, Dieline, Graphis, TDC, A'Design), and now the Base Design network's geographic footprint.
Rice is privately held, founder-owned, and was acquired into/joined Base Design without external institutional investment or venture funding. Operating status is active under the BaseSGN identity, with leadership, team composition, and creative direction unchanged from the Rice Studios era.
Rice firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rice
- Legal name
- Rice Studios
- Website
- https://thisisrice.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Rice is a Vietnam-originated branding and design studio, now operating as BaseSGN within the Base Design global network, serving global brands entering Vietnam and Vietnamese brands expanding internationally with strategy, identity, experience, production, and launch services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Rice is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ho Chi Minh City
- HQ country
- Vietnam
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Rice business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Creative Agency Services: Project-based professional services including brand strategy, identity design, experience design, production, and communication campaigns. Solutions are bespoke and work in sequences. Typical brand engagements range from 3-4 months for core brand work.
- Rice Store Commerce: E-commerce platform selling designed and curated products. Online store with occasional pop-ups worldwide, bringing Vietnamese design to global audiences.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based pricing with tiers based on scope and complexity |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Rice product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rice is a Vietnam-based creative branding agency offering end-to-end brand services including brand strategy, brand architecture, naming, visual/verbal/sonic identity, packaging, spatial and digital design, film and print production, and launch campaigns. The firm serves global brands entering Vietnam and Vietnamese brands expanding internationally, with typical brand engagements running 3-4 months and project budgets ranging from $50K to $1M+. Rice also operates ancillary retail and venture platforms (Rice Store, Mãi, Trip Tips) that complement its core agency work.
Product overview
Rice operates as a comprehensive branding and design studio that has evolved into BaseSGN (part of the Base Design global network). The company offers integrated branding services spanning Strategy, Identity, Experience, Production, and Launch disciplines. Beyond client services, Rice maintains several ventures including Rice Store (retail/e-commerce), Mãi (up-cycled plastic products), Trip Tips (city guides), and rice talks (educational platform). The portfolio includes diverse client work across food & beverage, fashion, technology, non-profit, and real estate sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mãi: Designer products for everyday made from 100% up-cycled plastic waste
- Rice Store
- Trip Tips
- AGI
Quantifiable outcome
- UNICEF ZEROawards raised US$440,000 at first event (176% above quarter-million dollar goal)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Rice
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Rice technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Rice partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Base Design (BaseSGN)coreRice Studios officially became BaseSGN, joining the global Base Design network. This is a natural evolution of everything built over 15 years - helping brands move from Vietnam to the world, and from the world into Vietnam. Same team, same leadership, same passion - now connected to a global network with studios in New York, Brussels, Geneva, Melbourne, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rice competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wieden+Kennedy: Global independent creative agency with brand strategy, advertising, and design capabilities. Comparable on the creative strategy and campaign work for global brands, though operating at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
- Landor & Fitch: Global brand consultancy within WPP offering brand strategy, identity, and experience design at enterprise scale. Comparable to Rice on the enterprise brand strategy and identity service line, though at substantially larger scale.
Direct peers
- Manual: Independent creative agency in San Francisco and Portland offering brand strategy, identity, and campaign design. Comparable independent creative agency with similar service mix and award-winning positioning.
- Mast Studio: Independent design and brand agency focused on identity, packaging, and digital experiences. Comparable mid-size independent branding studio with similar focus and capabilities.
- MetaDesign: Brand and design consultancy with offices in Europe, Asia, and the US, focused on brand strategy, identity, and digital experience. Closely comparable in scope, multi-office model, and brand identity focus.
- Foreign Policy: Independent brand design agency in Singapore serving clients across Asia and globally. An Asia-based independent branding peer with a multi-national team and award-winning positioning broadly similar to Rice's.
- Pentagram: World-renowned independent design firm with a partnership model and multi-disciplinary offices. Highly comparable to Rice given independent boutique structure, brand strategy and identity focus, and award-winning reputation.
- Mucho: Independent global design studio with offices in San Francisco and Barcelona focusing on brand strategy, identity, and packaging. Comparable boutique creative agency of similar size and capability mix.
Others
- Base Design: Global network of independent design studios into which Rice Studios integrated as BaseSGN in October 2025. Most directly comparable on service offering and brand positioning, though now the parent network rather than a peer.
Regional players
- Anagrama: Independent brand design agency based in Mexico serving clients across the Americas and Europe. Comparable independent brand studio with similar size and award profile, though operating in a different geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rice social profiles
Digital presenceRice financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rice leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Rice funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rice M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rice
What does Rice do?
Rice is a Vietnam-based creative branding agency offering end-to-end brand services including brand strategy, brand architecture, naming, visual/verbal/sonic identity, packaging, spatial and digital design, film and print production, and launch campaigns. The firm serves global brands entering Vietnam and Vietnamese brands expanding internationally, with typical brand engagements running 3-4 months and project budgets ranging from $50K to $1M+. Rice also operates ancillary retail and venture platforms (Rice Store, Mãi, Trip Tips) that complement its core agency work.
Is Rice a public or private company?
Rice is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Rice founded?
Rice was founded in 2011. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Rice based?
Rice is headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in the Asia region.
How does Rice make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Creative Agency Services are the primary driver. The others are rice Store Commerce.
Who are Rice's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Wieden+Kennedy and Landor & Fitch. Direct peers are Manual, Mast Studio, MetaDesign, Foreign Policy, Pentagram and Mucho. Base Design is listed as an others. Anagrama is listed as a regional player.
Does Rice have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rice.