A collaboration between Brazilian company Melhoramentos and clean-tech startup W-Cycle is giving us a glimpse into the future of food packaging — a future unsullied by toxic chemicals.
Perishable News reported that Melhoramentos is increasing its commitment to W-Cycle after a $3.4 million strategic investment in November gave the publicly traded company exclusive rights to W-Cycle's proprietary food-grade packaging composition in the Latin American market.
According to W-Cycle, its compostable, non-coated food packaging "remains completely unaffected by liquids and oils" thanks to its patent-pending SupraPulp technology.
The packaging is oven-, freezer-, and microwave-safe, so consumers won't have to sacrifice convenience in search of safety, as plastic packaging can transfer microplastics into food.
That transfer speeds up when plastic is exposed to heat, as Beyond Plastic notes, increasing exposure to thousands of environmentally harmful chemicals linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hormonal disruption, and other health problems.
Plastics can also take up to 1,000 years to break down, contributing to overcrowded landfills and contaminating our oceans and parks as unregulated litter.
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On the other hand, SupraPulp is made from molded fibers, including cellulose fibers sourced from Melhoramentos' 80-million-square-meter renewable forest, per Perishable News. It can also be composted right at home, empowering people to minimize their heat-trapping emissions.
Melhoramentos' partnership with W-Cycle should also continue to pay off for both of their bottom lines, as the number of consumers seeking plastic-free packaging continues to grow.
Mordor Intelligence estimates the sustainable packaging market will experience a compound annual growth rate of nearly 8% over the next five years, reaching a market value of $456 billion by 2030.
"Our collaboration with W-Cycle represents a watershed moment," Melhoramentos CEO Rafael Gibini said, per Perishable News. "It is paving the way for us to channel our raw materials toward solving one of the world's most pressing environmental challenges: the plastic waste crisis. This partnership has simultaneously opened a significant new market for us."
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The way it looks 😍 "We are excited and feel fortunate to collaborate with Melhoramentos in moving our venture forward," W-Cycle CEO Isaac Rome added. "Our shared mission to improve the global food packaging value chain will help build a sustainable future for all."
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