Sustainable food packaging company W-Cycle has partnered with Melhoramentos, a Brazilian company with activities in renewable forestry, to create compostable food packaging from renewable materials.
The collaboration aims to offer an eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastics, with packaging that naturally decomposes within 100 days.
The agreement, valued at a minimum of $3.45m for an initial three-year term, will see W-Cycle supplying its proprietary food-grade packaging formula and consulting services to Melhoramentos Latin America.
This will support the production of Melhoramentos' new advanced biodegradable packaging, incorporating its high-performance cellulose fibres from more than 80 million square metres of renewable forestry.
Melhoramentos is responding to the demand for sustainable packaging within the food industry by offering grease-resistant, moisture-proof solutions that can withstand extreme temperatures. These characteristics make the packaging a viable replacement for single-use plastics.
Melhoramentos CEO Rafael Gibini said: "There has long been a global demand for more sustainable packaging solutions.
"Our collaboration with W-Cycle opens the door to a new and inspiring use for our cellulose-based natural resources. Together, we're ushering in a new era that could eventually phase out single-use plastic packaging and pave the way for a more sustainable future."
W-Cycle's breakthrough in sustainable food packaging comes with its patented SupraPulp material, which combines sugarcane waste, eucalyptus wood fibres, banana leaves, and additives to create moulded fibre packaging. The resulting food trays are functional for both frozen and heated foods, eliminating the need for plastic lamination.
SupraPulp trays are designed to handle extreme temperatures, from -40°C to 220°C, without leaking.
As part of the partnership, W-Cycle will also offer research and development support to Melhoramentos, testing different pulp formulations and their compatibility with various types of fibres, including those produced by Melhoramentos' forestry operations.
