CHICAGO — Sustainable agribusiness leader, Aloterra, and compostable foodservice ware innovator, World Centric, have developed a new line of certified compostable foodservice ware made from Miscanthus plant fiber. The line is designed to displace similar products made from foam and plastic, which create millions of tons of waste each year.
The products are sourced from Miscanthus, a large, non-invasive perennial grass crop resembling bamboo, which is grown on marginal, non-food producing farmland using significantly less water, chemicals and fertilizers than traditional crops. The line will be manufactured, marketed and distributed entirely in the U.S. Currently, the majority of fiber based compostable foodservice ware is produced in Asia, thus outsourcing jobs and adding carbon emissions from shipping to the environmental and economic costs of production.The foodservice ware is as strong as foam and plastic and will sell at a similar price as fiber foodservice ware produced in Asia. Aloterra and World Centric will initially produce 55 million 9” plates and six sizes of “clamshell” food take-out containers with expanded production planned for 2016. The companies will launch the line May 16th at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.
“This new line of foodservice ware is being driven by a combination of consumers who want green packaging and growing bans on Expanded Polystyrene (or foam) packaging in major cities,” says Aseem Das, World Centric founder and CEO. “There is clearly a shift in the quick service restaurant and food service industries. Consumers are seeking packaging that aligns with their concern for environmental sustainability and are making purchases accordingly. Providing the solution is rewarding because we believe that business has a responsibility to operate with concern for the environment.”
The supply will be independently certified by Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials. “World Centric’s customers will know exactly where all of the product’s ingredients are sourced and that the sustainability claims are legitimate,” said Aloterra’s Owner, Scott Coye-Huhn. “We are proud to make sustainable packaging that supports U.S. farmers, creates manufacturing jobs, and is more sustainable.”
About World Centric
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Petaluma, CA, World Centric provides compostable products for the foodservice industry to reduce environmental impact. By innovating in plant-based materials and design, World Centric has developed nearly 200 foodservice and retail products across tableware, cutlery and food packaging. All of World Centric’s products are certified compostable, and will turn to soil in industrial composting facilities. In addition to manufacturing all products from plants, not petroleum, World Centric offsets 100% of its carbon emissions. A certified B Corporation and California Benefit Corporation, World Centric upholds rigorous standards of social and environmental responsibility, and donates 25% of profits to organizations addressing social and environmental issues. www.worldcentric.org
About Aloterra
Since 2010, Aloterra has been developing vertically integrated biomass projects starting with U.S. farmers and establishing the logistics, product development, manufacturing, and marketing to produce multiple products. The company uses marginal and idle land to grow perennial crops, like Miscanthus, that are then converted into sustainable products, which are cost competitive with the same or better performance. Aloterra believes it is critical to have a stable, consistent, and sustainable biomass supply system that only dedicated perennial crops can provide. Now that long term biomass supplies are being established, Aloterra and its partners are making the major investments necessary to establish what it calls Next Generation Agribusiness. www.aloterrallc.com
Source: World Centric
