Dive Brief:
- Israeli packaging startup Sufresca has received $500,000 in seed funding from venture capital fund Rimonim Agro,according to AgFunder News. This latest investment brings the company's total funding to $1.3 million,The Spoon reported.
- Sufresca, founded in 2018 by three professors at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, develops edible coatings for fruits and vegetables to help extend shelf life, limit food waste and reduce plastic packaging.According to a Rimonim release, 25% to 80% of harvested fresh produce is lost because of spoilage.
- The startup is focusing on tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, garlic and peppers since fewer coating solutions are available for them. In contrast, apples, lemons and other citrus fruits have been treated with wax for years. Sufresca plans to introduce its products to North America and Europe within two years.
Dive Insight:
As companies search for more sustainable packaging solutions that don't sacrifice on preservation, this funding could help Sufresca finishdeveloping its technology and get its product on the market sooner.
The company says it has alreadydeveloped a generally recognized as safe coating layer thatcan extend shelf life by several weekswhile allowing continuation of the vegetable's metabolism, which is required to maintain freshness and nutritional value of fruits and vegetables. Sufresca’s technology uses liquid formulas to create a "breathable coating" when applied to fruits and vegetables, according to The Spoon.
But Sufresca isn't the only company working on solutions like this. The approach issimilar toApeel Sciences' plant-based powder, which can be mixed with water and applied to produce to reduce spoilage. Another startup, Indonesia-basedEvoware,developedan edible food wrapper made from seaweed. It is reportedly nearly tasteless when consumed, and naturally biodegrades after use.
More details will likely need to be released for consumers to trust this new packaging before it hits the market. As transparency hasbecome more importantin purchasing decisions, consumers will likely want to know what ingredients make up Sufresca's liquid formulas and whether they're safe to consume. Uncertainty around these factors could limit acceptance in the marketplace and delay the introduction of more packaging innovations.
A lack of progress in the CPG industry hasprompted a push towardmore creative packaging and reusable solutions. Investorshave pressuredBig Food to reduce plastic packaging use and many companieshave made pledgesto make improvements. But as reports claim that CPG companies stillhaven't shown重大进展在年代ustainability goals, many are looking to reduce their waste.
Applications for plant-based coatings extend beyond produce. Cambridge Crops of Massachusetts has come up withan edible and tasteless microlayerof silk-based proteins in which to wrap foods including sausages and steaks in order to reduce reliance on single-use plastics. The companyraised $4 millionin seed funding last summer to boost the use of its patented technology, comply with federal regulations and scale up production and commercial partnerships.
Other promising developments to reduce packaging waste includemetal oxide-coated high-barrier polymer packaging,recyclable paper wrappersfor snack barsandreusable egg cartonsmade from recycled BPA-free plastic.
As consumers look for creative packaging solutions in the products they buy, food and beverage producersare increasingly respondingwith innovations to limit their use of plastic and, potentially, reduce manufacturing expenses. There's a lot of money to be saved since about 45% of the materials in U.S. landfills consists of food waste and packaging,according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
