Timber and petroleum-based products currently dominate the food packaging industry. While convenient and cost-effective, these products threaten the environment as Styrofoam food trays and laminated paper products can take as many as 500 years to decompose.
With awareness being created about eco-friendly products, many governments around the world are encouraging and adopting sustainable food packaging solutions. In 2021, the EU, several U.S. states, and other countries have pledged to ban single-use plastics and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or ‘forever chemicals’, which are added to food packaging to make it grease and water-resistant.
As the new government regulations come into effect and with consumer demand increasing for environmentally conscious packaging, there is a greater need than ever before for industries to adopt greener, cost-effective, truly compostable solutions.
Evanesce, with its proven patented technology, is in the right place at the right time. The company is poised to become a disruptive market leader in the food packaging space by accelerating the adoption of sustainable packaging solutions.
The company’s vision, as stated by Douglas Horne, the Founder, and CEO, is, “At Evanesce we want to disrupt and replace existing, non-eco-friendly packaging solutions with alternatives that are compostable, commercially viable, and cost-competitive.”
Evanesce aims to revolutionize green packaging with versatile, unique, truly biodegradable packaging solutions that preserve the environment. The company’s unparalleled differentiator from other eco-friendly compostable food packaging manufacturers is that the main ingredient comes from organic matter with a unique combination of fiber and starch. This patented technology enables the company to produce truly compostable, cost-effective packaging which naturally decomposes in less than 90 days, giving Evanesce a unique edge over competitors.
500 million plastic straws are used in the U.S. alone, which then pollute the landfills taking up centuries to decompose. Hence, there is a surging demand for companies that can take sustainable ideas into mass production.
In 2021, through a joint venture agreement, Evanesce will be launching a high-quality line of modified PLA (Polylactic Acid) compostable products. Derived from plant sugars, PLA is a bioplastic that breaks down into harmless natural compounds. Around one billion straws which are suitable for both hot and cold drinks will be mass-produced in the Company’s manufacturing facility in South Carolina, annually. The modified PLA line of products will be launched under the brand name Anacca and will comprise a range of compostable straws, cutlery, cups, lids, plates, bags, and others.
The principles of innovation and technology, quality, cost-effectiveness, commitment, and customer service, form the foundation for all of Evanesce’s products. The company’s executive team brings a wealth of experience from diverse industries, guiding Evanesce to reach its sustainability goals.
Research and development are at the forefront of the company’s inception. The R&D team is headed by renowned Dr. Karl Teifenbacher, who also led the R&D team at Haas, Buhler – a world-renowned pioneer in food production systems, and Evanesce’s manufacturing equipment partner.
The company’s sales and marketing strategies align with its manufacturing expansion plan to ensure that the packaging needs of restaurants, food service companies, retail, and manufacturing companies are met. Therefore, the manufacturing process is kept simple, and off-the-shelf manufacturing equipment is used to ensure scalability and rapid commercialization.
The company has plans to expand to include a diverse range of products that meet both industry requirements and green regulations. The products include but not limited to, straws, meat trays, meal trays, food containers, and five-section meal trays that have a shelf life of two years, making them the very definition of sustainable. Evanesce also has plans to expand the range further to include bowls, cups, clamshells, and other molded products.
The company’s proprietary starch and fiber-based food trays cost half of that of leading ‘green’ tray alternatives, and will undoubtedly reduce companies’ packaging costs while meeting environmental regulations and public demand for more sustainable solutions.
Evanesce is planning to launch this patented solution, later in 2021, and it will be a game-changer for supermarkets, food processors, and foodservice companies. These truly green products are expected to be available in mass-scale in early 2022.
“Over the next couple of years, Evanesce plans to grow by forging more relationships through joint ventures across the world, licensing its technology as well as expanding its manufacturing units across North America.”, says Horne.
The biggest challenge that companies face while adopting sustainable options, is that either the products are not functionally sound, or that they’re too expensive to fit into their business model. Evanesce, however, with its innovative technology is all set to tackle these challenges, become a B-Corp certified company, and a global pioneer in packaging solutions.
