Technological watch
Danimer Scientific, BIOLO and Bolthouse Farms Announce Commercialization of Home Compostable Packaging for Fresh Produce with Meijer Stores
Danimer Scientific, Inc. (NYSE: DNMR) (“Danimer” or the “Company”), a leading next-generation bioplastics company focused on the development and production of biodegradable materials, today announced the commercialization of home compostable retail packaging for vegetables and fruit, which Danimer developed in partnership with biodegradable packaging and food service product manufacturer BIOLO and carrot producer Bolthouse Farms.
Danimer’s signature PHA, Nodax®, was used to create the bags for one-pound Earthbound Farm Organic Mini Peeled Carrots, now available in Meijer’s regional network of 240 grocery stores and supercenters in six states across the Midwest.
Stephen Croskrey, CEO of Danimer Scientific, said, “As demand continues to rise for environmentally superior alternatives to petroleum plastics, we’re excited that Meijer will offer home compostable packaging solutions that make possible the safe, efficient, low-cost and stable delivery of fresh foods, providing consumers with a more responsible way to enjoy the products they love. We’re grateful for the partnership of BIOLO, Bolthouse Farms and Meijer in bringing this product to market, which we believe will lead to other foods shifting to PHA-based packaging.”
Danimer’s Nodax® is a biobased polyester made with oils derived from the seeds of plants such as canola. Unlike traditional plastic, which can take centuries to degrade, Danimer’s PHA-based products can degrade in a matter of months under certain conditions.
The Earthbound Farm Organic Mini Peeled Carrots bags are certified as home compostable by TUV, a globally recognized leader in independent product testing, inspection and certification. This certification means that the bags have passed rigorous testing that requires them to disintegrate at least 90% within 26 weeks and biodegrade within 52 weeks under home compost conditions.
“BIOLO’s successful launch of this product with Danimer Scientific, Bolthouse Farms and Meijer grocery stores represents a significant step forward for the packaging of retail vegetables and fruit, which have previously been packaged in traditional petroleum-based plastic bags,” said William F. Preston, CEO of BIOLO. “We’re proud to be leading the charge toward a more sustainable future for the organic produce packaging market, and are grateful to Bolthouse, Meijer and Danimer, who partnered with us to make this possible. But this is only the beginning. Through our strategic partnerships and in accordance with our company mission, we intend to transform the packaging industry by providing eco-friendly, high value-add and performance-based products to food, fashion and apparel, and other consumer packaged goods businesses.”
Danimer and BIOLO’s parent company, Columbia Packaging Group, announced a partnership in 2020 to create compostable bags, film and rollstock for packaging needs spanning the produce, agriculture, fashion and apparel, consumer goods, bakery and food service industries.
About Danimer ScientificDanimer is a pioneer in creating more sustainable, more natural ways to make bio-plastic products. For more than a decade, its renewable and sustainable biopolymers have helped create bio-plastic products that are biodegradable and compostable and return to nature instead of polluting our lands and waters. Danimer’s technology can be used to replace a vast array of plastic end products that people use every day. Applications for its biopolymers include additives, aqueous coatings, fibers, filaments, films and injection-molded articles, among others. Danimer holds more than 430 granted patents and pending patent applications in more than 20 countries for a range of manufacturing processes and biopolymer formulations.
About BIOLOBIOLO is a leading manufacturer of sustainable and biodegradable flexible packaging (e.g. film, bags and printed rollstock) and food service products (e.g. drinking straws), which are designed to replace many traditional single-use plastic items. BIOLO has factories and locations in California, Missouri and Ohio, and has a strategy to add more locations and products as it grows to support the growing demand for sustainable and renewable product options.
Danimer’s signature PHA, Nodax®, was used to create the bags for one-pound Earthbound Farm Organic Mini Peeled Carrots, now available in Meijer’s regional network of 240 grocery stores and supercenters in six states across the Midwest.
Stephen Croskrey, CEO of Danimer Scientific, said, “As demand continues to rise for environmentally superior alternatives to petroleum plastics, we’re excited that Meijer will offer home compostable packaging solutions that make possible the safe, efficient, low-cost and stable delivery of fresh foods, providing consumers with a more responsible way to enjoy the products they love. We’re grateful for the partnership of BIOLO, Bolthouse Farms and Meijer in bringing this product to market, which we believe will lead to other foods shifting to PHA-based packaging.”
Danimer’s Nodax® is a biobased polyester made with oils derived from the seeds of plants such as canola. Unlike traditional plastic, which can take centuries to degrade, Danimer’s PHA-based products can degrade in a matter of months under certain conditions.
The Earthbound Farm Organic Mini Peeled Carrots bags are certified as home compostable by TUV, a globally recognized leader in independent product testing, inspection and certification. This certification means that the bags have passed rigorous testing that requires them to disintegrate at least 90% within 26 weeks and biodegrade within 52 weeks under home compost conditions.
“BIOLO’s successful launch of this product with Danimer Scientific, Bolthouse Farms and Meijer grocery stores represents a significant step forward for the packaging of retail vegetables and fruit, which have previously been packaged in traditional petroleum-based plastic bags,” said William F. Preston, CEO of BIOLO. “We’re proud to be leading the charge toward a more sustainable future for the organic produce packaging market, and are grateful to Bolthouse, Meijer and Danimer, who partnered with us to make this possible. But this is only the beginning. Through our strategic partnerships and in accordance with our company mission, we intend to transform the packaging industry by providing eco-friendly, high value-add and performance-based products to food, fashion and apparel, and other consumer packaged goods businesses.”
Danimer and BIOLO’s parent company, Columbia Packaging Group, announced a partnership in 2020 to create compostable bags, film and rollstock for packaging needs spanning the produce, agriculture, fashion and apparel, consumer goods, bakery and food service industries.
About Danimer ScientificDanimer is a pioneer in creating more sustainable, more natural ways to make bio-plastic products. For more than a decade, its renewable and sustainable biopolymers have helped create bio-plastic products that are biodegradable and compostable and return to nature instead of polluting our lands and waters. Danimer’s technology can be used to replace a vast array of plastic end products that people use every day. Applications for its biopolymers include additives, aqueous coatings, fibers, filaments, films and injection-molded articles, among others. Danimer holds more than 430 granted patents and pending patent applications in more than 20 countries for a range of manufacturing processes and biopolymer formulations.
About BIOLOBIOLO is a leading manufacturer of sustainable and biodegradable flexible packaging (e.g. film, bags and printed rollstock) and food service products (e.g. drinking straws), which are designed to replace many traditional single-use plastic items. BIOLO has factories and locations in California, Missouri and Ohio, and has a strategy to add more locations and products as it grows to support the growing demand for sustainable and renewable product options.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 870292.
