2M Group of Companies has announced a multi-year deal to supply Xampla’s plastic-free Morro Coating polymer to global packaging producer Huhtamaki.
The biodegradable coating, which is made from plant protein, will replace plastic barrier coatings at scale in takeaway boxes for a range of food service and on-the-go applications. The natural material is food contact safe and said to have excellent grease, water, and oxygen barrier performance. It is also free of polyfluorinated substances (“forever chemicals”) and exempt from the EU’s Single Use Plastic Directive.
Xampla and 2M first announced their partnership in November 2023, revealing that 2M would manufacture multiple tonnes of Morro materials at its site in Milton Keynes, UK. The new deal with Huhtamaki is part of the latter company’s goal to enhance its use of recyclable and compostable packaging materials from renewable sources.
“At Huhtamaki, our ambition and values to lead the way in sustainable food packaging are clear,” said Andy Hesp, General Manager of Huhtamaki UK & Ireland. “The adoption of Xampla’s technology on some of our core food service solutions further contributes towards our drive to protect food, people, and the planet.”
“Maximum benefit to the environment”
Xampla, which is a spinoff from the UK’s University of Cambridge, launched the Morro brand in September of last year. The company described the technology as a “world first” due to its ability to replace the most polluting plastics at scale with performance parity.
In February 2024, Xampla revealed it had secured $7 million to scale up the production of its plant-based materials and offer them at a lower cost. The company said it would also use the funding to expand the Morro brand into new markets.
“The biggest name players in the food sector trust Huhtamaki as the first choice in sustainable packaging solutions, so their introduction of Xampla’s coating allows a positive environmental change to benefit millions of consumers,” said Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla. “Partnerships like these are what drive us, where there is a joint commitment to enable plant-based solutions at scale for the maximum benefit to the natural environment.”
