Ooho is a flexible packaging made from Notpla material, which is a combination of seaweed and plants
Image: Ooho is a flexible packaging for beverages and sauces. Photo: courtesy of TuendeBede from Pixabay.
Notpla, along with Lucozade Ribena Suntory and Vita Mojo, has secured funding from the UK Government’s innovation agency Innovate UK for its edible packaging called Oohos.
The government funding will be used to make plastic-free packaging innovation widely available to the customers.
Oohos are used to provide flexible packaging for beverages and sauces
Ooho, which is a flexible packaging for beverages and sauces, is made from Notpla, a combined material of seaweed and plants. Oohos are used to deliver drinks below 100ml in a plastic-free form.
A Lucozade Ribena Suntory-backed edible packaging holds the capacity to naturally biodegrade in four to six weeks.
Notpla intends to use the funding for the improvement of the technology behind Oohos, in addition to the creation of machine to install at gyms or restaurants for the manufacturing of up to 3,000 Oohos per day for use with drinks such as Lucozade Sport.
Functioning similar to the barista coffee machine, the new machine will enable customers to purchase Oohos directly from locations such as local coffee shops and gyms.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory has selected Oohos, as part of its strategy to reduce the usage of plastic. Since September 2018, Lucozade has already successfully tested Oohos filled with its sports drinks and gels at four sporting events and provided more than 42,000 Oohos to its customers.
Recently, more than 36,000 Lucozade Sport Oohos have been sampled at the 2019 Virgin Media London Marathon.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory external affairs and sustainability director Michelle Norman said: “Oohos offer Lucozade Ribena Suntory a completely new and innovative way to deliver on-the-go servings of Lucozade Sport to consumers.
Notpla CEO Lise Honsinger said: “Notpla is thrilled to have received Government support for this project, as it moves us one step closer to seeing our product commercialised, and also allows us to grow the team, creating four new engineering roles this year.