Due to its affordability, Zume and Solenis hope that their new, comprehensive line of molded-fiber packaging will accelerate the food production industry’s switch to packaging that is free of PFAS and single-use plastic. Zume CEO Alex Garden asserts that the new line of packaging costs the same or less than plastic, eliminating one of the largest barriers to the use of sustainable food packaging thus far—economic viability.

The line of 100 percent PFAS-free molded-fiber packaging will include cups, bowls, plates, egg cartons, coffee cup lids, protein trays, and yogurt cups. ABB, a leading robotics company that integrates and installs Zume’s molded-fiber manufacturing cells (MFC), will ensure that this packaging line meets consumer standards such as grease resistance, spill-proof boxes, and snappable lids. ABB will also automate production to ensure that speedy and widespread adoption of sustainable packaging throughout the global supply chain is possible.

This announcement from Zume and Solenis follows nine months of research and development, as well as other efforts to encourage the food packaging industry to explore sustainable solutions. In August 2021, Zume and Solenis open-sourced their recipe for grease and water-resistant molded-fiber food packaging. With eight million metric tons of plastic ending up in oceans annually (40 percent of which is manufactured for packaging), Zume and Solenis hope that global packaging manufacturers will follow in the adoption of sustainable alternatives to PFAS and single-use plastic.