A UK company which aims to replace single-use plastics with alternatives made from plants has secured $14m in private capital funding.
Xampla said it would use the cash injection to replace more than 10 billion units of the most polluting single-use plastics, including the plastic linings found in takeaway boxes, coffee cups and sachets.
The company’s Morro materials are made from “regenerative plant proteins” including peas, rapeseed and sunflower with “no chemical modification and are fully biodegradable in all environments, home compostable, and fully compatible with recycling processes”, it says.
Unlike plastic, Morro coating maintains the recyclability of cardboard without compromising on grease, oxygen and moisture barrier properties, Xampla adds.
“This is a major vote of confidence for our revolutionary replacements for polluting plastics, and will see us expanding into Asia Pacific as well as growing in the UK and Europe,” said Xampla’s CEO Alexandra French.
“We have proven to investors and brands that Morro materials are the real deal in making plastic a material of the past. This is the technology industry has been crying out for. Our ambition now is nothing less than to see our products – proudly bearing their Morro marque – become the world’s go-to plastic replacement,” French added.
Through partnerships with 2M Group of Companies, Huhtamaki and Transcend Packaging, Xampla has already replaced the plastic coatings on boxes used by food delivery aggregator Just Eat Takeaway and Bunzl Catering Supplies.
Morro films are soluble, giving them the potential to replace plastic PVA films used in dishwasher tablets and laundry pods. They are also food-safe and can be used as edible replacements for packaging a wide range of single-serve products, from sweets to soups, Xampla said.
The company is also working with “leading fmcg brands and fragrance houses” to deploy Morro materials in place of harmful plastic microencapsulates used to convey scents and active ingredients in homecare and beauty products.
Lead investor in the round was Emerald Technology Ventures, which runs Europe’s first specialist, venture-backed investment fund targeting the full packaging lifecycle, as well as BGF, one of the largest growth capital investors in the UK and Ireland, and Munich-based Matterwave Ventures. Follow-on investment came from existing investors including Amadeus Capital Partners and Horizons Ventures.
“Working with Xampla is part of our mission to turbocharge a revolution in innovative packaging,” said Neil Cameron, lead in Emerald’s sustainable packaging investment fund.
“This technology hits the sweet spot I search for: a big solution to a big problem that can reap big rewards. And with its current global traction, there is huge potential to scale even further,” he added.
Rowan Bird, investor at BGF, said Xampla’s tech “stands out as a truly scalable and practical alternative to plastic”.
“Its patented, entirely natural and PFAS-free material is not only strong in performance but also drop-in ready for existing manufacturing lines, making it an attractive option for brands looking to adopt more sustainable solutions,” Bird said.
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