Danone and Nestlé Waters launch NaturALL Bottle Alliance with California startup to develop 100% bio-based bottles - and all importantly the bio-based material will not require resources used for food production but instead use products like sawdust and cardboard. The two breakthrough characteristics that will be developed with the Alliance are; 100% bio-based PET bottles will be on the market and the feedstocks that will be used, do not compete with food.

The world’s two largest bottled water companies have joined forces with Origin Materials, to seriously accelerate the launch, production and commercialization of the PETI plastic bottles.

According to the partners, the first new bottles will reach stores by 2020. Today, existing technology in the market is limited to 30% bio-based material in PET bottles. By 2020, the Alliance estimates that will go up to 75% and by the end of 2022 at least 95% bio-based PET.

By exclusively using renewable feedstocks which do not divert resources or land from food production is the Alliance’s main focus area. Alongside cardboard and sawdust, R&D work will include other biomass material like rice hulls, straw and agricultural residue could also be explored.

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, a spokesperson for the NaturALL Bottle Alliance explains how this could have a big impact on the industry. “The development could potentially be used in packaging for other bot-tled drinks and food products. The partners’ mutual objective is to make the technology widely available to a large number of players, which is a unique approach in the market today and demonstrates their commit-ment to open innovation and sustainable business,” she said.

“This is a pre-competitive R&D project: collaborating on the develop-ment of a new material makes sense since Danone and Nestlé Waters are pooling their resources to meet their needs but also the needs of the broader food and beverage industry. once the technology is devel-oped, each partner -- but also every other player wanting to use this technology – will produce its own bottles and set its own deployment strategy, based on the specific needs of its business, brands and prod-uct ranges.”

“The partners’ respective international roll-out plans are therefore con-sidered to be strategic and confidential.”

What is different?
The project uses biomass feedstocks so it does not divert resources or land from food production for human or animal consumption. The technology represents a scientific breakthrough for the sector, and the Alliance aims to make it available to the entire food and beverage industry.

Origin Materials has already produced samples of 80% bio-based PET in its pilot plant in Sacramento and construction of a “pioneer plant” will begin later this year, with production of the first samples of 60+% bio-based PET to start in 2018.

Initially the goal for the first phase to introduce 5,000 metric tons of bio-based PET to the market and the NaturALL Bottle Alliance aims to develop the process for producing at least 75% bio-based PET plastic bottles at commercial scale by 2020, scaling up to 95% in 2022.

“Current technology on the market makes it possible to have 30% bio-PET,” noted John Bissell, CEO of Origin Materials. “Our breakthrough technology aims to reach 100% bio-based bottles at commercial scale. With the help of our Alliance partners, Origin Materials will be able to scale up a technology which has already been proven at the pilot level.”

The partners will continue to conduct research to increase the level of bio-based content, with the objective of reaching 100%. This next-generation PET will be as light in weight, transparent, recyclable and protective of the product as today’s PET, while being better for the planet.

PET – Polyethylene terephthalate is the most common plastic in polyester family and is used in fibers for clothing, containers for liquids and foods, thermoforming for manufacturing, and in combination with glass fiber for engineering resins. PET is also known as having one the most developed collection and recycling systems in the world, making it a key asset for the Circular Economy of plastics.

For decades, both Nestlé Waters and Danone have been committed to sustainable business practices, notably by continuously improving their environmental performances and promoting the development of a circular economy.

A large part of these efforts has focused on developing innovative packaging solutions that are recyclable and made with renewable resources, as well as the promotion of recycling. After identifying the unique approach of Origin Materials separately, the two companies decided to team up to accelerate development of this promising technology.

The Alliance will make this “big, fast and cost-effective”, according to Frederic Jouin, head of R&D for plastic materials at Danone.

“Our goal is to establish a circular economy for packaging by sourcing sustainable materials and creating a second life for all plastics,”. “We believe it’s possible to replac traditional fossil materials with bio-based packaging materials. By teaming up and bringing together our complementary expertise and resources, the Alliance can move faster in developing 100% renewable and recyclable PET plastic at commercial scale,” he said.

Danone and Nestlé Waters are providing expertise and teams, as well as financial support, to help Origin Materials make this technology available to the entire food and beverage industry in record time.

“It’s incredible to think that, in the near future, the industry will be able to use a renewably sourced packaging material, which does not compete with food production and contributes to a better planet,” commented Klaus Hartwig, head of R&D for Nestlé Waters.

“It therefore made perfect sense for us to join forces through this Alliance to develop this innovative technology in a large scale and in the shortest time period possible. This is an exciting journey and we are proud to be part of it.”

by Gaynor Selby