Food Packaging
Edible packaging for meal kits
This edible cube wrapper is made from pea protein and was created through a collaboration between Gousto and Xampla. Photo courtesy of Gousto
GOUSTO, a U.K.-based subscription meal kit company, is trialing a “world-first” edible packaging solution, to help improve the environmental credentials in its recipe boxes. Following 15 years of research and one year of development, the stock cube wrapper is made from pea protein. Created in partnership with Xampla, the solution will be trialed in Gousto recipe boxes.
The edible packaging is made by engineering and drying a pea protein material into sheets that are said to have the same benefits as plastic, namely being able to preserve the food’s flavor and shelf life, but without any of the packaging waste. The material is also vegan and gluten-free.
The vegetable stock cube in Gousto’s Indian Spiced Carrot & Lentil Soup recipe is used by dissolving the stock cube, and its packaging, in hot water.
Last year Gousto cut plastic by 50% in the company’s boxes by switching to more cardboard packaging and launching the Eco Chill Box, an insulator made of recycled cardboard that keeps ingredients fresh. Another 17 tons of plastic could be saved by Gousto annually if the new edible stock cube packaging is rolled out in full.
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
