Sustainable agribusiness firm Aloterra and foodservice ware provider World Centric have developed a new line of compostable foodservice ware made from miscanthus plant fiber.
The new environment friendly line is an alternative to foam and plastic ware and will reduce millions of tons of waste, the partners said.
The products will entirely be manufactured, and marketed in the US.
Aloterra owner Scott Coye-Huhn said: "World Centric's customers will know exactly where all of the product's ingredients are sourced and that the sustainability claims are legitimate.
"We are proud to make sustainable packaging that supports US farmers, creates manufacturing jobs, and is more sustainable."
Sourced from perennial grass crop miscanthus, the product has been grown on marginal and idle land using less water, chemicals and fertilizers.
Aloterra's miscanthus farming operation occupies 4,000 acres of marginal land.
The company is involved in integrated biomass projects in the US. It uses marginal and idle land to grow perennial crops to convert them into sustainable products.
Production of the ware will begin this year at Aloterra's Ohio plant. The companies will initially produce 55 million 9" plates and six sizes of clamshell food take-out containers and expand the production next year.
World Centric founder and CEO Aseem Das said: "This new line of foodservice ware is being driven by a combination of consumers who want green packaging and growing bans on expanded polystyrene (or foam) packaging in major cities.
"There is clearly a shift in the quick service restaurant and food service industries. Consumers are seeking packaging that aligns with their concern for environmental sustainability and are making purchases accordingly. Providing the solution is rewarding because we believe that business has a responsibility to operate with concern for the environment."
Aloterra and World Centric claim to be the only companies internationally to manufacture and market a foodservice ware line made from miscanthus.
California-headquartered World Centric provides compostable products for the foodservice industry. It intends to convert its entire compostable fiber foodservice ware to the new miscanthus line.
Image: Aloterra cultivates miscanthus on 4,000 acres of marginal land in the US. Photo: courtesy of Scott Bauer /USDA.