Singapore-based AlterPacks turns food waste into food containers

A lot of the world's landfills are filled with food waste. AlterPacks is using technology to turn food waste into containers. The Singapore-based startup has raised $1 million in pre-seed funding led by Plug and Play APAC and Seed Capital.

Commercialization of AlterPacks will be done in markets like Asia, Australia and Europe.

The main raw material for AlterPacks is spent grains, a by-product of manufacturing food. Grains that have been spent are usually used for food. AlterPacks turns spent grains into food containers that can be molded into different shapes and are freezer and microwave friendly.

When Karen Cheah was traveling, she saw communities struggling with the amount of plastic containers and food waste thrown away. AlterPacks use spent grains because they are easy to find.

AlterPacks was founded by Steven Tan, Karen Cheah andHerbin chia.

She said that the properties of spent grains and the volume of grains available around the world were important factors. By upcycling the grains we are creating new economic value and putting what would have been a by-product into the supply chain as food containers that can be used to replace plastic disposables.

The process of converting spent grains into AlterPacks food containers is similar to the process of making paper. AlterPacks can make containers at scale with automated machines that clean raw materials, mix its formula and then press it into different shapes of containers.

Since December, AlterPacks containers have been on the market. Its go-to-market strategy is a B2B model and involves working with distribution partners that sell supplies to restaurants and hotels. AlterPacks containers have been on the market for a long time. The startup is trying to develop bio-pellets as a replacement for petroleum-based resins in manufacturing machines. They are made from agricultural waste.

The managing partner of Plug and Play said in a statement that AlterPacks gained interest from members of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste Innovation Program because they got to know them. We are very happy that we were able to use our partnership with SEEDS Capital to co-lead and invest in our very first sustainable startup in Asia.