From Foil to Soil

By Philipp Kauffmann

May 01, 2022

In developed countries, the leading source of waste are consumers themselves, who discard much of the food they purchase. In developing countries, insufficient cold storage and bad transportation result in food being lost before it even reaches the kitchen.

But there is even more to food waste. When banana and potato peels (and Original Beans chocolate packaging) degenerate in landfills, they can create the potent greenhouse gas methane. If you turn them into compost, they regenerate carbon into soils and become food for other organisms.

95% of Original Beans packaging is compostable or biodegradable.

"After 250 hours of research and testing, including interviewing five baby wearing experts and walking over 100 miles in 15 wraps, slings, and meh dais, we think that the Gemlak Baby Carriers is the best"

Lily

Inside chocolate’s first compostable packaging

EXCERPT FROM PRODUCTION PROTOCOL, BY ARIE GELEIN

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MARCH 2010: Go Waste-Free!

No high-quality biodegradable foil has been applied in the chocolate industry to date. Based on their regenerative principles, Original Beans is looking for a renewable and compostable (and ideally climate-neutral) foil that works on two old high-speed wrapping machines.

JULY 2010: Research Done

From research and initial tests (from PLA to starch), we conclude that the cellulose seems the best. Only disadvantage: the foil, in spite of being certified ‘Home Compostable’, does not look ‘eco’.

OCTOBER 2010: Disaster!

Disaster!! On the production day, the foil turns out to be unusable and slips in the machine. Production is called off. Literally overnight, all print designs for the carton packaging, announcing a bio-foil are changed.

MARCH 2011: No Clue?

Tests continue to be executed with different types of films, but with the same bad results. Most annoying is the lack of a satisfactory explanation.

AUGUST 2012: Surprise!

The moulding team continues to press ahead. Success!! To the relief of everyone, the improved foil performed nearly flawlessly on the machine.

OCTOBER 2012: Paradigm Shift

We don’t yet know what happened and why, but it has become clear that a foil from living material is altogether a new category of chocolate packaging.

BARE WHITE

YUNA WHITE 37%

Trinidad gave its name, Hispaniola its fame to the Caribbean Trinitario bean. The islands Dominican growers are the world’s organic cacao champions and guarantors for cacao butter that bares flavours and traceability.