Made from wheat bran, Biotrem’s material is the brainchild of Polish inventor and entrepreneur Jerzy Wysocki. “To make the plates, we only use wheat bran, which we compress at a precise pressure point and temperature, using a machine made specifically for that purpose,” Wysocki tells Asian Age.
Biotrem CEO Malgorzata Then admits that Biotrem’s products are more expensive than plastic. But “the current price of plastic doesn’t factor in the environmental cost, that of recycling and marine pollution,” she says. The company first targeted customers wanting to be niche, environmentally conscious purveyors. “Now, with the measures taken by the EU, even clients who are uninformed about the environment are forced to take an interest in biodegradable products,” Then says. The company distributes the plates in Europe, Asia, North America and Australia.
The company is now looking at using the technology with different feedstocks, including corn, barley, oats, cassava and algae. It also aims to expand into edible boxes for takeout containers.