Our Local Legends - Fraser From Innocent
Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and the Innocent journey.
It started approximately 8 years ago for me (I was actually a customer in the early days) as I wanted a compostable cup and lid for the cafe we were setting up at the time. After we sold the cafe, I was living in Asia for a while as a Green Bean coffee buyer. It rained almost everyday and the amount of plastic waste that would fly down the streets was unbelievable. I contacted Tony the next week and the rest is history they say. We now supply the best in hospitality (and other sectors) and we now have offices across NZ but also in London, England. Exciting times ahead.
What’s the main difference between your packaging and ’normal’ packaging?
If you mean oil based packaging as 'normal' then the short answer is ours has a true end of life once the consumer is finished with it. The trouble with oil based food packaging is that it is incredibly challenging (almost impossible) to recycle efficiently. The materials themselves could be recyclable but once they are moulded together (and then covered in food or drink leftovers) then it really only has one end of life option other than the landfill.
Whereas compostable packaging does have a true end of life option. A Compost! Even if your smoothie cup has some smoothie leftovers in it, as the cup, lid, straw, and leftovers are all plant based, they can be processed at a compost plant and be a base (along with garden waste and food scraps) in the compost.
Where compostables are definitely becoming more 'normal' it's important to remember that different industries need different applications. The hope is that 'normal' either means a reusable cup/bowl or vessel, or if it has to be single use, compostable is the next best thing. . The low hanging fruit so to speak is the Hospitality and Food Service sector and that is where the majority of our business lies.
Corn, wheat, and sugarcane waste products are what the base of the packaging is formed from… um, What?
Those three are generally for our takeaway food range, the Burger Clams and Boxes etc. That is a really cool product and actually certified Home Compostable as well as Commercial. The raw material is a by-product of the Food sector, where our factory partners take that raw material, add a water solution and then mould into different shapes.
Why is it so important for us, or anyone, to use compostable packaging?
I think the most important reason for more people to use compostables is that it ensures a move to a more sustainable future. Single use isn't going anywhere fast, so let’s make it better by not using oil based plastics.
“Progress doesn’t happen overnight but progress does happen if we consistently evolve and produce better products with better end of life solutions. ”
What happens to the packaging once it's chucked in the compost bin? Where does it go?
In Auckland, it will be picked up by a collection partner, sorted and then transferred down to a Commercial Compost Facility. The closest to us is the Envirofert facility at Tuakau. There, it goes through a few processes but essentially after 12 weeks of maturation they are selling certified organic compost which includes one of your cups!
How do I know if an item is compostable or not, and can I put it in my compost bin at home?
It can be challenging as there isn't a universal symbol for compostables as there are so many variables and different compostable materials. Many providers also sell oil based plastic packaging, an example is a compostable coffee cup with a non compostable plastic lid. The easiest way to know is either to ask the suppliers directly, or if you look at the product, it will generally say somewhere that the product is compostable.
The one thing you can be sure of is that if you purchase a product from us, you can guarantee that it is compostable.
What other tips do you have for someone trying to be more sustainable and do the right thing?
Vote with your money, support business that put sustainable practices high up the scale and don't be too hard on yourself. More change will come from lots of people doing a bit, than a few being perfect.
“More change will come from lots of people doing a bit, than a few being perfect.”
Whats your one wish for the future of sustainability in the world?
The dream is that we change the view of what 'waste' is. Currently the bins we have at our homes and public areas are only landfill or recyclables. Food waste and compost aren't even available in many places, so if that was reversed, where consumers and the public have access to curbside collections as well as public bins then we would be a shifting mindset of 'waste' to a another 'product' which would be compost. That compost can be added to gardens and return useful carbon to our soils.
