We are Zero Wave - we turn waste into resources, by making a 100% biodegradable tableware and food products from a product, which is thrown on the landfill, generating a huge amount of methane in the air - the by product that comes after the production of beer - brewer's spent grain.
EIT, Climate Kic
We are Zero Wave - a company which mission is to turn waste into resources by making a 100% biodegradable tableware and food products (flour and crackers) made of material, which is thrown on the landfill, generating a huge amount of methane at the atmosphere - the by product that comes after the production of beer - brewer's spent grain. The biggest problem we are trying to solve is the enormous expansion of disposable, single-used plastic in the food industry and the everyday life of people all around the world. As of 2011 research of the EU among the 10 biggest polluters of the world ocean is disposable tableware (that includes plates and cutlery). At the same time this type of tableware is not recyclable and takes hundreds of years to decompose and there is no proof that plastic ever disappears.
If we continue with the same model of usage with the same materials, the impact on nature and human health will become worse and worse. We believe that new alternatives should be implemented if we want to preserve the environment.
2. Secondary problem - waste in brewing
Beer is produced all around the world. After the brewing there is a certain amount of by-product that remains - brewers’ spent grain (BSG). Some brewers found ways of using this by-product for food for animals, as a fertilizer or there are examples of brewers baking crackers from them. Still, all those efforts result in 80-95% of the by product to be thrown away. Only in Bulgaria more than 200 tons per day is thrown away. We are talking about millions of tons thrown away globally every year. In more developed countries brewers are obligated to sign contracts with waste management companies and pay for the disposal.
Throwing a resource away is a problem that needs to be solved.
Please highlight how the concept/idea can be exemplary in this context
The first problem - single used plastic - is an issue to 5 different groups:
- The environment - Our environment cannot process plastic. Recycling of disposable plastic is hard, in most cases impossible. Disposable plastic has been in massive use for less than 50 years and we are now facing the huge impact on nature.
- Individuals who are using disposable plastic - the average European and American uses at least three disposable things per day. Among those the most frequent to be used are cups, straws, plates and cutlery. Things that are used for an average of 20-30 minutes and then thrown away. People are used to that way of consuming and living. For a fast-moving person it will be a problem to start skipping the morning plastic coffee on his way to work, or the fast food lunch between meetings. These people are not going to change their habits and suddenly start using reusable cups and plates. For them it will be a big challenge to adjust their lifestyle after the EU ban for single use plastic is enforced.
- Businesses in food industry - fast food restaurants, coffee shops, businesses that offer take away, catering, festival organizers, etc. - all those numerous businesses are following a certain model of operations and supply chain for years and now changing to non-plastic products will cause them financial loses, habitual and functional changes, resistance in their clients and even their employees.
The second problem - Waste in brewing is an issue to one group:
- Brewers - they must dispose of huge amounts of by-product. For every 10 liters of beer brewers generate around 2 kg of spent grain. 714,000 t per year would be obtained only in Spain. In developed countries they also must have contracts with waste management companies and pay for the disposal.
By using brewer's spent grain (BSG) we are saving a huge amount of methane to be released at the atmosphere. Also we are saving oceans by single use plastics, while using our tableware.
Please highlight how the concept/idea can be exemplary in this context
Since we are already on the market with one of our products - crackers we have unique value aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality of our products. Our crackers are made of our BSG flour which has incredible nutritional characteristics. In our BSG flour that we made using patented technology, there are 18 grams of protein and 24 grams of fibers, which in comparison with other healthy flours on the market such as: coconut or almond, our flour is a true champion when it is about nutritionists.
Our crackers are:
1. Sustainable product made of waste
2. Full of protein and fiber
3. 100% vegan
4. Amazing taste.
With our product you can maintain your daily essential protein and fiber, sustaining your microbiome healthy, helping your gut. Our crackers has incredibly healthy effect on the body.
Since the beginning we are working with the biggest sport and fitness centers in Bulgaria - Next Level, helping the trainers obtaining their daily dose of protein and fibers after stressful workout.
Please highlight how the concept/idea can be exemplary in this context
We have identified our beneficiaries and divided them into 4 groups: food industry, retailers, individuals, garbage disposal companies. The messages we use for each group to encourage them to buy/choose our product or take part in it are different:
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- Food industry - they don’t need to change their existing business model to use single use plastic and they will be more eco-friendly by using our products.
- Retailers - our products won’t be banned, businesses and people would prefer to buy more eco-friendly products
- People - they can keep their single-used habits after disposable plastic is banned but they will start using an eco-friendly product that doesn’t harm the environment.
- Garbage disposal companies - simplified waste management, our products can be disposed of with general waste, there is no need for special separation, recycling, composting, etc.
Since we are already on the market with the crackers, we have validation of the market. Since launching 6 months ago, we are working with 50 B2B clients already and on time of applying for this prize, we are starting to sell also in big Shell, Lukoil, Kaufland and Fantastiko (the biggest food retailer in Bulgaria)
Please highlight how this approach can be exemplary
Sustainability, health and public participation are all connected. With our product we combined each of them in a way, where people can eat and at the site time they:
1. Making their contribution to the planet
2. Eat healthy snack, maintaining their microbiome and helping their gut.
3. 100% vegan product without any preservatives and added sugars etc.
4. Organic product from waste
Three things make our product innovative:
- Our plates and cutlery are 100 % biodegradable and compostable, in addition you can eat them.
- Their characteristics are competitive to the plastic tableware (they are for single-use, they are light, they don’t need special conditions) but they also have one great advantage - our products can be disposed of with general waste without the need of special treatment for processing or composting.
- They are made of brewers’ spent grain (BSG) - a by-product in brewing. We turn this product into a valuable resource and create a useful product that solves a lot of problems.
This was all about the tableware. About the food products I can share in the previous questions what are the benefits.
1. Scaling the manufacturing capacity
2. Start selling in 3 continents - Europe, Asia, Americas
3. Marketing and Sales
4. Scaling the team
5. Fundraising
6. Developing our manufacturing portfolio with 7 new products
1. Raising awareness on the climate change, showing the world that climate crisis and real and we need new technologies, infrastructure and business tackling with the climate change.
@Dimitrov, 2022
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