Summary
- Profile Type
- Business request
- POD Reference
- BRBE20241126019
- Term of Validity
- 9 July 2025 - 9 July 2026
- Company's Country
- Belgium
- Type of partnership
- Supplier agreement
- Commercial agreement
- Targeted Countries
- All countries
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General information
- Short Summary
- A Belgian artisan food manufacturer is seeking a supplier of a bioplastic compound to replace fossil-based plastics in their production process (plastic sticks for lollypops). The compound should ideally be thermoplastic, certified for food contact, and fall outside the EU single-use plastics definition. Home compostability is a plus.
- Full Description
-
A Belgian family-owned food manufacturer, known for its artisanal and high-quality confectionery products, seeks a supplier of an innovative bioplastic compound. The company has been producing lollipops and other sweet treats for four generations, using state-of-the-art technology while adhering to authentic recipes and sustainable principles.
The company is anticipating and responding to new BE and EU single-use plastic legislation, which bans the use of plastic sticks in confectionery. Their current production relies on ultra-thin, custom-made plastic sticks optimized for high-speed manufacturing processes. The alternatives of paper has proven problematic due to higher costs, lower performance (e.g., increased production waste) and customer complaints about taste and texture.
The sought compound should meet the following criteria:
** Thermoplastic properties: allowing for seamless integration into the existing manufacturing processes and compatibility with current machinery.
** Food-contact certification: Ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards.
** Compliance with EU regulations: Should not fall under the current definition of plastics in the single-use plastics directive.
** Optional features: Home compostability.
The company is open to collaboration with a partner who can provide the bioplastic compound and, if possible, assist in producing the final lollipop sticks. However, manufacturing the final product is optional, as the company’s existing production partners will probably be able to process the compound.
The ideal solution will help the company future-proof its production, maintain the quality and performance of its products, and reduce its environmental impact. - Technical Specification or Expertise Sought
-
The desired partner should have experience and technical expertise in the following areas:
** Development and supply of bioplastic compounds that are certified for food contact materials.
** Expertise in thermoplastic materials suitable for manufacturing processes (high-speed) involving injection molding or similar techniques.
** Familiarity with regulations related to the EU single-use plastics directive and the ability to provide materials compliant with these guidelines.
** Home-compostable certification is a plus. - Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 14: Life Below Water
- Goal 13: Climate Action
- Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
-
The company is looking for a partner who can:
** Supply the bioplastic compound meeting the technical and regulatory requirements.
** Optionally manufacture the final product (lollipop sticks) using the supplied compound, although this is not a requirement, as the company can work with its current production partners.
** Provide technical support and advice on the compound’s integration into existing manufacturing processes, ensuring a smooth transition from fossil plastics.
This collaboration represents an opportunity to contribute to the sustainability transition in the confectionery industry, aligning with the company's mission to innovate while maintaining its heritage of quality and craftsmanship. - Type and Size of Partner
- SME 11-49
- SME <=10
- SME 50 - 249
- Big company
- Type of partnership
- Supplier agreement
- Commercial agreement
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 08001005 - Food Technology
- 02007020 - Biobased materials
- 08001003 - Food Packaging / Handling
- 02007014 - Plastics, Polymers
- Market keywords
- 08001022 - Agricultural chemicals
- 08001018 - Polymer (plastics) materials
- 08001023 - Other chemicals and materials (not elsewhere classified)
- 08001015 - Other speciality materials
- 09004006 - Packing products and systems
- Targeted countries
- Afghanistan
- Aland Islands
- Albania
- Algeria
- American Samoa
- Andorra
- Angola
- Anguilla
- Antarctica
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bermuda
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Bouvet Island
- Brazil
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cayman Islands
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Christmas Island
- Cocos Islands
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French Southern Territories
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guadeloupe
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Guernsey
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Isle of Man
- Israel
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jersey
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macao
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Martinique
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- Netherlands Antilles
- New Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Niue
- Norfolk Island
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestinian Territory
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Pitcairn
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Republic of the Congo
- Reunion
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Barthelemy
- Saint Helena
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Martin
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Sint Maarten
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor Leste
- Togo
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Tuvalu
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- United States Minor Outlying Islands
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Wallis and Futuna
- Western Sahara
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe