Food-tech company Saveggy has introduced an additive-free plant-based protection for fresh produce, designed as an alternative to plastic packaging. The coating, which is edible and based on rapeseed oil and oat oil, is positioned as a waste-free option ahead of the European Union's planned ban on single-use plastics for fresh produce by 2030.
Saveggy states that scaling the solution across Europe could reduce both plastic use and food waste. The company is working with Aarhus University and receives support from EIT Food, backed by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
Pilot launch in Sweden
The first commercial test is being launched in Sweden through a one-month pilot with ICA and Odlarna.se. The pilot focuses on cucumbers, marking the transition from research and development to commercial scale. With its first industrial machine operational, Saveggy is preparing for broader rollouts in Sweden and across Europe.
Kerstin Lindvall, Sustainability Director at ICA, said: "This innovation makes it possible for us to remove plastic from cucumbers entirely without compromising quality, something we know our customers appreciate."
Odlarna.se is the first producer organisation in Europe to install the machine in its facility. Martin Löfstedt of Odlarna.se said: "Sustainability and quality are at our core, and this collaboration takes our commitment further by introducing plastic-free cucumbers."
Development and research background
Saveggy was founded in Sweden in 2020 by Vahid Sohrabpour and Arash Fayyazi. The technology has been developed with Lund University and industry partners, including retailers, packers, and consumers.
The company's research indicates that more than 3,000 tonnes of plastic are used annually for cucumbers across the EU. Cucumbers are the first crop targeted, but Saveggy says the coating could be applied to other fruit and vegetable categories, with product development underway.
Alignment with EU regulations
The technology supports EU food waste reduction goals and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), due to come into effect in 2030.
Co-founder Arash Fayyazi explained: "Cucumbers highlight the challenge: food waste on one side, plastic-wrapped shelves on the other. Our goal is to reduce food waste and plastic pollution together – with respect for nature, people, and the resources that make our food possible."
Source: Sustainable Packaging News