Sydney-based co-founders Ben Grant and Josh Kempton have built a sustainable business model –purpose, profit and the planet – to lead the charge across the Tasman with their flexible compostable packaging business, Grounded, in their efforts to win the war on plastic waste.
With the spotlight on the world’s plastic consumption crisis, Grounded is one of the few companies offering a sustainable solution for businesses transitioning from single-use soft plastic packaging to compostable flexible packaging made from from bio-based materials.
Following a successful pilot program with a NZ-based organic chicken company, Bostock Brothers, along with a handful of businesses across the Tasman, Grounded is already gaining both local and international interest, receiving many inquiries from local SMEs, fast-growing direct-to-consumer start-ups in the US and large multi-national fresh produce businesses.
Grounded has already started manufacturing its very own custom-made compostable packing line, in addition to working with established suppliers across the world, offering a complete suite of solutions suitable for use across numerous industries
With plastic production skyrocketing and a staggering eight million tonnes which ends in our oceans every year, the Auckland and Sydney based entrepreneurs are staging a “call to arms” for businesses to get onboard the plastic-free supply chain.
“If businesses want to continue to win the hearts, minds and wallets of customers, the transition to compostable flexible plastics is must-have, not a consideration,” Grant said.
“My co-founder, Josh, brings an immense wealth of packaging industry experience, and together we are educating small, medium and large-sized businesses on smart solutions that benefit both the company and the customer as they transition to plastic-free. At the end of the day, you can’t put a price on the planet, and a positive reputation.
“In my experience co-owning a successful multi-million dollar restaurant chain for a number of years, you become acutely aware of the size and scale of the wake you leave throughout all parts of the supply chain. As a result, we became one of the first hospitality businesses in New Zealand to go fully compostable.”
Grant said was this simple transition which inspired him to create a business which has the size and scale to support thousands of companies across Australasia in their efforts to implement circular economic processes and, ultimately, help clean up our oceans.
Grounded is on a mission to gradually replace the use of single-use plastics throughout all commercial production and retail environments for good.
“At Grounded, we are focused on developing and representing packaging solutions that contribute to positive change in the industry, and in doing so we hope to help numerous other businesses make conscious decisions about the footprint they leave,” he said.
“One of the things we are particularly excited about is that as technology develops it will increasingly allow for the individuals to manage the end of life themselves and not be reliant on commercial infrastructure which can develop at a frustratingly slow pace.”
Certified to European or OK Compost compostability standards for both home and industrial composting, Grounded offers a complete suite of solutions including; food production and processing, fresh produce, snack foods, apparel, retail and consumer goods.
