Purple Planet Packaging will distribute deep-tech start-up N&E Innovations’ home-compostable cling films made from tropical fruit waste to foodservice customers.
N&E Innovations’ ViKANG99 is a patented material solution made using waste from fruit farms in Malaysia and Vietnam. Reportedly, the material is edible, food-grade, and suitable for food-contact applications.
ViKANG99 is used as a binder to manufacture various food packaging and cling wrap products under the brand OKIO. All OKIO products are certified home-compostable and aim to replace ‘challenging’ plastics in foodservice applications.
According to N&E, the product range combines sustainability-minded design, functionality, and price point. Its work alongside Purple Planet Packaging is hoped to unlock growth on the UK’s foodservice market.
“Cling film is an everyday essential in busy kitchens, so any move to a compostable alternative needs to be practical. At Purple Planet Packaging, we want to make that change easier for businesses, with products that meet their needs and clear guidance on how to dispose of them correctly,” the company comments. “Helping customers take that next step is what matters to us.”
OKIO products are being sold directly to customers in the UK, France and Germany. It is also being distributed in Australia by Kinoya Pty Ltd, in Singapore by Freshning Pte Ltd, and across countries such as Thailand and Malaysia by local distributors.
N&E has established its first international office in the West Midlands of the UK with the support of UK DBT and West Midlands Accelerator.
“The UK has been a market of firsts for us: our first international office, our first European customers, and now our first distribution partnership,” says N&E Innovations. “Purple Planet Packaging shares our belief that sustainable packaging shouldn’t mean compromising on performance or price. Together, we’re building the platform for OKIO’s expansion across Europe.”
Additionally, N&E received US$1.7 million from a funding round led by Tundra Capital in the summer.
Now N&E is showcasing its OKIO products at the Responsible Packaging Expo in London on 29-30 September 2026.
In other news, BZERO has closed an oversubscribed €1.5 million seed round to accelerate commercial adoption of its home-compostable film. Said to be as thin as 7 microns, it claims to offer the same mechanical strength as conventional plastic.
Noriware CEO and co-founder Jessica Farda also spoke to Packaging Europe about the company’s seaweed-based transparent film. Apparently, the film is both compostable and biodegradable, and achieves CEPI’s highest score for paper recyclability when sealed onto cardboard punnets.
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