Lucozade could soon be available in edible vegan seaweed pods named Oohos.
After successfully trialing the new Oohos at the 2019 London Marathon, Lucozade has said it will continue exploring alternative packaging. The company has also said it is “proud” to collaborate with Notpla, the manufacturer of the pods.
Oohos are plastic-free, vegan, and 100 percent biodegradable. Notpla recently received a £300,000 grant from Innovate UK — the UK government’s Research and Innovation agency. This grant will help Notpla develop a machine to dispense the vegan seaweed pods, similar to other common vending machines.
“Oohos offer Lucozade Ribena Suntory a completely new and innovative way to deliver on-the-go servings of Lucozade Sport to consumers,” said Michelle Norman, director of external affairs and sustainability at Lucozade Ribena Suntory — which owns Lucozade and other drink brands, like Ribena and Orangina — in a statement.
She added, “with Government backing, we are excited to see how Oohos can be rolled out and made more widely available.”
“It is great to have Lucozade Ribena Suntory on board, supporting us as a trial partner,” says Lise Honsinger, the chief finance officer at Notpla. “Notpla is thrilled to have received government support for this project.”
“It moves us one step closer to seeing our product commercialized,” added Honsinger. “[The support] allows us to grow the team, creating four new engineering roles this year.”
“We are proud to be collaborating with Notpla on such an innovative move and we will continue to make positive steps to become as sustainable as possible,” added Norman.
UK Companies Ditch Plastic
Plastic pollution is a huge problem, and it is estimated that by 2050 there may be more plastic in the ocean than fish. First made popular in the 1960s thanks to its durability, some plastics can take around 1,000 years to decompose. This means that every piece of plastic ever produced is still present.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory’s commitment to finding plastic-free packaging — such as Notpla’s Oohos — is particularly significant, as around 72 percent of soft drinks in the UK are sold in plastic bottles.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory aims to eliminate all single-use plastic packaging by 2025. The company will also ensure 100 percent of its plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. The company is also a founding signatory of the UK Plastics Pact.
