PA Consulting (PA), a global leader in innovation and transformation consultancy, has partnered with Searo Labs, a pioneer in sustainable materials, to create innovative seaweed-based products as alternatives to plastic and single-use items. This collaboration aims to expedite and scale the utilization of seaweed-derived materials across consumer products and packaging within the food and drink packaging, personal care, and home care sectors. These products are poised to attract significant interest from global brands and manufacturers, as they contribute to the substantial reduction of single-use plastics and PFAS chemicals, often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’.
Searo Labs has developed advanced seaweed-based technology and brings extensive materials formulation expertise and intellectual property (IP) to this partnership. The company has created a distinct range of materials that leverage the benefits of seaweed—an abundant and rapidly renewable resource—along with other natural components. PA will facilitate the scale-up and commercial deployment of this technology, leveraging their vast experience in this domain.
The Searo materials are food contact safe, home compostable, and designed for moisture and texture control, as well as being optically clear and heat sealable. Every phase of the production process emphasizes environmental sustainability, from the sustainable cultivation of seaweed and local processing to energy-efficient technology and the absence of chemical treatments. The potential applications for these materials are extensive, including film packaging for fresh food, dissolvable shampoo and detergent pods, and feminine care products.
Currently, Searo Labs conducts its research and development operations at two locations: Cambridge Science Park and PA’s Global Innovation and Technology Centre in Cambridge, UK. This site serves as the cornerstone of PA’s international network of design studios, research laboratories, and engineering facilities. Searo Labs and PA have also created scalable manufacturing methods utilizing existing machinery to satisfy the global demand for sustainable products and packaging.
PA boasts a rich history in advancing the commercialization and scaling of sustainable product and packaging technologies. Its collaboration with PulPac is propelling the development of dry molded fiber technology to help diminish plastic waste in packaging like bottles and blister packs across personal care, beauty, food, and healthcare sectors. Additionally, PA has designed refill packaging for the Dunnet Bay Rock Rose gin brand, thus transforming their spirits business, and is working with Kemira, a global authority on sustainable chemical solutions, to engineer new renewable barrier coatings for more eco-friendly food packaging.
Steven Clarke, process engineering and industrial automation expert at PA, said: “Helping brands to reach their sustainability goals sits at the heart of this collaboration. The urgent need to reduce plastics and harmful chemicals like PFAS in our environment requires innovative solutions. This novel seaweed-based technology has the potential to make a big impact across a wide range of products that people use daily. Together we can industrialize and commercialize this solution, and develop first to market innovations.”
Francis Field, Co-Founder of Searo Labs, said: “Our partnership with PA is an opportunity for global brands to gain access to Searo’s cutting-edge material technology, relying on PA’s proven ability to deliver real-world solutions for industry. Searo’s mission is to put an end to single-use plastic by commercializing seaweed-based natural alternatives, and projects as big as this cannot be addressed by one company alone. We are therefore delighted to join forces with PA to create plastic-free solutions that aim to revolutionize the FMCG industry.”
