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The solution to food waste is for it to be processed and recycled so as to not contribute to the waste crisis. However, what we often fail to include in conversations about food waste is the cutlery that is also consumed. The plastic cutlery that is present in abundance at restaurants, cafes and roadside eateries produces waste that is often impossible to sustainable process.
Edible cutlery is a product that allows you to consume the cutlery after eating your meal. This way, no plastic cutlery is used and there is no need to throw anything away after finishing your food. Many companies and organisations have hopped onto the bandwagon of popularising edible cutlery. In India as well, some people are working towards populariazing this sustainable product.
I. Thoosan
A Kerala-based company launched by Vinaykumar Balakrishnan, Thoosan is an edible tableware brand fighting against single-use plastic. It was started in 2021 after two long years of research to test the viability of wheat bran as the core ingredient of the cutlery along with its biodegradability. As an ode to the state’s food culture, the name was derived from the word ‘thooshanila’ — the tapered plantain leaf which is widely used as plates in Kerala for meals. Along with being environmentally sustainable, the company is economically sustainable as it offers extra income to farmers that supply wheat bran which is usually discarded as an agriculture by-product.
The company offers products such as bowls, cups, and food containers along with wit spoons, knives, forks etc. Despite being advertised as edible cutlery, it isn’t always necessary to consume the cutlery ourselves. The products can be discarded sustainably as they are biodegradable or be used as cattle and poultry feed. The overall outcome every time would be the cutlery seldom accumulating as waste and serving as food for all living organisms.
II. Gajamukha Foods, EdiblePRO
Gajamukha Foods is a Bangalore-based startup that launched its edible cutlery brand EdiblePro. Started by three women who quit their IBM jobs to work towards a sustainable future, the company offers zero waste and eco-friendly products for consumption. Acknowledging the damage caused by single-use plastic to the environment, Shaila Gurudatt and Lakshi Beemachar decided to enter the food industry and start a movement of change.
With more than 80 variants in terms of design, colour and flavours, EdiblePRO is an economically affordable product to invest in. The cutlery produced is 100% natural with no artificial colours or preservatives, making it a healthy thing to give back to the environment when decomposed. Made from grains and pulses, the raw ingredients are sourced from local farmers and manufactured by rural women providing them with an opportunity for economic independence.
III. Trishula
While most companies manufacturing edible cutlery focus on sustainability, 24-year-old Kruvil Patel decided to use tried and tested recipes of the products but with a distinct selling point. An engineer by profession, Patel decided to start his entrepreneurial venture to make edible cutlery that was sustainable but also good to taste.
After intensive research, he began this initiative by blending different Indian spices and flavours and baking the cutlery at a very high temperature for it to absorb maximum moisture. Along with Trishula’s products being 100% natural, they also have a shelf life of six months, making it convenient to store and preserve them. With 8 different flavours of beetroot, spinach, chocolate, masala, black pepper, mint, ajwain and plain available for grabs, the company allows the customization of spoons in terms of size, and shape and taste. The affordability of the spoons is economically inclusive wherein the cost ranges from ₹3 to ₹6.
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