The UK company says it has developed the spoon straw made from paper to replace the hundreds of millions of traditional polypropylene straws distributed each year by the food, drinks and leisure industry.
Scoop for ice
“The patent is in the overall manufacturing of the straw. The three layers of bonded paper makes the straw more durable but at the same time 100% biodegradable,” said Michael Reid, sales director, Polar Krush.
“The product is made from paper, yet it has been designed with a shaped end that can act as a scoop for the ice product. The challenge was to make the spoon strong enough to hold the ice crystals for long enough to enjoy the full drink.
“The product is made from paper, which is biodegradable and compostable, whereas the old product relied on the customer disposing of it in a responsible way by recycling.”
The striped straw took 18-months to develop from concept to production and features a spoon-like scoop at one end.
“We have already introduced initiatives to remove single use plastics from our brand,” added Reid.
“We have changed our packaging and in addition to all our cups being recyclable and containing recyclable material, we provide reusable and vegetable-based alternatives.”
Sugar-free drink
Two years ago, the company introduced a sugar-free iced drink made using Stevia leaf extract to act as a natural sweetener.
The paper spoon straw is the latest phase of a four-year, multi-million pound investment programme in the Polar Krush brand, which includes investing in solar panels at its UK factory, using eco-friendly collapsible packaging and investing in a fleet of electric powered vehicles.
Polar Krush is a family-owned business, which employs 50 people and is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year.