ABOUT MELODEA

• Melodea Ltd is a bio-based solutions company seeking to address plastic waste by developing plant-sourced alternatives to oil-based barrier products.

• The Israeli startup was founded in 2010 as a spin-off project by a group of plant biotechnology and industrial composite experts at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

• Melodea is a pioneer with a patented technology that repurposes renewable byproducts from industrial forestry. The process extracts CNC from Cellulose, which is obtained from wood pulp and Paper production side streams. 

• CNC has a number of core qualities that make it a unique and incredibly versatile material. It can be used as a reinforcement or adhesive additive, is compatible with water-based systems (without polluting them), and can be easily applied. Crucially, it is a compostable material, and won't hinder the recyclability or biodegradability of the packaging it's applied to since it can be washed off with water.

• Melodea's offering includes two scalable coatings designed for next-generation barrier applications: MelOx, an oxygen barrier; and VBcoat, a water vapour barrier. The coatings can be used in conjunction or individually. They are transparent, silicone and plastic free, PTS certified as recyclable, and compliant with FDA and EU food contact regulations.

• Melodea's coatings are a drop-in replacement for their plastic-based equivalents, as they can be applied using standard industrial coating machines.

• The versatility of Melodea's coatings is highlighted by the fact that they can be applied on various substrates including paper and paperboard. The liquid formulas suit a variety of applications such as pouches, lids, Moulded Fibre products, and beverage cartons.

• Sustainability is an important aspect of the startup's operations. It claims that 95% of the materials used in the production process to extract CNC are recycled and reused in the subsequent manufacturing round, minimising the environmental impact of the process.

• Melodea's portfolio has the potential to serve multiple industries, but it's primarily focused on the food and consumer goods packaging sectors, developing paints, coatings, and barriers to enhance functionality. The company offers a bespoke service to develop products that meet the specifications set by clients. 

• In October 2022, Melodea announced that it would be expanding distribution to the US, with a new plant that is projected to triple its production capacity while reducing its carbon footprint by serving American clients locally. Shipping is expected to commence within three to six months from the time of the announcement.

• Melodea's task of scaling the product has been further aided by the finalisation of a commercial deal with a local plant-based fibre solutions partner in the US. According to the company's CFO, Zvika Weiss, the coatings are already "in pilot use by a number of major companies".

• To date, the startup has raised USD 20 million in capital, and has strategic partnerships with Brazilian paper manufacturer Klabin S.A. and Swedish forest owners Holmen AB. Melodea holds a total of 14 patents for its technology and product portfolio.

• Melodea is a recipient of two prestigious awards in the packaging sector: it won the Bio-based category at Packaging Europe's 2019 Sustainability Awards and a 2020 WorldStar Award in the Packaging Materials and Components category.