Shellworks
Shellworks is a London-based biomaterials company that produces Vivomer, a home-compostable, petroleum-free biopolymer made via microbial fermentation of plant waste feedstocks. It sells drop-in replacement pellets and finished packaging to beauty, personal care, fragrance, wellness, and household brands across the UK, EU, and US.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Shellworks does
Shellworks is a London-based biomaterials company that develops and manufactures Vivomer, a petroleum-free, home-compostable biopolymer produced through microbial fermentation of second-generation plant waste feedstocks such as used cooking oil and agricultural by-products. Vivomer is engineered as a drop-in replacement for conventional plastic, functioning identically during use (dishwasher-safe, shower-safe, 3+ year shelf stability) while biodegrading in soil without microplastics, phthalates, BPA, or PFAS. The material is compatible with existing plastic manufacturing equipment across injection moulding, blow moulding, and extrusion processes, and is FDA and EU 10/2011 certified for food contact. Shellworks operates manufacturing sites in the UK, EU, and US, and has shipped over 8 million Vivomer parts to date.
The company generates revenue primarily through B2B sales of Vivomer pellets and finished packaging components to brand partners, with pricing negotiated on a quote-based, multi-year contract basis by volume, customization, and specification complexity. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales (engaging brands from initial sample through retail shelf deployment, including color-matching, screen-printing, hot-foiling, debossing, and labeling services) with indirect retail distribution via major chains including Tesco, Target, and Whole Foods. Target verticals are beauty and personal care (primary), luxury fragrance, wellness and lifestyle, and food, beverage, and household goods. Notable customers include Wild, Hair by Sam McKnight, Sonsie Skin, Abel Fragrance, Sana Jardin, Wildsmith Skin, Clara's Corner, Enzy, and Square Mile Coffee Roasters. The company has raised approximately $36.6 million across pre-seed, seed, and Series A rounds, with a $15M Series A closed in March 2026 led by Alter Equity to fund US and EU manufacturing scale-up.
Shellworks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shellworks
- Legal name
- Shellworks
- Website
- https://theshellworks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Shellworks is a London-based biomaterials company that produces Vivomer, a home-compostable, petroleum-free biopolymer made via microbial fermentation of plant waste feedstocks. It sells drop-in replacement pellets and finished packaging to beauty, personal care, fragrance, wellness, and household brands across the UK, EU, and US.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shellworks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Packaging Materials
- NAICS
- Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing (325211)
- SIC
- Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bioplastics Compounding & Masterbatch (bio-based additives, colorants, fillers) (IMANANAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biodegradable Packaging Materials (films, trays, foams) (IMAEAOAB), Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB)
Keywords
Where Shellworks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Shellworks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Vivomer Material Sales: Shellworks generates revenue through the sale of Vivomer biomaterial pellets and manufactured packaging products to brand partners in the beauty, personal care, wellness, and household goods sectors. The company provides end-to-end solutions from initial sample development through to retail-ready packaging, including custom color-matching and branding services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based B2B pricing for brand partnerships |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Shellworks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shellworks develops and manufactures Vivomer, a proprietary biomaterial produced through microbial fermentation of second-generation plant waste feedstocks (used cooking oil and agricultural by-products). The material is formulated into pellets and finished packaging products (dropper bottles, jars, caps, tubes, refill bottles, cups) that perform identically to conventional plastic during use but biodegrade in soil without leaving microplastics. The company sells directly to brand partners in beauty, personal care, fragrance, wellness, household goods, and food/beverage sectors, providing custom color-matching, finishing, and end-to-end development from sample to retail-ready packaging.
Product overview
Shellworks offers a single unified product: Vivomer, a biomaterial platform. Vivomer is produced via microbial fermentation of second-generation plant waste feedstocks (agricultural by-products, used cooking oil) containing biogenic carbon. The material serves as a drop-in replacement for conventional plastic across multiple packaging formats—dropper bottles, jars, caps/closures, tubes, refill bottles, and cups—all manufactured using existing plastic equipment (injection moulding, blow moulding, extrusion). The company operates manufacturing sites across the UK, EU, and US, having shipped over 8 million units. Vivomer formulations are stability-tested across 400+ formulations, certified for food contact (FDA, EU 10/2011), and are designed to be home-compostable without generating microplastics or toxic residues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Vivomer: Bio-based plastic alternative material produced through microbial fermentation of plant waste feedstocks. Plastic-free, home-compostable, and biodegrades without leaving microplastics. Used for packaging applications across cosmetics, personal care, and household goods.
Products and services
- Vivomer Biomaterial (pellets)
Quantifiable outcome
- 8,000,000+ products replaced with Vivomer packaging
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Shellworks
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Shellworks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Shellworks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- MorramacoreIndustrial design agency Morrama collaborated with Shellworks and Wild to develop the refillable roll-on deodorant featuring compostable Vivomer refills in an anodized aluminum case. This represents a co-development partnership for product design and branding.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Shellworks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Notpla: UK-based biomaterials company producing seaweed-based, home-compostable packaging as a direct alternative to single-use plastics. Direct competitor to Shellworks in the sustainable packaging materials space, targeting similar beauty, food service, and consumer brand customers.
- Tipa: Israel-based developer of compostable flexible packaging films and laminates for food and consumer goods. Direct peer offering home-compostable packaging alternatives with comparable end-of-life sustainability claims targeting similar brand customers.
- Loliware: US-based company producing seaweed-based bioplastic alternatives for single-use applications including straws, cups, and packaging. Comparable emerging-stage biomaterials competitor targeting similar plastic replacement use cases.
- Newlight Technologies: US-based company using microbial fermentation to convert greenhouse gases into PHB bioplastic (AirCarbon). Direct peer with similar fermentation-based biopolymer production model competing in the same plastic-alternative market.
Broad incumbents
- Danimer Scientific: Publicly traded bioplastics company producing PHA-based resins (Nodax) for compostable packaging and coatings. Established incumbent with broader portfolio, larger capital base, and existing CPG customer relationships competing in the same compostable bioplastic category.
- NatureWorks: Global leader in PLA bioplastic manufacturing (Ingeo), serving packaging, food service, and consumer goods markets. Broad incumbent with established scale, distribution, and certifications, representing the conventional bioplastic alternative to Shellworks' Vivomer.
- Huhtamaki: Global food and consumer packaging manufacturer with a growing sustainable packaging portfolio including compostable fiber-based and bio-based alternatives. Broad incumbent offering sustainable packaging solutions to global FMCG customers.
Emerging players
- Cruz Foam: US-based company producing chitosan-based sustainable packaging foam and protective materials from chitin. Emerging-stage competitor in bio-based packaging with partial overlap in sustainable protective and shipping packaging applications.
- Kelpi: UK-based startup developing seaweed-derived bioplastic coatings and packaging materials as plastic alternatives. Early-stage emerging player with technology overlap in bio-based packaging materials targeting CPG brands.
Others
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Shellworks social profiles
Digital presenceShellworks compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Shellworks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shellworks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Shellworks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shellworks M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shellworks
What does Shellworks do?
Shellworks develops and manufactures Vivomer, a proprietary biomaterial produced through microbial fermentation of second-generation plant waste feedstocks (used cooking oil and agricultural by-products). The material is formulated into pellets and finished packaging products (dropper bottles, jars, caps, tubes, refill bottles, cups) that perform identically to conventional plastic during use but biodegrade in soil without leaving microplastics. The company sells directly to brand partners in beauty, personal care, fragrance, wellness, household goods, and food/beverage sectors, providing custom color-matching, finishing, and end-to-end development from sample to retail-ready packaging.
Is Shellworks a public or private company?
Shellworks is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Shellworks founded?
Shellworks was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Shellworks based?
Shellworks is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Shellworks make money?
One revenue line is on record: vivomer Material Sales.
Who are Shellworks's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Notpla, Tipa, Loliware and Newlight Technologies. Broad incumbents are Danimer Scientific, NatureWorks and Huhtamaki. Emerging players are Cruz Foam and Kelpi. TotalEnergies Corbion is listed as an others.
Does Shellworks have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shellworks.
What industry is Shellworks in?
Shellworks's product category is Sustainable Packaging Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMANANAB, Bioplastics Compounding & Masterbatch (bio-based additives, colorants, fillers), with a secondary code of IMAEAOAB, Biodegradable Packaging Materials (films, trays, foams). Its NAICS code is 325211 and its SIC code is 2820.