Bpacks

What Bpacks does

Bpacks is a UK-registered materials science company founded in 2022 that has developed a proprietary bark-based biocomposite packaging technology positioned as a drop-in alternative to petroleum-based rigid plastics. The technology converts tree bark - a timber industry byproduct available at 300-400 million m3 annually - into pellets and finished packaging through compounding followed by injection molding or thermoforming. The resulting material is 100% bio-based (with up to 75-80% sourced from production waste), home-compostable within 1-2 months, and certified for food contact in Serbia (EU certification in process). A key functional differentiator is the natural antimicrobial property of bark, which extends the shelf life of perishable items such as berries (up to 5-7 days), mushrooms (up to 4 days), vegetables, and meat by 5-7 days, reportedly reducing food waste by more than 42%.

The company's business operates across three revenue streams: (1) sale of finished bark-based packaging products (notably berry and mushroom trays) directly to retailers and food manufacturers; (2) sale of bark-based pellets and granules as substitutes for plastic pellets to packaging manufacturers, leveraging compatibility with standard thermoforming and injection molding equipment to avoid customer capex; and (3) licensing of the underlying technology to plastic packaging producers for global roll-up. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales, anchored by a partnership with Serbian retailer Gomex to deploy products across 300+ stores in Southern Europe. The company plans to expand the licensing model to enable global distribution without capital-intensive owned manufacturing.

Bpacks is operationally headquartered in London with a 300 sqm R&D and pilot production centre in Belgrade, Serbia (opened October 2023), employs approximately 8 people including 5 scientists, and is led by co-founders Mikhail Skalkin (CEO), Lev Bolshakov (COO), and Dr. Nikolay Semenov (CSO, polymer materials science). The company has raised approximately €1 million in pre-seed funding as of December 2024, with stated intent to close a seed round by March 2025 to build dedicated pellet manufacturing capacity. A patent application for the bark packaging technology is pending. Customer segments targeted include FMCG food retailers (primary), cosmetics and beauty manufacturers, household product manufacturers, and plastic packaging producers seeking sustainable material inputs.

Name

Bpacks

Legal name

Bpacks

Website

https://bpacks.eco

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bpacks develops bark-based biocomposite packaging materials for FMCG retailers and packaging manufacturers, offering home-compostable pellets and finished trays that replace petroleum-based plastics and extend the shelf life of perishables.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Packaging Materials

NAICS

Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219), Converted Paper Product Manufacturing (3222)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)

akta.pro primary industry

Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodegradable Packaging Materials (films, trays, foams) (IMAEAOAB), Bio-based & Biodegradable Polymer Resin Manufacturing (PLA, PHA, PBS, starch blends) (IMANAAAG)

Keywords

• Bark packaging materials
• Compostable food packaging
• Bio-based pellets
• Sustainable plastic alternatives
• Biocomposite packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bark-based Packaging Products: Sale of finished bark-based packaging products including trays for berries, mushrooms, and other food packaging applications. Products are sold directly to retailers and food manufacturers.
2. Bio-based Pellets/Granules: Sale of bark-based pellets and granules as substitutes for plastic pellets, enabling plastic manufacturers to integrate sustainable materials into existing production lines.
3. Technology Licensing: Licensing of bark packaging technology to plastic packaging manufacturers, allowing them to produce granules using Bpacks' proprietary process.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Bpacks develops and manufactures bark-based biocomposite packaging, converting timber industry byproducts (tree bark) into pellets, granules, and finished rigid packaging such as food trays. Its proprietary process uses compounding, pellet/sheet creation, and injection molding or thermoforming, producing 100% bio-based, home-compostable packaging that integrates with existing plastic and pulp molding equipment.

Product overview

Bpacks offers a portfolio of bark-based sustainable packaging products designed to replace petroleum-based rigid plastics. The core product line includes ready-to-use packaging trays for berries (extending shelf life up to 7 days) and mushrooms (extending shelf life up to 4 days), which leverage natural antimicrobial properties from tree bark. Additionally, Bpacks produces bark-based pellets and granules that packaging manufacturers can use directly with existing thermoforming and injection molding equipment, enabling seamless integration into current production lines without capital investment in new machinery. All products are 100% bio-based with up to 75-80% of materials sourced from production waste (bark and used coffee grounds) and are home-compostable.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trays for berries Bark-based packaging trays designed to extend berry shelf life by up to 7 days via natural antimicrobial properties. Certified for food contact in Serbia with EU certification in process; targeted at retailers and food manufacturers.
• Trays for mushrooms Bark-based packaging trays designed to extend mushroom shelf life by up to 4 days, made from 100% bio-based materials primarily sourced from tree bark; targeted at food retailers and producers.
• Bark-based pellets and granules Bio-based pellets and granules manufactured using Bpacks' proprietary bark-based compounding process, designed as direct substitutes for petroleum-based plastic pellets. Compatible with standard plastic and pulp molding equipment, 100% home-compostable and decomposing in moist soil within 1-2 months; sold to plastic packaging manufacturers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Extends shelf life of perishable items by up to 7 days
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GomexcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSerbian retailer with over 300 stores in Southern Europe. Bpacks has partnered with Gomex to roll out their bark-based packaging products. According to Gomex CEO Dimitrije Stojanović, the Bpacks solution will benefit end users by reducing product write-offs, enhancing shelf life, and minimizing waste.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Ecovative Design: Ecovative grows mycelium-based packaging materials as replacements for plastic foams and inserts. It is a comparable emerging bio-based packaging player competing in the same sustainable-rigid-packaging whitespace as Bpacks.
• Sway (Sway Packaging Co.): Sway produces seaweed-based flexible packaging films targeting CPG brands as a plastic replacement. It overlaps with Bpacks in the bio-based packaging-for-FMCG category, though it focuses on films rather than rigid trays.
• Shellworks: Shellworks is a UK-based startup producing packaging materials from chitin (shellfish waste) as a plastic replacement. It is an emerging player in the same sustainable rigid-packaging space, focused on FMCG and beauty applications similar to Bpacks' cosmetics segment.

Broad incumbents

• NatureWorks: NatureWorks is the world's largest PLA producer, supplying Ingeo bioplastic resin to packaging converters globally. It is the dominant incumbent in the bio-based packaging pellets category that Bpacks is targeting with its bark-based granules.
• Novamont: Novamont produces Mater-Bi bioplastic resins (starch-based, compostable) used in bags, food-service packaging, and rigid applications. It is a broad incumbent in compostable/bioplastic packaging competing for the same FMCG and EU regulatory tailwinds as Bpacks.
• TotalEnergies Corbion: TotalEnergies Corbion is a major producer of PLA (Luminy) resins for packaging, food service, and consumer goods. As a large-scale bioplastic incumbent, it competes directly with Bpacks' bio-based pellets for the same converter customers.

Regional players

• BioPak: BioPak supplies compostable food-service packaging (cups, containers, trays) across Asia-Pacific and Europe. It is a regional incumbent focused on rigid and fiber-based food packaging, comparable to Bpacks' tray products in food retail and service.

Direct peers

• Notpla: Notpla develops seaweed- and plant-based packaging films and coatings designed to replace single-use plastic. Like Bpacks, it is an early-stage sustainable packaging startup selling drop-in alternatives to plastic packaging to FMCG and food-service customers.
• Loliware: Loliware produces seaweed-based compostable packaging and foodware as a replacement for single-use plastics. It targets similar end markets (food service, retail, hospitality) and competes on the same sustainable-packaging narrative as Bpacks.
• Tipa Corp: Tipa develops fully compostable flexible packaging films and laminates for food and consumer goods. It addresses the same fresh-food and FMCG plastic-replacement use cases as Bpacks' bark-based trays, with comparable home/industrial compostability claims.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bpacks

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bpacks