Cirkla

What Cirkla does

Cirkla develops and manufactures high-barrier molded fiber packaging trays positioned as drop-in replacements for plastic trays in food packaging applications. The company's core technology is a patented multi-layer barrier lamination system that bonds barrier layers (water, oil/grease, water vapor, oxygen, structural, and heat-seal) directly to a fiber substrate made from sugarcane bagasse, bamboo, and wood pulp during manufacturing. This architecture delivers oxygen and moisture barrier performance (OTR < 0.5 cc/m²/day, WVTR < 0.5 g/m²/day) and burst strength above 18 in Hg, enabling MAP-grade shelf life of 21 days across beef, pork, poultry, and seafood, and reducing plastic content by up to 85% by weight. A second patent covers an easy-peel liner disposal system that enables clean separation of liner from fiber tray at point of disposal.

The company sells four product lines—MAP & VSP trays, Overwrap trays, Ready Meals trays, and Produce trays—plus custom molded fiber solutions for dairy tubs, coffee capsules, and condiment pots. Revenue is generated via unit-based pricing ($7.89 per 1,000 trays) under multi-year supply agreements with US protein producers and grocery retailers including Trader Joe's, Albertsons, Safeway, Save Mart, Smart & Final, and Market Basket. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales with sample-based trial conversion supported by QA and shelf-life testing, and the company operates from a US headquarters in Gainesville, Georgia and an Indian subsidiary in Mumbai. An EPR Savings Calculator on the website quantifies the regulatory cost arbitrage, as plastic trays carry roughly 3x higher Extended Producer Responsibility fees than Cirkla fiber in Oregon and Colorado.

Name

Cirkla

Legal name

Cirkla Inc.

Website

https://gocirkla.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cirkla manufactures high-barrier molded fiber packaging trays as drop-in replacements for plastic trays in fresh protein, ready meal, produce, and custom food packaging applications, selling directly to US protein producers and grocery retailers under multi-year supply agreements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Food Packaging

akta.pro primary industry

Refrigerated Meat & Seafood (Processed/Packaged) (CRADACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rigid Food Containers (Cups, Trays, Clamshells) (IMALAAAD), Ready Meals & Prepared Foods Packaging (IMALAHAL), Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB), Dairy & Refrigerated Foods Packaging (IMALAHAG)

Keywords

• Molded fiber packaging
• Sustainable food packaging
• Barrier packaging trays
• Modified atmosphere packaging
• Compostable food containers

Headquarters

HQ city

Lewes

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fiber Packaging Products: Revenue generated from selling molded fiber packaging trays across four product categories: Meat & Protein, Ready Meals, Produce, and Custom solutions. Products are sold under multi-year supply agreements with major US protein producers and grocery retailers. Unit-based pricing per 1,000 trays.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Cirkla manufactures molded fiber packaging trays with patented multi-layer barrier liner technology as drop-in replacements for plastic trays in food packaging applications. The company produces four core product lines — Meat & Protein trays, Ready Meals trays, Produce trays, and Custom packaging solutions — selling directly to food processors and grocery retailers under multi-year supply agreements. All products use agricultural byproducts (sugarcane bagasse, bamboo, wood pulp) as substrate and deliver shelf life, barrier performance, and equipment compatibility equivalent to or better than plastic.

Product overview

Cirkla offers a portfolio of high-barrier molded fiber packaging trays that function as drop-in replacements for plastic trays in food packaging applications. The core product line includes MAP & VSP Trays (the world's first fiber trays validated for modified atmosphere packaging), Overwrap Trays (for standard retail overwrap applications), Ready Meals Trays (microwave/oven-safe fiber trays with customizable liner options), and Produce Trays (100% plastic-free trays for fresh produce). Custom Packaging solutions round out the portfolio, enabling engineering of fiber alternatives for non-standard formats like dairy tubs, coffee capsules, and condiment pots. All products share Cirkla's patented multi-layer barrier liner technology that delivers oxygen, moisture, and gas-flush performance equal to or better than plastic while being up to 85% less plastic by weight. The EPR Calculator tool supports customer cost analysis when evaluating the switch from plastic to fiber.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MAP & VSP Trays High-barrier molded fiber trays validated for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and vacuum skin packaging (VSP) of fresh beef, pork, poultry, and seafood. Features patented multi-layer barrier liner delivering OTR < 0.5 cc/m²/day and WVTR < 0.5 g/m²/day with 21-day shelf life. Drop-in replacement for plastic MAP trays requiring no capital investment or line reconfiguration. Sold to food processors and grocery retailers.
• Overwrap Trays High-performance molded fiber trays designed as replacements for EPS and PET overwrap trays. Strong, rigid, freezer-safe, and curbside recyclable. Validated for use on Ross, MULTIVAC, OSSID, Harpak-ULMA, and Proseal tray sealing equipment. Designed for protein processors and grocery retailers.
• Ready Meals Trays Industry-first molded fiber trays for ready meals that are microwave and oven-safe, leak-proof, and feature patented easy-peel liner innovation. Offers customizable liner options (CPET, CPET+EVOH, VSP) and three peel strengths. Sold to ready meal manufacturers.
• Produce Trays 100% plastic-free produce trays made entirely from fiber and paper materials with no liner or plastic components. Certified for home and industrial composting, curbside recyclable, and moisture-resistant. Available in 20+ SKUs covering corn, zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Sold to produce packers.
• Custom Packaging Custom engineered molded fiber solutions for non-standard packaging formats including dairy tubs, biscuit inserts, scoops, refill packs, coffee capsules, and condiment pots. Supports complex designs with tight draft angles, undercuts, threads, and multi-part assemblies. Rapid prototyping (~100 samples in 2-3 weeks) and scalable commercial production from BRC and ISO-certified facilities. Sold to brands requiring custom fiber formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 85% less plastic by weight compared to conventional plastic trays
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• RosscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Equipment validation partner. Cirkla's MAP & VSP trays validated on Ross tray sealers covering the majority of the US protein processor installed base.
• MULTIVACcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Equipment validation partner. Cirkla's MAP & VSP trays validated on MULTIVAC tray sealers covering the majority of the US protein processor installed base.
• OSSIDcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Equipment validation partner. Cirkla's MAP & VSP trays validated on OSSID tray sealers covering the majority of the US protein processor installed base.
• Harpak-ULMAcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Equipment validation partner. Cirkla's MAP & VSP trays validated on Harpak-ULMA tray sealers covering the majority of the US protein processor installed base.
• ProsealcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Equipment validation partner. Cirkla's MAP & VSP trays validated on Proseal tray sealers covering the majority of the US protein processor installed base.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Footprint: Footprint develops fiber-based and plant-based packaging alternatives to plastic for food service and grocery applications. Direct competitor in molded fiber and bio-based trays, with similar focus on replacing plastic in MAP, fresh produce, and ready meal categories.
• BioPak: BioPak produces compostable food packaging including fiber-based trays, cups, and containers for foodservice and retail. Comparable in sustainable molded fiber focus though primarily Australian/European in geographic emphasis.
• Eco-Products (Novolex): Eco-Products, a Novolex brand, specializes in compostable and fiber-based foodservice packaging including plates, bowls, and trays. Comparable in sustainable packaging focus with overlapping end markets in grocery and foodservice.

Direct peers

• LBP Inc. LBP manufactures single-use paperboard and fiber-based packaging including food containers, hot cups, and molded fiber products. Direct peer in fiber packaging manufacturing with comparable end markets in foodservice and grocery.
• CKF Inc. CKF Inc. manufactures molded pulp and fiber-based packaging including protein trays, egg cartons, and food-grade containers. Direct peer in molded fiber food packaging serving North American protein and grocery markets.

Broad incumbents

• Huhtamaki: Huhtamaki is a global food packaging manufacturer producing fiber-based, plastic, and molded pulp packaging for fresh foods, ready meals, and foodservice. Broad incumbent with comparable product categories but significantly larger scale and geographic footprint.
• Sealed Air: Sealed Air is a major packaging incumbent producing Cryovac vacuum and MAP films/trays for protein and food processors. Overlaps with Cirkla in MAP protein tray applications where Sealed Air is the dominant incumbent; increasingly pivoting toward sustainable alternatives.
• Pactiv Evergreen (Novolex): Pactiv Evergreen (recently acquired by Novolex) is one of the largest North American producers of food and beverage packaging including EPS, PET, and fiber-based trays. Direct overlap in protein and produce tray categories where Cirkla is positioning as a sustainable alternative.
• Sonoco Products: Sonoco produces paperboard, molded fiber, and rigid plastic packaging for fresh foods, protein, and consumer goods. Comparable in molded fiber capability with broader product portfolio across rigid paper containers and food cans.
• Genpak: Genpak manufactures rigid and foam food packaging including MAP trays, clamshells, and produce containers. Overlaps with Cirkla in protein and produce tray formats where Genpak is a long-standing incumbent; has begun introducing fiber alternatives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gocirkla

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

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 Cirkla