What Sorbos does

Sorbos, legally SORBO MJV, S.L., is a Barcelona-based food manufacturer that produces the first commercially available edible, flavored, and fully biodegradable drinking straw. Founded in Spain in 2013/2015 by Enric Juviña Serra and Victor Manuel Sanchez Toledano, the company manufactures its straws at a single facility in Montornès del Vallès, Barcelona, from sugar, water, halal-certified bovine gelatine, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, glycerine, natural flavorings, and citric acid. Each straw is individually wrapped in antihumidity paper, holds rigidity for 40+ minutes in cold drinks, has a two-year shelf life, and is protected by Spanish patent 201530630 and the registered SORBOS trademark (number 3554227). The company holds Highest-Level IFS Food Safety Certification and is positioned as a plastic-straw replacement for the hospitality, events, and consumer markets.

The company sells a core line of multi-flavor Sorbos straws (Strawberry, Lime, Lemon, Chocolate, Neutral, plus apple, cinnamon, ginger, and others) through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store at wearesorbos.com, with packs priced EUR 9.95-29.95 and free shipping across the Spanish peninsula. A secondary custom/personalized straw line uses edible-ink silkscreen printing for weddings, corporate events, and brand activations, with starting prices of EUR 59.40 and 15-business-day lead times. Wholesale B2B orders are available on request. International shipping is offered on a quote basis. The company is privately held and bootstrapped aside from a small EISMEA grant in 2018, operates with 11-50 employees, and runs additional customer service from Sant Fost de Campsentelles.

Sorbos markets primarily through organic Instagram content (#SORBOSsquad), a content blog, email newsletter, and earned media in major Spanish outlets (Telecinco, Cosmopolitan, La Vanguardia, El Mundo, El Economista, ABC). It has accumulated sustainability partnerships with Ecomar, Saving The Amazonas, Ramassà Sports Association, and Cleanhub, and claims 64,000 kg of plastic prevented from entering the ocean through cumulative sales. Customers are fragmented across consumers, event planners, and hospitality venues, with only two named logos (Tropical Smoothies and a Pascual Start Up endorsement).

Name

Sorbos

Legal name

SORBO MJV, S.L.

Website

https://wearesorbos.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sorbos is a Barcelona-based food manufacturer that produces the first edible, flavored, and fully biodegradable drinking straw from sugar and bovine gelatine, selling to consumers, hospitality venues, and event planners via a DTC e-commerce store, custom-printed SKUs, and on-request B2B wholesale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Sorbos generates revenue through direct sales of edible biodegradable straws via their e-commerce website. Products are sold in various configurations including standard flavors (Strawberry, Lime, Lemon, Chocolate, Neutral) and multi-flavor packs. Custom personalized straws are available at premium pricing. The 200-unit pack includes a free straw dispenser.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sorbos manufactures and sells edible, flavored, and 100% biodegradable drinking straws made from sugar, water, bovine gelatine, natural flavorings, and stabilisers. The Barcelona-based company offers multi-flavor standard packs (Strawberry, Lime, Lemon, Chocolate, Neutral) and customizable straws silkscreened with edible ink for events, weddings, corporate branding, and hospitality venues. Each straw is individually wrapped in antihumidity paper and remains rigid for 40+ minutes in cold drinks.

Product overview

Sorbos is a single-product food company offering edible, flavored, and biodegradable drinking straws. The core product line consists of standard Sorbos straws available in multiple flavors (Chocolate, Lemon, Lime, Strawberry, Multiflavor) and Custom Straws for personalized branding. All straws are manufactured in Barcelona, Spain, from natural ingredients including sugar, bovine gelatine, and flavorings, packaged individually in moisture-resistant paper. The company positions the product as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic and paper straws for the hospitality and events industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sorbos Edible Straws The core Sorbos product is an edible, flavored, 100% biodegradable drinking straw made from sugar, water, bovine gelatine, natural flavorings, stabiliser (sodium carboxymethylcellulose), humectant (glycerine), and antioxidant (citric acid). Available in multiple flavors including Strawberry, Lime, Lemon, Chocolate, and Neutral, sold in multi-flavor packs. Each straw is individually paper-wrapped, stays rigid for 40+ minutes in cold drinks, can be consumed after use, and has a 2-year shelf life. Target customers are individual consumers for home use, party hosts, and hospitality venues seeking a sustainable single-use straw alternative.
• Custom Personalized Sorbos Straws Personalized Sorbos edible straws silkscreened with edible ink for weddings, birthdays, corporate events, and celebrations. Same composition as standard Sorbos straws but with custom designs, branding, flavors, and personalized packaging. Priced starting at €59.40 with a 15 business day lead time. Targeted at event planners, couples, and corporate event organizers wanting branded eco-friendly drink accessories.

Quantifiable outcome

• 64,000 kg of plastic prevented from entering oceans through SORBOS sales

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EcomarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental association created by sailor Theresa Zabell that works to instill values such as sustainability, respect for the environment and care for the marine environment. SORBOS contributes to this initiative as part of their environmental mission.
• Saving The AmazonascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative fighting against environmental deforestation in the Amazon rainforest by contributing to tree replanting. Also helps local indigenous communities with employment and social development opportunities.
• Ramassà Sports AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation fighting for children's right to education and social inclusion, building a training center in Cameroon in collaboration with AYINET and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• CleanhubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization partnered to offer plastic footprint calculator and support plastic neutrality initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Simply Straws: Simply Straws produces reusable glass and stainless steel straws as a plastic-straw alternative. It overlaps with Sorbos as a sustainable straw substitute for consumers and hospitality, but with a durable rather than edible product.
• Aardvark Paper Straws: Aardvark produces paper drinking straws as an alternative to single-use plastic straws, targeting foodservice operators and consumers concerned with plastic waste. It is a competing sustainable straw solution competing for the same buyer budgets as Sorbos.
• Hay! Straws: Hay! Straws manufactures paper drinking straws marketed as fully biodegradable, sold via foodservice and retail channels. It competes for the same plastic-alternative procurement dollars as Sorbos, though with a paper (non-edible) format.
• Bamboovement: Bamboovement sells reusable bamboo and plant-based straws as plastic-straw alternatives. It addresses the same sustainability buyer as Sorbos in EU markets but with a reusable, non-consumable product.
• The Final Straw Company: The Final Straw Company produces alternative drinking straws from paper and other sustainable materials, marketed to hospitality venues as replacements for plastic straws. It targets the same sustainability buyer as Sorbos but with a non-edible form factor.

Broad incumbents

• Eco-Products (Novolex): Eco-Products, part of Novolex, supplies compostable and foodservice packaging including alternative straws to large chain restaurants and institutions. It competes with Sorbos for the same foodservice sustainability procurement mandates at much greater scale.
• BioPak: BioPak is a global supplier of plant-based, compostable foodservice packaging including straws, cups, and cutlery. It is a broad incumbent in the sustainable foodservice space, with a wider portfolio than Sorbos but overlapping on straw alternatives for cafes and hospitality.
• Vegware: Vegware is a UK-based manufacturer of compostable foodservice packaging, including plant-based straws, used widely by cafes, caterers, and foodservice operators. It is a broader incumbent competitor to Sorbos in the single-use-sustainable-straw category.

Direct peers

• Stroodles: Stroodles is a UK-based startup that produces edible drinking straws as a sustainable alternative to plastic straws. It is the closest direct competitor to Sorbos, offering the same product category (edible straws) for foodservice and consumer markets, with overlapping functionality and target buyers.
• Lolistraw: Lolistraw markets edible flavored straws made from natural ingredients, comparable in product form, target use case (beverages), and sustainability positioning. It directly competes with Sorbos in the edible straw niche for hospitality and consumer buyers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/wearesorbos
• Facebookfacebook.com/wearesorbos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wearesorbos
• Xx.com/wearesorbos

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Sorbos