Penka
Penka is a privately held Mexican manufacturer that designs and sells FDA-approved, agave-bagasse-based biodegradable straws, cutlery, stirrers, and cups to foodservice operators and sustainability-focused enterprises globally, using its patented PolyAgave® bioplastic technology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersGuadalajara, Mexico
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Penka does
Penka (legal entity: PENKA MUNDO SUSTENTABLE S.A. DE C.V.) is a privately held Mexican manufacturer founded in 2016 and headquartered in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The company designs, produces, and sells biodegradable disposable products — drinking straws (in multiple sizes and formats including cocktail, boba, and shaker/stirrer variants), cutlery (fork, knife, spoon, and combo sets), and 16oz/510ml cups — made from cellulose derived from agave bagasse, a low-value byproduct of tequila production. Its proprietary PolyAgave® process is covered by granted Mexican patents on both the biomaterial and the finished product, and the company holds registered PolyAgave® and PNK® trademarks. All products are FDA-approved for food contact, BPA-free, heavy-metal-free, and certified by USDA Biobased, Symphony Environmental, and Hecho en México programs.
The company's core technology is its patented PolyAgave® bioplastic line, which converts agave bagasse — sourced primarily through a strategic partnership with Jose Cuervo — into food-grade material suitable for injection-molded disposable goods. The product portfolio is positioned as a direct substitute for single-use petroleum-based plastics in the foodservice and hospitality channels, with documented environmental claims of over 3,000 kg of agave by-product valorized, roughly 150 liters of petroleum avoided, and 450 kg of CO₂ avoided per ton of finished product.
Commercially, Penka runs a sales-led, quote-based model targeting enterprise and mid-market food-service buyers (restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels) and sustainability-focused corporates, primarily through direct contact, an e-commerce storefront at penka.store, and a WhatsApp-based SMB channel for orders under 60 master boxes. The company distributes across more than three continents — including Mexico, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and Spain — supported by offices in Guadalajara, Monterrey, and the United States, and reports enterprise relationships with Jose Cuervo and Proximo Spirits. There is no disclosed institutional funding, revenue, or headcount beyond the 11-50 employee range, and the company is founder-operated with no public listing.
Penka firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Penka
- Legal name
- PENKA MUNDO SUSTENTABLE S.A. DE C.V.
- Website
- https://penka.eco
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Penka is a privately held Mexican manufacturer that designs and sells FDA-approved, agave-bagasse-based biodegradable straws, cutlery, stirrers, and cups to foodservice operators and sustainability-focused enterprises globally, using its patented PolyAgave® bioplastic technology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Penka industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Biodegradable Food-Service Disposables
- NAICS
- All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing (326199)
- SIC
- Plastics Products, Nec (3089)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Napkins, Tableware & Foodservice Disposables (Plates, Cups, Cutlery) (CRADALAD), Compostable & Biodegradable Disposable Supplies (CRAJAGAK), Biodegradable Packaging Materials (films, trays, foams) (IMAEAOAB), Bio-Based & Biodegradable Compounds (PLA/PHA/Starch Blends) (IMANABAF)
Keywords
Where Penka is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Guadalajara
- HQ country
- Mexico
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Penka business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Penka generates revenue through the sale of biodegradable disposable products made from agave fiber, including straws, cutlery, stirrers, cups, and containers. Products are sold in bulk quantities (master boxes) with quote-based pricing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bulk wholesale pricing for large orders (60+ master boxes) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Penka product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Penka designs, manufactures, and sells biodegradable disposable products — drinking straws, cocktail straws, boba straws, stirrers, cutlery (fork/knife/spoon), and 16oz cups — fabricated from its proprietary PolyAgave® bioplastic, which transforms cellulose extracted from agave bagasse (a tequila-industry byproduct sourced via Jose Cuervo) into FDA-approved, BPA-free, food-contact-grade alternatives to traditional plastic disposables. Products are sold in master-box bulk wholesale quantities via quote-based direct sales, an own e-commerce store, and WhatsApp, and distributed across North America and Europe.
Product overview
Penka offers eco-friendly disposable products made from agave fiber using PolyAgave® bioplastic material. The product portfolio includes biodegradable drinking straws (in various sizes: 21cm, 23cm, 26cm and formats: wrapped, unwrapped, black), cocktail straws (15cm), stirrers/shaker straws (18cm), cutlery (fork, knife, spoon, and combo sets), and biodegradable cups (16oz/510ml). All products are designed and manufactured in Mexico using proprietary 100% Mexican patented technology, transforming agave bagasse from the tequila industry into everyday disposable alternatives to traditional plastics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PolyAgave®: A line of bioplastic materials made from plant fibers (agave bagasse), by-products of agro-industrial processes, used in Penka's disposable products.
Products and services
- Agave Fiber Drinking Straws Biodegradable drinking straws made from agave fiber bagasse via PolyAgave® bioplastic, available in multiple sizes (21cm, 26cm) and formats including wrapped, unwrapped, and black variants; FDA-approved for food contact and BPA-free.
- Cocktail Straws Short biodegradable cocktail straws (15cm) made from agave fiber via PolyAgave®, designed for mixed drinks and cocktails in bars, cafes, and hospitality venues.
- Cocktail Stirrers (Shaker Straws) Biodegradable cocktail stirrers (18cm) for mixing drinks, made from agave-fiber PolyAgave® material and available in natural and black color variants.
- Boba Wrapped Straws Extra-large wrapped boba-style straws (23cm, 26cm) made from agave-fiber PolyAgave® material, designed for bubble tea and other thick beverages.
- Biodegradable Cutlery (Fork, Knife, Spoon Combo) Biodegradable cutlery set of fork, knife, and spoon (plus a combo pack with napkin), made from agave-fiber PolyAgave® material for food-service use.
- Biodegradable Cup 16oz (510ml) Reusable biodegradable agave-fiber cup with 16oz (510ml) capacity, biodegradable within 12–60 months under landfill conditions, sold in wholesale packaging of 1,000 pieces per box (40 packs of 25 pieces each).
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 3,000 kg of agave by-products reused per ton of products
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Penka
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Penka technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Penka partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Jose CuervocoreJose Cuervo, the world's largest tequila producer, provides agave bagasse (a byproduct of tequila production) as raw material for Penka's bioplastic products. This partnership enables the transformation of waste from the tequila industry into sustainable disposable products, creating a circular economy model.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Penka competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- TotalEnergies Corbion: Joint venture producing Luminy® PLA bioplastic used in compostable foodservice products. Competes with PolyAgave® at the materials level for downstream straw and cutlery manufacturers serving the same sustainability-focused end markets.
- NatureWorks: World's leading producer of PLA bioplastic (Ingeo™), the dominant feedstock for compostable foodservice disposables including straws and cutlery. Penka is positioned as a competing feedstock technology (cellulose-based) within the same downstream category.
- Pactiv Evergreen: Major foodservice packaging producer with a growing sustainable disposables portfolio (cutlery, straws, cups). Overlaps with Penka in HORECA channels but operates at much greater scale with a broader, mostly conventional plastics base.
- Eco-Products (Novolex): Large US-based manufacturer of compostable and recycled-content foodservice disposables including straws, cutlery, and cups, now part of Novolex. Competes in the same end markets as Penka but at significantly larger scale and broader product portfolio.
Emerging players
- Good Start Packaging: Specialty distributor of compostable foodservice disposables (straws, cutlery, cups, containers). Smaller and distribution-focused versus Penka, but competes for the same sustainability-driven restaurant and hospitality accounts.
Direct peers
- BioPak: Supplier of compostable and biodegradable foodservice packaging including straws, cutlery, and cups made from PLA and bio-based materials. Competes with Penka for HORECA accounts prioritizing sustainability and shares a comparable B2B sales-led distribution model.
- World Centric: Producer of compostable foodservice disposables (cutlery, straws, cups, plates) sold primarily to distributors and foodservice operators. Directly comparable to Penka on product category, sustainability positioning, and B2B go-to-market.
- Green Paper Products: Distributor and manufacturer of compostable disposable foodservice ware including straws and cutlery. Competes with Penka for restaurant and hospitality customers seeking biodegradable alternatives to plastic.
- Lollicup (Karat Earth): Manufacturer and distributor of foodservice disposables including a sustainable/biodegradable product line of straws, cutlery, and cups. Directly comparable to Penka on category and HORECA distribution.
- Vegware: Global manufacturer and distributor of compostable foodservice disposables including straws, cutlery, cups, and tableware. Operates in similar HORECA and sustainability-focused B2B channels as Penka and competes directly for biodegradable straw and cutlery contracts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Penka social profiles
Digital presencePenka compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Penka financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Penka leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Penka funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Penka 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 Penka
What does Penka do?
Penka designs, manufactures, and sells biodegradable disposable products — drinking straws, cocktail straws, boba straws, stirrers, cutlery (fork/knife/spoon), and 16oz cups — fabricated from its proprietary PolyAgave® bioplastic, which transforms cellulose extracted from agave bagasse (a tequila-industry byproduct sourced via Jose Cuervo) into FDA-approved, BPA-free, food-contact-grade alternatives to traditional plastic disposables. Products are sold in master-box bulk wholesale quantities via quote-based direct sales, an own e-commerce store, and WhatsApp, and distributed across North America and Europe.
Is Penka a public or private company?
Penka is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Penka founded?
Penka was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Penka based?
Penka is headquartered in Guadalajara, Mexico, in the Latin America region.
How does Penka make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Who are Penka's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TotalEnergies Corbion, NatureWorks, Pactiv Evergreen and Eco-Products (Novolex). Good Start Packaging is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are BioPak, World Centric, Green Paper Products, Lollicup (Karat Earth) and Vegware.
Does Penka have an API?
No public API is recorded for Penka.
What industry is Penka in?
Penka's product category is Biodegradable Food-Service Disposables. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMALAMAB, Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films), with a secondary code of CRADALAD, Napkins, Tableware & Foodservice Disposables (Plates, Cups, Cutlery). Its NAICS code is 326199 and its SIC code is 3089.