Staramaki

What Staramaki does

Staramaki (legal entity staramaki ΑΕ, with affiliated staramaki Team IKE) is a Greek social enterprise founded in 2019 and headquartered in Kilkis, Greece, that produces 100% natural drinking straws from the hollow stems of wheat and rye plants. Its current SKU portfolio spans six variants — the 16/100 and 13/100 unwrapped formats plus individually wrapped standard, narrow, petit, and petit-narrow SKUs — packaged in 100-count cartons or 1000-count boxes in lengths from 13 to 17 cm and diameters from 3.0 to 5.5 mm. Cultivation takes place across three Greek regions (Kilkis, Gorgopi, and Archagellos in Pella), and the manufacturing process chains harvest, storage, pre-selection, semi-automatic cutting, stainless-steel tank pre-washing, boiling, industrial washing, hot-air drying, QC, and packaging. Active R&D lines include non-thermal sterilization using Near UV-Vis, continuous UV at 254 nm, High Intensity Light Pulses, and ultrasound, plus a pilot biomass-conversion boiler that burns production waste as fuel.

The business operates a dual-channel model. On the consumer side, Staramaki sells direct through a pre-order e-commerce flow on staramaki.gr without publicly listed pricing, suggesting quote-based or contact-based per-order pricing. On the enterprise side, the company supplies major F&B operators — most notably NESCAFÉ and Nestlé Greece under the 'With Respect for the Future' (Με Σεβασμό για το Μέλλον) initiative — alongside direct HoReCa and food-service distribution. Pricing is unit-based per pack, with no disclosed recurring SaaS, subscription, or licensing component; a grant-supported consulting arm flows through staramaki Team IKE. The customer base spans eco-conscious consumers, the hospitality industry (hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars), food-service distributors, and allergy-conscious/celiac users (wheat stalks are naturally gluten-free), with a stated addressable market of one billion plastic straws consumed annually in Greece alone.

Revenue model is straightforward product sales; there is no disclosed ARR, SaaS, or marketplace take-rate. Capital structure combines impact investment, EU research grants (Horizon 2020 Better Factory Project and S+T+ARTS Hungry EcoCities), and donations, plus agricultural consulting fees via the IKE. Operating geographies are anchored in Greece with a nascent Asia channel through a Tokyo-based Regional Partnership Agency. The company's differentiation rests on being the only wheat drinking straw manufacturer in Greece, EU food-contact compliance across multiple regulations, gluten- and GMO-free composition, regenerative agriculture practices tied to the 72% desertification risk in the Kilkis region, and verified CO2 advantages (247 g CO2/kg emitted by bioplastic straws vs. 11 g absorbed per wheat plant).

Name

Staramaki

Legal name

staramaki ΑΕ

Website

https://staramaki.gr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Staramaki is a Greek social enterprise founded in 2019 that produces 100% natural drinking straws from wheat and rye stems, selling direct-to-consumer via its website and to enterprises such as Nestlé/NESCAFÉ in the hospitality and food-service market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kilkís

HQ country

Greece

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - Wheat Straws: Staramaki generates revenue through the sale of natural wheat drinking straws. The company produces multiple product variants including standard 100-count packs (16cm and 13cm lengths) and individually wrapped options (1000-count boxes) in various diameters. Products are sold directly through their e-commerce platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Staramaki produces and manufactures 100% natural drinking straws made from wheat and rye plant stems harvested in Kilkis, Greece. The portfolio includes six variants differing in length (13–17 cm), diameter, and packaging format (100-count cartons or 1000-count individually wrapped boxes). Production involves harvesting, trimming, washing, boiling, drying, and quality control, with straws sold to consumers via the company e-commerce site and to enterprise/hospitality customers through partnerships such as Nestlé/NESCAFÉ.

Product overview

Staramaki is a Greek social enterprise that produces 100% natural drinking straws made from wheat and rye plant stems. The product portfolio consists of six distinct straw variants: three standard/unwrapped formats (staramaki 16/100, staramaki 13/100) and three individually wrapped formats (staramaki individually wrapped, staramaki narrow individually wrapped, staramaki petit individually wrapped, staramaki petit narrow individually wrapped). The straws vary by length (13-17 cm), diameter (narrow to standard), and packaging quantity (100 units or 1000 units). All products are sourced from hollow-stemmed wheat varieties cultivated in Kilkis, Greece, and manufactured locally. The company also offers agricultural consulting services through its subsidiary Staramaki Team IKE.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• staramaki 16/100 Drinking straw made from natural wheat stems, 16 cm length, 3.5–5.5 mm diameter, packed 100 units per carton. Sold to consumers and hospitality customers as a sustainable alternative to plastic straws.
• staramaki 13/100 Drinking straw from natural wheat stems, 13 cm length, can also be used as a stirrer, packed 100 units per set. Targeted at hospitality and consumer use as a plastic-straw replacement.
• staramaki individually wrapped Individually wrapped drinking straw from natural wheat stems, 17 cm length, 4.0–5.0 mm diameter, packed 1000 units per box. Designed for hygiene-conscious hospitality and food-service settings.
• staramaki narrow individually wrapped Individually wrapped drinking straw from natural wheat stems with narrow 3.0–4.0 mm diameter for thinner beverages. Intended for hospitality and consumer buyers needing individually wrapped straws.
• staramaki petit individually wrapped Individually wrapped drinking straw from natural wheat stems, 14 cm length, petit format. Targeted at hospitality and food-service customers wanting shorter individually wrapped straws.
• staramaki petit narrow individually wrapped Individually wrapped drinking straw from natural wheat stems, petit narrow diameter for shorter, thinner use cases such as small beverages and samplers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 247g CO2 emitted per 1kg of bioplastic straws vs 11g CO2 absorbed per wheat plant during growth
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EKETA (Centre for Research and Technology)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe National Centre for Research and Technology (EKETA) collaborates with Staramaki on research and technological development, supporting the company's innovation in wheat straw production technologies.
• NESCAFÉcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNESCAFÉ partnered with Staramaki for the 'With Respect for the Future' (Με Σεβασμό για το Μέλλον) initiative, integrating natural wheat straws into their sustainability programs.
• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) Research LaboratoriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAUTH departments perform structural and physicochemical analyses on staramaki products including tension tests, surface analysis, biodegradability testing, and other quality assessments that enrich the company's product database.
• NestlécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe world's largest food and beverage company has established a strategic partnership with Staramaki, providing market access and credibility as a major industry player committed to sustainability.
• Aliment LabcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe Microbiology and Chemical Laboratory of Food and Water performs chemical and microbiological testing on staramaki products in collaboration with a certified laboratory to ensure product safety compliance.
• Soil & Water Resources Institute (SWRI/IEYP) - ELGOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute collaborates on regenerative agriculture practices, soil improvement research, and experimental field evaluation of spent coffee grounds application for soil enhancement.
• Regional Partnership Agency (RPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Regional Partnership Agency based in Tokyo, Japan represents an international collaboration partnership expanding Staramaki's reach to Asian markets.
• Incommon AMKEminorOthersSocial cooperative that collects spent coffee grounds from cafes in Kilkis and Thessaloniki, which Staramaki uses in their experimental composting program for soil improvement.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Loliware: Loliware develops seaweed-based and edible straws and cups targeted at hospitality and consumer markets. Comparable to Staramaki as a materials-innovation-driven eco-straw company addressing the same plastic-displacement use case.
• BioPak: BioPak produces compostable food-service disposables including paper straws and plant-based alternatives. Directly comparable to Staramaki as a sustainability-focused straw and food-contact product manufacturer serving the same hospitality and foodservice customer base.
• Stroodles: Stroodles produces pasta-based drinking straws sold to restaurants and consumers as a natural alternative to plastic. Comparable to Staramaki because it uses an edible plant-based material in the same single-use straw category with a similar sustainability narrative.
• Aardvark Straws: Aardvark is a US-based manufacturer specializing in paper drinking straws for foodservice. Comparable to Staramaki as a single-category, sustainability-positioned straw producer competing for the same plastic-straw replacement demand.
• WinCup: WinCup produces the Phade line of biodegradable drinking straws and other foodservice disposables. Comparable to Staramaki as a direct competitor in the eco-friendly straw category supplying foodservice distributors and large enterprise accounts.
• Vegware: Vegware manufactures compostable plant-based catering disposables, including straws, cups, and cutlery. Comparable to Staramaki because it targets the same hospitality and foodservice end market with eco-friendly single-use alternatives.

Broad incumbents

• Pactiv Evergreen: Pactiv Evergreen is a large North American foodservice packaging manufacturer offering paper and plant-based straws. Comparable to Staramaki as a broad incumbent competing in the eco-friendly straw segment with much larger production scale and distribution.
• Huhtamaki: Huhtamaki is a major global food packaging manufacturer with paper-straw and fiber-based product lines. Comparable to Staramaki as a broad incumbent in food-contact packaging that competes for the same plastic-straw-replacement RFPs at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• Notpla: Notpla develops seaweed-based coatings and packaging including dissolvable edible films and straws. Comparable to Staramaki as an emerging plant-material innovator focused on eliminating single-use plastic in foodservice.
• TIPA: TIPA produces fully compostable flexible packaging for food and consumer goods. Comparable to Staramaki as a sustainability-led packaging company selling into the same EU foodservice and brand-owner customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/staramaki
• Facebookfacebook.com/staramaki.gr

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 Staramaki