Singapore-based sustainable packaging company, Alterpacks, worked with IPI to find a fruitful partnership in fruit and vegetable distributor Freshmart and continues to grow with the help of the Innovation Advisors programme.
In 2022, Singapore generated roughly one million metric tons of plastic waste—just six per cent of which was recycled. The rest was incinerated and contributed to massive amounts of carbon dioxide emissions. As governments and businesses look for solutions to the global plastic problem, one local startup, Alterpacks, offers sustainable food containers from an unlikely source: brewer's spent grains (BSG).
As a major byproduct of the brewing industry, BSG—mostly made of barley malt grain husks—is readily available and regularly wasted by manufacturers. Alterpacks was founded in 2019 by Karen Cheah and is harnessing this waste to revolutionise the packaging industry.
The Singapore startup was born from Cheah's travels, where she witnessed communities overwhelmed by waste. She then developed her idea further while pursuing her Master of Science in Innovation at the Singapore Management University. There, her professors posed a question to guide her and her peers through their capstone project: if you could solve a global problem, and money was no object, what would you do?
“My quest was garbage—to use garbage to combat garbage and it led to the displacing single-use plastics with a new material created from agricultural waste,” she shared.
Using moulded paper pulp manufacturing machines, her team turns BSG, a low-value by-product, into an eco-friendly alternative. On top of the benefits of upcycling waste, their BSG-based material can withstand a wide temperature range and is pending certification for being home-compostable—making them an ideal replacement for single-use plastics and aluminium containers.
As Alterpacks continued to grow, they connected with IPI in 2020 to explore innovation services and refine their IP strategy. The turning point came in September 2022, when Cheah presented at a webinar organised by IPI and Republic Polytechnic, which focused on emerging food packaging innovations from Asia.
Her presentation on Alterpacks’ innovative product caught the attention of Freshmart Singapore Pte Ltd, a major player in fruit and vegetable distribution. At the time, Freshmart was seeking sustainable packaging for their produce after receiving requests from their customers to switch to eco-friendly alternatives. The team asked IPI to connect them with Alterpacks to collaborate on a solution.
Paula Sng and Adeline Chan, Senior Managers at IPI, shared that the partners hit it off immediately. “[Freshmart was] very willing to collaborate with Karen to identify potential end clients to convince them to switch to Alterpacks' packaging and eliminate single-use plastics without compromising on the elements of packaging,” they said.
Following IPI's introduction, Alterpacks and Freshmart embarked on a proof-of-concept trial in May 2023. The goal was to replace single-use plastic trays and cling films used in packing Korean paprikas for NTUC Finest with Alterpacks' containers and a paper holder. This new packaging solution allowed consumers to recycle the materials in organic food waste and paper recycling streams.
This partnership opened a new vertical for Alterpacks—supermarket packaging for fruits and vegetables—expanding their reach. Along with finally finding a sustainable option for their produce, Freshmart’s work with Alterpacks also gained them recognition for leading the charge in sustainable initiatives.
The fruitful collaboration with Freshmart opened doors to an even bigger opportunity for Alterpacks. Through Freshmart, Alterpacks had made the connection with larger global labels within the fruit and vegetable sector, and has successfully completed packaging work for Blue Whale with their organic Candine apples. After connecting Alterpacks and Freshmart, IPI further supported Alterpacks through Innovation Advisory services.
"When I first met Karen and Steven from Alterpacks, they highlighted challenges in aligning product supply with sales forecasts and managing profitability while driving revenue growth,” said Dr Grace Wee, Principal Manager of Innovation Advisory at IPI. “I identified two key issues: an external, market-facing challenge related to customer demand, and an internal, operational challenge concerning supply capability and efficiency.”
After Wee’s assessment, IPI assigned advisors Shivendu Nadkarni and Francois Joubert. Shivendu brought extensive expertise in B2C strategy while Francois had over 30 years of experience in supply chain and operations strategy in the consumer goods industry. Together, the two industry veterans helped Alterpacks refine their supply chain, manage costs, and optimise manufacturing processes.
“Their deep industry knowledge, particularly in fast-moving consumer goods, was invaluable as they helped us focus on both immediate operational improvements and longer-term business growth strategies,” said Cheah.
Alterpacks is positioning itself as a major player in sustainable packaging. “Our mission is to replace single-use disposables like plastics and aluminium, eliminating the throw-away culture. We're revolutionising the materials industry by providing sustainable alternatives without relying on virgin resources,” she shared.
From a small start-up with a big idea to a company on the verge of transforming the packaging industry, Alterpacks' journey is a testament to the power of innovation, collaboration, and the unwavering commitment to sustainability.
