Saveggy launches plant-based coating in Sweden

Swedish start-up Saveggy has launched an additive-free plant-based coating for fresh produce made from only two ingredients, rapeseed oil and oat oil.

The company said it offers a waste-free alternative as the EU prepares to ban single-use plastics for fresh produce by 2030 and could contribute to cutting food waste across the fresh produce category in Europe.

The coating has been developed in collaboration with Aarhus University and is supported by EIT Food, which in turn is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.

Saveggy is launching a one-month pilot for cucumbers in Sweden together with Ica and Swedish grower Odlarna. With the first industrial machine in place and capacity ramping up, Saveggy is preparing for broader launches across Sweden and Europe.

Ica’s sustainability director Kerstin Lindvall said: “This innovation makes it possible for us to remove plastic from cucumbers entirely without compromising quality, something we know our customers appreciate”.

Saveggy was founded in 2020 in Sweden by Vahid Sohrabpour and Arash Fayyazi to tackle the challenges of how to reduce food waste and plastic pollution. The technology has been developed in close collaboration with Lund University and stakeholders across the value chain, including consumers, Ica and other retailers as well as packers.

Odlarna is the first European producer organisation to install the machine in their facility. “Sustainability and quality are at our core, and this collaboration takes our commitment further by introducing plastic-free cucumbers”, said Martin Löfstedt of Odlarna.

According to Saveggy’s own research, more than 3,000 tonnes of plastic are used for cucumbers each year across the EU. In addition to cucumbers, the solution could also be applied to a wide range of fruits and vegetables, and product development is ongoing. “The technology helps prevent food waste, supports the EU’s 2030 targets, and aligns with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR),” the company said.

Arash Fayyazi, co-founder of Saveggy, said: “Cucumbers highlight the challenge: food waste on one side, plastic-wrapped shelves on the other. Our goal is to reduce food waste and plastic pollution together – with respect for nature, people, and the resources that make our food possible”.