Innovation

“Our initial focus was on making edible spoons, but it was quite naïve to think it would become an instant success,” Cyril explained. To create a marketable product, the spoon must be edible, tasty, and durable enough to prevent it from falling apart immediately. The challenge was not only to design and make the product but also to do this with substantial financial constraints. We all know those founding stories that started in the parents' garage, and this one is no different. “We pooled together our finances. I put in all I had then and started testing out recipes and producing the first spoons in my parent's garage.” Their first mold allowed them to only make four spoons at a time, which was problematic, to say the least, for fulfilling large orders of 3,000 spoons. This led them to partner with a manufacturing company: “Teaming up with Desimone was crucial. They helped us scale from a small garage operation to a company capable of producing millions of edible spoons”.

The evolution of the ecopoon

Inspiration

The idea for Ecopoon originated from witnessing the impact of plastic waste at a festival, but what motivated Cyril to pursue his edible solution with such dedication? Especially considering he invested all his financial resources into the company. Cyril shared his perspective: “I was always fascinated by the planet, even from a young age. I was the one telling my parents to switch off the light.” This statement made his dedication to contributing to the well-being of the environment clear. His aspiration to become a sustainable entrepreneur was an extension of this dedication but originated from his master’s in sustainable development at HEC of Liège University. This experience broadened his perspective, leading to the creation of Ecopoon. Although some moments were challenging, and having thought about quitting many times, the dream of reducing environmental impact and supporting his close social environment kept him going: “Entrepreneurship is like a roller coaster, with good and bad moments. Never give up, and surround yourself with supportive people who believe in your vision.” The company has grown substantially, from the garage to having partnerships with giant ice cream companies such as Australia and being active in over five countries.

Overall impact

The impact of Ecopoon on the environment has been recognized in various publications, as well as by the local government, as a viable alternative to plastic utensils. It mostly aligns with sustainable development goals 12, 13, 14, and 15 while simultaneously contributing to the economy (goal 8). Their edible spoons are not only reducing plastic waste but also providing customers with an additional experience. Who doesn’t want a dessert after they have eaten their main course? With Ecospoon, the utensil becomes part of the experience, reducing single-use plastic and raising awareness about sustainable dining practices.

Business benefit

“When we developed our spoons, we were thinking we would just meet, for example, the ice-cream maker, and that they would just say, okay, let's replace our plastic spoons,” stated Cyril. “However, it was not like this; the first question was always, okay, what is the price of your edible spoon?”. The truth is that sustainability alone does not sell as much as we wish it to be different. That is when they decided to change the arguments for adopting the edible spoon; focusing on the product's added value—taste and fun—rather than just the environmental benefits, they successfully convinced customers and businesses to adopt their innovative spoons. In addition, ecological legislation incentivized by regulatory authorities further accelerated the adoption of alternatives for plastic spoons. They have expanded operations with various clients, including Van der Valk Hotels, Darcis, and Lavazza in the Netherlands.
Moreover, they have established large partnerships with Australia and Ernest le Glacier in La Rochelle, potentially producing 2.5 million edible spoons annually. Cyril elaborated: “We are now having our first discussions with people from Canada who want to start producing our edible spoons. Because we hold a patent on the manufacturing process, it would allow us to license out our manufacturing facilities, simplifying international expansion quickly”. In addition to simplifying the scaling process, licensing out the production process prevents pollution when shipping products to different markets. Perhaps the spoon will soon be available all over the world!

Social and environmental benefit

The introduction of edible utensils to as many people as possible will have a substantial impact on the environment. Forbes reported that “plastic cutlery is one of those items that won’t get recycled even when you put it in recycling. It’s too contaminated. It’s too small. It’s too lightweight.” The plastics end up in and damage our ecosystem on land and in the sea.
Furthermore, the microplastics that result from degrading can enter our food chains, thereby posing health risks. The introduction of edible spoons contributes to limiting this unnecessary pollution and decreasing the production of plastic materials—one ounce of CO2 is emitted for each ounce of PET plastics produced. In addition, consumers who are eating the utensils are stimulated to think differently about their habits regarding disposables, making them familiar with a suitable alternative. Cyril explained: “We want to prove that an alternative to plastics can work.” Social well-being is prevalent mainly because they source their products locally; working with the local agriculture sector allows them to prevent pollution caused by shipping and support the local farmers. Currently, they are partnering with Red Devil Investing to enable them to extend their operations further and contribute to environmental and social well-being—doing well by doing good. And showing that, even when starting from nothing, if you put your mind to it, it is possible to make a difference. Now, let's start eating our way to fewer plastic disposables!

Interview

Cyril Ernst, Co-founder