Yash Pakka, an Ayodhya-based venture, is attracting a lot of attention, and let me tell you why! In this day and age, when the entire world is shifting toward a more sustainable way of life, Yash Pakka specialises in the production, distribution, and sale of compostable tableware (bowls, plates, food trays, containers) made from waste sugarcane fibre, which enables businesses to provide their customers with a safe way to eat.
Yash Pakka proudly adds that, in addition to being 100% biodegradable and compostable, these can withstand microwaves, ovens, and freezers, have a sturdy design to ensure your food doesn’t fall out but are lightweight enough to ease the packaging process, and are toxin-free.
Recalling their beginnings in 2012, they embarked on a journey to transition their entire business from pulp and paper to compostable packaging. The primary areas of focus were then divided into three categories: food carry, food packaging, and food service. The first three years were the most difficult for them because they had to struggle their way through. After that, by 2015-2016, they discovered technologies that would allow them to take the pulp and shape it into various shapes, after which they went to China and Taiwan and explored numerous suppliers of these available machines, purchased their eight largest machines, and began production in 2017.
The company has produced over 10,000 tonnes of material in various shapes and sizes to date. “We take waste sugarcane fibre from sugar mills located in a 100-mile radius around us, make it into pulp through a standard pulping process which is used for papermaking and then mould it into different shapes to be able to make plates and bowls that can be used as disposables, explains Ved Krishna, Yash Pakka Limited’s strategy head. Customers for the venture include quick-service restaurants, cloud-based kitchens, and delivery service providers. Haldiram’s is their largest customer, but they are also very active in other ventures such as Chai Point, HMSHost, Starbucks, Shree Datta Snacks, Kamath’s Food, and MTR.
A four-decade-old venture, Yash Papers rebranded as Yash Pakka in 2019, transforming itself from a pulp and paper company to a sustainable packaging one. During the journey, the founders made certain not to go down the beaten path, but to build a brand by doing things on a large scale and, most importantly, to be environmentally responsible.
