Materials innovation company Xampla has been making waves in the packaging sector in recent years with its ‘world first’ tech helping to unlock the power of plant polymers. CEO Alexandra French recently answered Packaging Scotland’s questions about the firm’s success so far and plans for future developments
Q) What’s the history of Xampla?
A) Xampla is a materials innovation company creating and licensing world-first natural plant polymer technology for a variety of applications that change the world. Since spinning out of the University of Cambridge in 2018 our world-class team of scientists, engineers and industry experts have scaled research into a commercial reality, launching Xampla’s innovative Morro materials into market.
Morro materials are designed to eliminate the world’s most polluting plastics. These high-performing, plastic-free materials support a variety of applications including barrier coatings, films and microcapsules. They are fully biodegradable, home-compostable and compatible with standard recycling processes.
The key to rapid scale-up has been our strategic licensing partnership with 2M Group of Companies, enabling immediate commercial production and seamless integration into existing supply chains. We were recently named in The Sunday Times 100 Tech ‘Ones to Watch’ list, recognising Xampla as a trailblazer in the future of UK technology.
Q) What have been some of the most significant milestones/achievements?
A) We’ve celebrated numerous successes in recent years, but one of our most significant commercial milestones was securing a licensing agreement with 2M Group, which has accelerated the scale-up of Morro Coating and enabled partnerships with leading packaging companies such as Huhtamaki and Transcend, and major brands. Xampla’s Morro Coating has the potential to replace up to 25,000 tonnes of plastic over the next five years.
Most notably, Just Eat Takeaway.com launched the world’s first corrugated box manufactured by Huhtamaki using Xampla’s Morro Coating. This breakthrough packaging is now available to more than 41,000 partner restaurants in Germany via the Just Eat Takeaway.com platform, representing a major commercial deployment of our technology. More recently, Xampla gained national exposure on Channel 4’s documentary series on meal deals, where our technology was highlighted as a next-generation solution to the plastic pollution crisis.
Beyond plastic replacement, we’ve also made significant progress in the area of nutrient microencapsulation using our groundbreaking plant polymer technology. Our innovation was recently validated by the Royal Society of Chemistry, which confirmed that our natural materials can protect fat-soluble active ingredients through transit, storage, and simulated digestion — right through to the intestinal phase. This study marked a major step forward in proving that our plant polymer microcapsules can enhance nutrient delivery for food and beverage applications.
Q) How does the technology work?
A) Xampla’s world-first technology harnesses the natural self-assembly of plant proteins to create reliable, high-performance materials that are fully biodegradable, home-compostable, recyclable, and completely plastic-free. Unlike traditional bioplastics which require chemical modification, Morro materials are derived from abundant plant feedstock and are completely natural, which means they are fully exempt from the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) and similar plastic regulations.
The technology offers drop-in compatibility with existing manufacturing processes, enabling brands and manufacturers to make seamless transitions to plastic-free alternatives.
Q) Who are some of the brands/partners you currently work with?
A) Xampla works collaboratively across the entire supply chain, from material innovation through to end brands. Our licensing partnership with 2M Group of Companies handles the manufacturing scale-up, producing Morro Coating at tonnes scale, which then flows to packaging converters such as Huhtamaki and Transcend Packaging. These specialists transform our materials into finished packaging solutions for major brands including Just Eat Takeaway.com.
This integrated approach means brands don’t need to overhaul their existing supply chains – they can access our plastic-free Morro materials through their current packaging partners. The packaging manufacturers benefit from adding plastic-free, high-performance, natural solutions to their portfolio, while brands achieve their sustainability goals without operational disruption. Xampla has partnered with other global brands such as Gousto, Elemis and Britvic.
Q) Are you doing much work with Scottish businesses? Do you see scope for expanding this?
A) Xampla’s focus is on growing our business and creating natural, biodegradable alternatives to the most polluting single-use products on the market.
Our partnership approach is truly global, and we’re constantly evaluating new opportunities as we scale. Scotland’s commitment to environmental innovation makes it an ideal market for us to explore as we continue growing our network of partners seeking natural, circular alternatives.
