Plant Protein Tech Brings Plastic-free Packaging to Scale

University of Cambridge spin-out Xampla has raised $14 million in Series A funding to scale plant-protein materials designed to replace plastic packaging. Sustainable Times spoke to CEO Alexandra French to understand what widespread adoption of  this technology - and an unusual approach to their business model - means for investors, founders and the wider alternative materials industry.

Alexandra French left a long career at Johnson Matthey, a global leader in sustainable technologies, to take the position of CEO of Xampla as it set out to move from university-based startup to international scaleup. The Cambridge laboratory spinout had already secured promising partnerships and was entering a food packaging market being reshaped by tightening regulation, pressure on producers to embrace sustainability, and growing scrutiny from increasingly informed consumers.

The company’s recent $14 million Series A funding round is a promising development, signalling to industry and investors that Xampla’s plant-protein materials are ready to scale globally. 

The plastic problem

In the UK and across Europe, plastic packaging makes up 38% of plastic waste streams and is difficult to recycle because of multilayer coatings and food contamination. The EU produces more than 15 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste annually, while the UK alone generates over two million tonnes a year. Current recycling rates remain below 50%  therefore, alternative materials will be an essential part of addressing plastic pollution. 

This mounting waste problem is converging with tightening regulation. The EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive and Extended Producer Responsibility schemes are increasing costs for conventional plastic use. Further, the UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax, introduced in 2022, levies charges on products with less than 30% recycled content. The European packaging market is estimated to be valued at €168bn in 2025 and is expected to grow, offering opportunities for alternative materials to take some of this market share. 

While regulatory initiatives are forcing the pace of change, this has its limits - as shown by the recent failure to agree on a Global Plastics Treaty - increasing demand for solutions that can ease the transition. 

Lessons from nature

After 15 years of research at the University of Cambridge, Xampla’s team has developed a range of products made from unmodified plant proteins. These materials can return to their natural state after use, leaving no harmful impact on the environment. French explains that this research was grounded in nature.

“Inspired by the strength and resilience of spider silk, Xampla’s founders studied how its proteins self-assemble and applied the same principles to plant proteins”, she says. The company’s scientists have found ways to manipulate these proteins into structures that can replicate some of the performance characteristics of plastic, such as water resistance, grease barriers, and heat-sealability. 

These alternatives offer a circular solution, eliminating waste from the product lifecycle. Since the proteins remain in their natural state, the coatings, films and capsules are designed to break down across environments, whether in soil, home compost, or water, rather than persisting for centuries or requiring industrial composting facilities. That end-of-life story is critical in a market that has become increasingly suspicious of ‘biodegradable’ claims. Other forms of bioplastics have been criticised because of the conditions required for biodegrading.

Scaling through licensing

Xampla’s technology is proving itself outside of the laboratory. JustEat has begun using the firm’s Moro coating as a lining for some of its takeaway boxes in a trial designed to show the material can withstand grease and moisture without disrupting existing supply chains. Similarly, meal-kit company Gousto tested Xampla’s edible film by wrapping stock cubes that could be dropped directly into a pan, packaging and all. 

“You’re essentially eliminating the packaging altogether,” French notes. She adds that the novelty factor makes the innovation especially appealing to consumers, who get to transition from plastic to something fun and engaging. These partnerships have been crucial to Xampla’s scaling journey, demonstrating to major consumer brands that its technologies can operate effectively at scale, while also giving investors clear evidence that strong demand exists for plastic-free alternatives when products can deliver them.

Xampla has scaled quickly by adopting a licensing model common in the chemicals industry. Rather than raising investment to build factories, Xampla licenses its IP patents and specifications to established chemical and coatings manufacturers. Its first licensee, the UK’s 2M Group, is already producing at tonne scale and expanding toward volumes required by global brands. 

“We license the technology to industry players who already have the capacity to manufacture at large scale,” says French. “Within our licence we give them everything they need, access to our patents, know-how, process expertise, training, specifications and raw-material information. Think of it as a comprehensive recipe and the permission to use it.” The model lets Xampla focus on innovation and brand-building while partners deliver scale and customer reach. Even with a licensing model, Xampla works directly with end-brands to shape applications and prove performance. 

Beyond takeaway boxes

Xampla’s recent Series A funding is an important part of the scaling process, providing the resources to scale both geographically and across product categories. Beyond takeaway boxes, the company will now accelerate development of coatings for cups, sachets, bowls, frozen food packaging and even applications in beauty and personal care. The investment also supports international expansion, with new technical and sales capacity to meet demand in Asia and North America, where regulation is driving a rapid shift away from plastics and PFAS - often referred to as forever chemicals. 

At the same time, Xampla will increase marketing efforts to build visibility for its Moro brand, positioned alongside major consumer logos as a clear mark of a plastic-free choice, while continuing to invest in research that opens up further applications of its technology.

This university spinout is aiming to make its mark in the fight against plastic pollution.“Over the next five years, we’re set to replace 10 billion items of single-use plastic - tens of thousands of tonnes that would otherwise end up in the environment. It’s incredibly exciting and something I’m proud to be part of, because it shows how innovation can make a real, global impact,” says French.