Zoono and OSY partner with Sharpak to tackle global food waste through packaging innovation
Zoono Group (ASX: ZNO) and partner OSY have signed an exclusive contract with Sharpak Aylesham, progressing their participation in the global effort to solve a major food waste issue.
Sharpak, the UK division of a leading European manufacturer of packaging solutions for the food industry, has agreed to use Zoono’s shelf-life extension products and OSY’s application technologies on its packaging range for soft fruits sold to major UK supermarkets.
Key terms include UK exclusivity for an initial term thru the end of 2029, with Zoono products applied for the storage, delivery and/or packing of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and grapes.
In-store trial processes
Zoono expects to receive the first product order from Sharpak when in-store trials with UK supermarkets conclude later in 2025.
The company is forecasting revenues to increase as Sharpak ramps up production in the first three quarters of FY2026 and begins broader supply into the UK market.
Global annual food waste is estimated at around $4 trillion, with nearly 25% of all fruit and vegetables lost worldwide through wastage.
Mutual benefits
Zoono believes that extending the shelf-life of fresh produce through the combined use of its product and OSY’s application technologies on packaging will provide benefits for all participants in the supply chain.
The solution is compliant with UK and EU Food Contact Material Regulations, including having satisfied the regulatory authorities that the product does not migrate from the packaging into the produce.
The new agreement builds on the company’s platform in the UK and EU food shelf-life extension market, which it has established through advanced trials with multiple leading supermarkets and international food producers.
One leading UK premium supermarket has endorsed the technology’s unique applicability across a wide range of products and packaging types as a “game changer” in the industry.
Ongoing trials
Zoono is continuing trials across a range of food categories including grapes, stone fruits, lychees, cherries, fish, meat, ready-made meals and poultry.
The company says results to date have been positive, delivering the customer’s targeted minimum shelf-life extension for commercial viability across a range of produce tested so far.
Zoono anticipates Sharpak and its related entities will steadily increase implementation of its products and the OSY technology into packaging for other food sectors and into further markets in the EU and other geographies.