In a bid to replace single-use food packaging with a more sustainable alternative, one Kenyan company is making use of the waste left behind by the country's sugar industry.
In the sugar-growing regions of western Kenya, harvest season leaves behind more than just refined sugar.
After extracting the juice from sugar cane, large amounts of fibrous residue - known as bagasse - lie piled next to processing plants.
This residue is often treated as industrial waste - burned, discarded or used in low-value applications.
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However, one manufacturer in Nairobi believes this waste could help address one of the world's fastest-growing environmental issues: single-use food packaging.
Green Stem Products is turning sugar cane residue into compostable takeaway containers to replace plastic food boxes, plates and trays.
As governments, restaurants and consumers look for alternatives to oil-based packaging, the company is part of a rising movement relying on agricultural waste rather than fossil fuels.
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Inside Green Stem's factory, stacks of moulded fibre containers glide along production lines. Steam rises from heated presses while workers check newly formed trays before packing them for restaurants and food vendors across Kenya.
For the company's founders, the idea came from a contradiction they kept seeing: Kenya generates vast amounts of agricultural waste while still relying heavily on imported or plastic packaging.
"When we examined sugar cane waste, we saw untapped value," says Anita Shah, Green Stem's founder. "The material was already there. The question was whether we could create something practical and scalable from it."
The production process starts with raw bagasse collected from sugar mills. The fibres are cleaned, pulped and then moulded under pressure into food containers that can hold hot meals and liquids.
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Unlike many standard disposable containers, Green Stem claims its products are free of PFAS - "forever chemicals" that linger in both ecosystems and the human body.
According to environmental policy researchers, the pressure on businesses to cut plastic waste has surged dramatically over the last decade as evidence of plastic pollution in oceans, rivers and food systems continues to mount.
"Single-use packaging has become one of the most visible signs of the waste crisis," said Professor Simon Onywere, an environmental scientist focusing on sustainable materials at Kenyatta University. "Governments are responding, consumers are responding, and industries are under pressure to find alternatives."
The limits of 'compostable'
While compostable packaging is often promoted as a direct answer to plastic pollution, waste management experts warn the environmental benefits depend heavily on disposal systems.
"A compostable container only provides its full advantage if it ends up in composting conditions," said Nairobi waste management consultant Dr. Ezekiel Ndunda. "If it goes to landfill with regular trash, the outcome becomes a lot more complicated."
Kenya still struggles with limited industrial composting facilities. Some experts argue that simply replacing plastic won't solve broader waste management problems without parallel investment in collection and disposal systems.
Tobias Alando, CEO of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, said: "The challenge is bigger than material substitution alone. Without stronger collection systems, sorting capacity and recycling infrastructure, we risk shifting the problem rather than solving it."
He also highlighted the financial implications for manufacturers transitioning to sustainable packaging.
"Many businesses support sustainable packaging goals, but the transition comes with significant operational and cost pressures, particularly for small and medium manufacturers."
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Duncan Nzioka of EcoCare Consultants emphasises the importance of circular economy planning and end-of-life waste management systems.
"Sustainable packaging only works effectively when there is a functioning system to recover, process and reintroduce materials back into the economy."
He added that affordability too remains a challenge. "There are still economic realities around sourcing, compliance and disposal that companies must navigate as they adopt environmentally sustainable alternatives."
Plastic is cheap to produce, thanks to decades of global petrochemical investment. Sustainable alternatives often cost more, especially during early production stages when output volumes are lower.
For restaurants and food vendors working with tight profit margins, these costs are significant.
"Businesses want environmentally friendly packaging," said Nairobi restaurant owner Mama Oliech, who recently switched to moulded fibre takeaway boxes. "But they also need packaging that's affordable, durable and always available."
