Mauritius - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

The RIPE Cup® : The Revolution in a Cup is the world's first 100% bio-based, compostable and plantable cup made from fruit waste. It is a seeded cup and turns into a fruit tree and a nitrogen-fixer plant upon disposal, producing food & repairing the soil.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

The RIPE Cup® is the world's first 100 % biobased, compostable and plantable, paper-free, plastic-free, chemical-free cup which turns into a fruit tree and a nitrogen-fixer upon disposal, producing fruits and repairing our degraded lands at the same time. It is a seeded cup. It is made from a unique biocomposite material made from upcycled fruit waste created by the founder of RIPE Mauritius. The project entails the creation of the RIPE Eco Factory in order to commercialize and produce the RIPE Cup® on an industrial larger scale and the implementation of the RIPE Food Forest. At the end of the life cycle of the RIPE Cup®, it can be planted by customers/public or by companies(part of their sustainability policy) in the food & beverage industries or it can be returned back to the RIPE Eco Factory & be planted in the RIPE Food Forest. The RIPE Food Forest is a model of regenerative agriculture creating an abundant, high yielding ecosystem, producing fruits, vegetables, honey, livestock.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

1. Fruit waste(specific fruit residues) with an estimate of 23 million tons ending up in landfills worldwide 2. Pollution. 600 billion plastic and paper cups are used and thrown away each year worldwide, according to the International Coffee Organization. 350 million tonnes of Plastic end in the landfills and oceans each year contributing to 3% of the global emissions of CO2. 3. Deforestation. Globally, we deforest around ten million hectares of forest every year. 4. Land and soil degradation. Up to 40 percent of all soils worldwide are moderately or severely degraded due to intensive chemical agriculture and deforestation. 5. 5.6 billion pounds of chemicals in intensive agriculture are used worldwide with 55,000 T of chemicals imported and used in the agricultural industry in Mauritius. 6. Importation of fruits and food insecurity. Mauritius imported fruits worth Rs 510 million in 2023. 7. Importation of paper cups in Mauritius contributing to deforestation

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

1.The cup does not pollute as compared to plastic cups which turn into microplastics or contribute to deforestation due to paper cups. Quite the contrary, the RIPE Cup® applies the principles of circular economy where we are contributing to the reduction of food waste and turning into a biocomposite material. It uses the principle from cradle to cradle. From fruit back to fruit. 2. It is locally made from natural fibres found in fruit residues. Promoting Made In Moris Label. 3. It will contribute massively to the reduction of Plastic and marine pollution in Mauritius. 4. It will contribute to afforestation as the fruit seeds and nitrogen-fixing seeds will turn into fruit trees and nitrogen-fixing plants , producing food and repairing degraded soils at the same time. 5. It will contribute to repairing degraded soils also due to the biodegradability and compostable nature of the cup, where the biocomposite material will turn into nutrients for the soil.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Companies in the food and beverage industries (B2B) - restaurants, food vendors, catering services, cafes, international food chains and franchises based in Mauritius, hotels. Creating a closed loop circuit as these companies will be providing their food waste as the raw material and the cup will be sold back to them. B2B 2. The general population . B2C

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2022-03-04

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

0

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

0

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

There are no other partners.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/haadeeyah-oozeerally-138026311?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

b) Materials (agriculture, fishing, chemical products, construction materials, containers and packaging, metals and mining, paper and forest products)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

It does not

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

Achieve food security and promote sustainable agriculture. At the end of the life cycle of the RIPE Cup®, it can be planted by customers/public or by companies(part of their sustainability policy) in the food & beverage industries or it can be returned back to the RIPE Eco Factory & be planted in the RIPE Food Forest. The RIPE Food Forest is a model of regenerative agriculture, using the principles and ethics of permaculture design, creating an abundant, high yielding ecosystem, producing fruits, vegetables, honey, livestock.

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

It does not

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

It does not

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

It does not

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

It does not

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

It does not

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

RIPE Mauritius aims to achieve purposeful and sustainable growth and provide employment and empowerment to the youths in ecology. Making the youths agents of change for the planet. Earning a decent living while being a guardian of the planet.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. RIPE stands for the Research Institute of Permaculture Design and Ecology, one of its branches is the R&D Lab where innovation is at the core of its concept. The biocomposite material from which the RIPE Cup ® is made can be used to make other disposable products such as bottle caps, plates, cutlery, cosmetic packaging, etc..... Due to the versatility of the biocomposite material, it can be turned into a limitless number of applications and uses.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

It does not

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

It does not

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

The RIPE Cup® project is the epitome of biobased circular economy. The biocomposite material is made from food waste, more importantly from fruit waste which will be collected from local cafes, hotels, and restaurants, contributing significantly to the reduction of food waste in Mauritius. The fruit waste is used and turned into a unique biocomposite material which can be turned into useful products such as cups, plates, spoons, cutlery, bottle caps, cosmetic packaging, watches, etc... It uses the concept "cradle to cradle" . The biocomposite material is 100% biodegradable, compostable and marine degradable, leaving zero microplastics or residues, leaving only carbon dioxide and water.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

-Regenerative agriculture : 1. Use of nitrogen-fixing seeds which will turn into nitrogen-fixing plants upon disposal, taking in nitrogen from the atmosphere and fix it in the soil instead of using synthetic chemicals and fertilizers. 2. The biocomposite material will also biodegrade leaving behind nutrients for the soil. 3. Use of fruit seeds turning into fruit trees, creating food forests. -Biobased circular economy

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

The RIPE Cup® is made from an alternative material to plastic, which is completely marine degraded, meaning it will completely turn into water and carbon dioxide within 16 weeks without any trace of microplastics or residue in the oceans, therefore not affecting the marine life.

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

The RIPE Cup ® is a plantable seeded cup. It contains fruit seeds and nitrogen-fixing seeds which will help in the afforestation of Mauritius and in the restoration of degraded lands as the nitrogen-fixer will turn into a tree which will take nitrogen from the atmosphere and fix it in the soil. The biocomposite material from which the RIPE Cup® is made is 100% compostable and biodegradable and contains nutrients for the soil.

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

It does not.

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

It does not

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

2

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

5

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

3

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

The RIPE Cup® is an innovative product, in fact it is an invention. It is the world's first 100 % biobased, compostable and plantable cup, completely paper-free, plastic-free, chemical-free. The concept of a plantable cup is new.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Main potential competitors: Manufacturers and importers of paper cups. The RIPE Cup® is an innovative product. -Locally made from fruit waste readily available, adopting a cradle to cradle approach. From fruit back to fruit. -New biocomposite material -Plantability feature. There are no such cups on the market.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Not at the moment. Perhaps in the future.